During heavy rain on motorways, a good amount of water is sucked (?) via front grill of the car.
Where does this water finally go?
How it is prevented from sucking via air filter? Of course it sucks air only but how it separates water? Why this mechanism can't prevent water going inside engine in a flooded car?
Is there any chance that water that goes inside engine bay can damage other electricals?(Eurostar?)
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It will suck up water if you drive through water at speed like a huge puddle it hyrolocks the engine causing severe damage.
As for normal driving the engine heat evaporates it any sucked up hits the air filter before entering the engine.
The air intake usaully is bumper level some slightly lower, as for the electrics there sealed not a good idea to presure wash this forces water in were as rain water is just a splash.
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The majority of airflow going through the grille is used for cooling purposes rather than by the engine for combustion. This air passes through the radiator (and air conditioning evaporator, if fitted) and then into the engine compartment. Even in heavy rain, most of the water is blocked by the radiator fins, both physically, and through evaporation when the water lands on the hot surface. The few drops that do make it through are insiginificant, and will simply evaporate in the heat of the engine bay, or if they touch a hot surface.
As bigtee says, the engine air intake is a separate pipe which is located somewhere behind the grille or bumper, and will be designed in such a way that normal rainwater and surface spray cannot get anywhere where it can do any damage.
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I suspect that the air filter soaks up droplets too.
There would be fearsomly complicated equations re air speed and droplet size but the bigger droplets I suspect will drop into the bottom of the air filter box, when air flow velocity drops due to increased CSA etc etcs. Is there a drain from?cant remember?
Anyway it was my understanding that diesels at least run better on moist air?
Edited by dieseldogg on 29/01/2010 at 09:39
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Anyway it was my understanding that diesels at least run better on moist air?
Engines run much better on cold moist air in winter than they do in summer. The cold dense air allows the air to carry more oxygen into the cylinders, allowing better combustion.
Its the reason race/rally cars feature water injection, controlled by the engine management.
I notice the difference in my car. It picks up more quickly and just accelerates better with less throttle.
Edited by corax on 29/01/2010 at 15:42
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Is there some advantage in air intakes being mounted low so that they risk sucking up water from deep puddles? Older cars have intakes mounted at least 2 feet off the ground and shielded against splashes - why the change?
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Years ago I built a home made water injection system for my SAAB 900 Turbo which came in on full throttle, it gave me 15bhp on the dyno.
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Not all cars have too low air intake though.
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All cars can drive safely through the largest of road puddles but you get the numpty driving at speed which will cause a tide and it sucks it up, it's kept low to get cold air rather than warm engine heat into the air intake.
The 4x4 have the intake at wing height for the obvious reason or fit the snorkel.
Car manufactures could fit them differently but it's a good money maker when they hydrolock same as for engines when the cam belt snaps timing gears would be the best all round engine.
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same as for engines when the cam belt snaps timing gears would be the best all round engine.
Unless they were made of plastic (well Nylon) eh Ford?
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it's kept low to get cold air rather than warm engine heat into the air intake.
>>>>
Surely that depends whether it's in front of or behind the radiator, not its height?
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Usually the water will hit the filter and drip off into the air-box as the filters tend not to wick water very well. The airbox has a drain hole through which water drains. I supposed the rest dries out due to engine heat and the air rush through the filter and is injected into the engine as small amounts of moisture.
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