Almost lost the 190 to the flood yesterday!
 

I met my in-laws for lunch at Eastgate Shopping Center yesterday. After lunch and since it was a clear hot day, we decided to go to the flea market in Raleigh for a few hours. Of course, I leave my car while I ride with them.

When it was time to pick up my car, the water was up to the middle of the front bumper (inches away from the passenger side fender gills) and the water was still rising.

Obviuosly, water flooded in when i opened the door. I could not close it properly either. The car started and I drove on the sidewalk to dry land! I could not have done that in a big S-class.

So now the aftermath. The carpet is wet (i had to use a coffee cup as bailer) and the sun is not due to come out until Thursday.

And the biggie...the alternator is dead.

Do you guys recommend replacing the alternator or do you think the replacing the voltage regulator will do the trick?

Here is a news link regarding the flood.
Rain drenches central NC :: WRAL.com

That`s too bad, at least your 190 wasn`t totaled, but that is nasty water when things flood. better pull the carpet and seats out to get things dried out. You have the electric seats? there will be problems with the motors etc...

I have a carpet upholstery shampooer I got a walmart called the little green machine. that would be good to suck out the water in the carpets and off the floor.

With the Alternator down so low, it got soaked with Silt laden water, and that will grind away at the bearings etc... could be just the VR need replacing and you would be good to go for a while.

Looking at the news link, you did have some serious amount of water dumped on you. some of the cars looked like stacked up Cord Wood.

If this is one of your Summer showers, hate to see what you get in the winter.:eek:

Out here in the west there is a different story. we have this heat wave cooking things, and that bad fire in Arizona that killed 19 Fire Fighters yesterday.
http://por-img.cimcontent.net/api/as...ers-Killed.jpgA wildfire burns homes in Yarnell, Ariz. on Sunday, June 30, 2013. An Arizo...

YARNELL, Ariz. (AP) —



Charlie :(

good point about the silt on the bearings. i will have to carefully check it out. thanks.

x2 on the shampoo and VR.

I'd just run the alt with a new VR, but expect it to fail in the back of your mind eventually.

Did any water get into the rear diff?

Seats and carpet are easy to pull in a 190. I'd get those out and put a fan running inside the car. Good excuse to perform a through cleaning on the interior.

good tip. thanks. i will pull the carpet in the fall when the mower biz slows down.

I would pull the carpet now, or they will not dry out for a long time and will mildew.

what about the water trapped under the carpet and the floor insulation? think about rust.

Dry out the seat tracks and or electric motors. also think about the silt in the tracks once it dry`s and some corrosion starts. of course if your yr 190 has the electric motors they will most likely be toast anyway.

I have seen a few 123`s I tried to pull the front seats. the captive nut on the clip for the rear bolts will get so rusted it and the bolt will just spin.
this is another good reason to take things apart. I would add a dab of Anti-Seiz to the threads.

Isn`t there a electric vac pump under the rear seat for the door locks?


Simpler=Better..... is there a front Differential too? you mentioned the rear diff. :D Just funning with you.:)


Charlie

x2 on pulling the carpets ASAP.

When I drive in reverse I like to think of my rear diff as being the front diff ....or something like that.... :P

I doubt the car is a 4matic .
X10000 on removing the carpet ASAP!!!!! ALL the electronics will be junk by fall...pull everything apart and rinse with distilled water NOW!!!
The seat/window switches too!

I built a PVC can to vacuum out my cell phone... Wish I had one big enough to evacuate your car...

Definitely get that carpet out ASAP. Make a day out of pulling the seats and carpet. You can literally have the stuff out and put back in an afternoon. If the carpets are still soaked, get a bunch of towels, put them over the carpet, and walk over it until the towel is soaked, then use another towel till the towel doesn't get wet. Then put the carpets in front of a fan.

Get the floor dried up, vacuum out any excess water, etc. You do not want that water sitting there. AS everyone has said, it will rust the seat bolts, rust the seat tracks, ruin the motors, etc. Not to mention rusting the floor, it's just all bad.

Glad you were able to get the car out of the water. Good luck with getting it all sorted out!

Ben, its only (4) 10mm bolts per seat and then 1 bolt per seat belt. The floor carpeting just snaps in. If you hustle you can have it out in 30 minutes. Leave the side and tunnel carpeting in and run the fan as they will drain down and dry with the air circulation.

does anyone have a good source of carpet for the car? i might as well change it

here are some pictures....where i am holding my hand was the height of the water.

i pulled up the carpet and installed an oscillating fan. it isn't supposed to be sunny until the 4th so that will have to do.

i might remove the center console tomorrow and totally remove the carpet. i am just too freakin' tired right now to do it.

thanks to everyone especially those who encouraged me to remove the carpet.

Most cars today would not have even started in that situation I bet. Long live MB diesels! :D

The weather here has been horrible some spots of chapel hill are under over 6 feet of water. Get as much air moving through the car as possible and get as much water gone now as you can or it will be a nightmare later. Id open all the doors and sunroof pull the rear seat, mats, and anything else you can then stick a fan in both doors one side. Right now its only water but come summer heat anything wet gets a bit funky in the heat.

Change your differential fluid if the water level was over the vent on the top of it. The oil rises out and the water fulls in and the bearings and gears get trashed. Same with the transmission fluid. Also, pull some of the cavity plugs along the bottom of the rocker panels and blow air in through there.

I never even thought about the diff and the tranny fluid. i'll add that to the list.

Here is a picture of my fan setup. unfortunately, it is supposed to rain again today. all least the 'big' water is gone.

You've got a fever, and the only prescription is more fan. (maybe you can appreciate the reference http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o0Vv8lr41w ). The more air movement the better.

Put in a new K1 piston spring kit when you change the tranny fluid. Less than $10 at the dealer and cures many of the flares. Good preventative maint in my opinion and takes 2 minutes once your in there.