Hydrolock occurs when water enters the engine’s cylinders and prevents the pistons from moving. This can cause extensive damage to the engine, so it’s important to look out for signs of a hydrolocked engine and take action to fix it if it happens. Keep reading to learn how.
Hydrolock – Meaning of the Word
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Most people have never heard of hydrolock, but it’s a serious problem that can occur in any vehicle with an internal combustion engine. Hydrolock is short for hydrostatic lock or hydraulic lock. It happens when water – usually from a deep puddle or flood – gets into the engine’s combustion chamber and prevents the pistons from moving.
To understand why it happens, you need to know that pistons operate by moving up and down in the cylinders. They’re designed to compress gas, which then ignites and powers the engine. Because water is incompressible, it can’t be compressed like gas. So, when water gets into the cylinders, it prevents the pistons from moving.
A hydrolocked engine will often suffer extensive damage. In some cases, it can even cause the engine to seize up completely. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the signs of hydrolock and take action to fix it if it happens. We’ll discuss that in more detail below.
How Does Hydrolock Happen?
There are two main ways that hydrolock can occur:
- Driving through a deep puddle or floodwater. This is the most common way that hydrolock happens – if the water is above the air intake level, it can enter the engine. If you see a large puddle of water, it’s best to avoid driving through it. If you can’t avoid it, drive slowly and be prepared for the engine to stall.
- Leaking coolant. If your vehicle’s cooling system is leaking, it can allow water to enter the engine. This is more of a problem in older vehicles, but it can happen to any vehicle if the head gasket has failed.
See also: What Is a Camshaft Position Sensor and Crankshaft Position Sensor? Symptoms of a Bad Camshaft Sensor
Another possible (but very rare) cause is an injector leak. Knowing these ways hydrolock can happen, let’s take a look at the signs to watch out for. Being prepared can help you avoid hydrolock or prevent serious damage if it does happen.
Signs of a Hydrolocked Engine
There are several ways to tell if your engine has hydrolocked. If the engine won’t turn over, that’s a good indication that hydrolock may be present. Mezi další příznaky patří:
- sudden stalling;
- abnormal sputtering;
- thumping, knocking or hammering noises when you’re trying to start the engine.
If you notice any of these signs, it’s important to take action right away. Trying to start a hydrolocked engine can cause even more damage to the internal components, so it’s best to call a tow truck or mechanic and have the car towed to a safe location.
What Engine Damage Is Done When Hydrolocking?
Hydrolock can cause a lot of damage to your engine. Connecting rods can break or bend, pistons can be ejected, and the engine block or cylinder head can crack. Compromised bearings and a damaged crankshaft are other possible problems. In some cases, the damage is so severe that the engine needs to be replaced.
If you’re lucky, hydrolocking will only damage one cylinder. In that case, you may be able to have the engine repaired and get back on the road. However, if multiple cylinders are affected, it’s often more cost-effective to replace the engine.
The faster the engine was running when hydrolock occurred, the more damage it’s likely to cause. This is because the moving components are forced to stop suddenly, which can cause them to break or bend. The momentum is absorbed by the weakest parts of the engine, which are usually the connecting rods.
See also: What Is One Part of an Engine Maintenance Program?
Preventing Hydrolock
The best way to prevent hydrolock is to avoid driving through deep puddles or floodwaters. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so err on the side of caution and take an alternate route if you see a large puddle. Idling in water probably won’t cause damage, but if your car is standing in a deep puddle for any reason, be sure to move it as soon as possible.
Remember that the faster you’re going, the more damage hydrolock can cause. So, it’s best to take it slow and be as gentle as possible on the accelerator.
You should also have your vehicle’s cooling system checked regularly to make sure there are no leaks. Coolant leaks are one of the main causes of hydrolock, so it’s important to be proactive and have any leaks fixed as soon as possible.
Diesel Engines Are More Prone to Hydrolocking
Diesel engines are more susceptible to hydrolocking because they use a higher compression ratio. This means that they have a smaller volume of air above the piston at the top of the stroke. They also have stronger starter motors than gasoline engines.
When water enters a diesel engine, it can cause hydrolock with just a small amount of liquid. The damage can be devastating, and it often requires the hydrolocked engine to be replaced. If you have a diesel engine, be extra careful when driving through puddles.
Fixing a Hydrolocked Engine
If hydrolock does occur, the first thing you should do is turn off the engine and call a tow truck or mechanic. Trying to start the engine can cause even more damage, so it’s best to have it towed to a safe location.
Once the engine is at a safe location, the mechanic will need to disassemble it to assess the damage. If hydrolock has caused damage to multiple cylinders, the engine will likely need to be replaced. However, if only one cylinder is affected, the mechanic may be able to repair the engine.
See also: Everything You Should Know About Vehicle Exhaust & Emissions
The cost of fixing a hydrolocked engine is usually between $3,000 and $8,000. So, it’s important to be proactive and take steps to prevent hydrolock from happening in the first place. You don’t want to spend your entire summer vacation fund on engine repairs!
Frequently Asked Questions About Hydro Locked Engines
If you haven’t found the answer to your question in this article, check out our list of frequently asked questions below.
Does Insurance Cover a Hydrolocked Engine?
No, hydrolock is not covered by insurance. This is because it’s considered to be a preventable problem. If you have comprehensive coverage, your insurance may cover the cost of towing your vehicle to a safe location.
Is a Hydrolocked Engine Repairable?
It depends. If hydrolock has caused damage to multiple cylinders, the engine will likely need to be replaced. However, if only one cylinder is affected, the mechanic may be able to repair the engine.
Can You Unlock a Hydrolocked Engine?
No, you can’t unlock a hydrolocked engine. The only way to fix it is to disassemble the engine and assess the damage. If hydrolock has caused damage to multiple cylinders, the engine will likely need to be replaced.
Now you know everything there is to know about hydrolocked engines. So, the next time you see a deep puddle, think twice before driving through it!
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Od dětství se zajímal o auta, zejména o driftová auta. Také velký fanoušek klasických aut a lowriderů. Ve volném čase rád jezdí na automobilové srazy se svým Nissanem Skyline.
Pop quiz: what happens when you combine metal, fire and water?
If you’re new to internal combustion (or know nothing about cars), you may be tempted to speed through a large puddles. Sure, it’s thrilling to create your own waves…until your engine dies.
Unless you want to destroy your vehicle or pay some hefty repair bills, we recommend protecting your car from serious engine problems at all costs. Hydrolocked motors can also occur if car owners unwittingly put their vehicles at risk through a cold air intake system.
Understanding how a hydrolocked motor happens and what the results may be is vital to protecting your vehicle. Here’s a breakdown of what to do to avoid this and other serious engine problems.
What is a Hydrolocked Motor?
In simple terms, a hydrolocked motor is when your car’s engine fails. The official term is a hydrostatic lock. This has much to do with the fact that car engines work on internal combustion.
Internal combustion engines have a moving piston and a static cylinder. As the expanding gases produced by the combustion inside the engine expand, they push the piston.
This rotates the crankshaft. This sets the gears of the power train in motion and gets the wheels turning.
Because of this, a hydrolocked motor is no regular failure. When your engine takes on a huge amount of water into those cylinders, it undergoes a fatal failure or seizure.
If your motor hydrolocks, you will hear loud crashing or banging sounds shortly before it stalls.
An internal combustion engine is basically an air pump. This means it’s designed to compress air. When water enters the cylinders, it’s nearly impossible to compress.
Because the molecules in water attract each other, they stay closer together than other liquid molecules. This leaves little to no room for those molecules to get any closer together.
A tremendous amount of pressure would be needed to compress water. Even if that pressure existed inside your car’s engine, the water would barely move.
When water gets inside your engine’s combustion chamber, the crankshaft rotation forces the pistons upward as it tries to compress the water. Because water is incompressible, the reaction force is greater than what your engine can deal with.
Sadly, in this situation, something’s gotta give…
If you have a small-capacity engine, it will stall. The engine’s force during the attempted reciprocation isn’t enough to deal with the water and you hear a grinding halt.
Unfortunately, the resulting damage to many internal components usually means the death of your car.
Hydrolocking While Idling
Unfortunately, a hydrolocked engine can even happen if you’re idling. Sitting in standing water or driving slowly through it still poses a risk. Your engine doesn’t have to be rotating quickly to hydrolock.
The good news is, this is the lesser of the worst results due to a hydrolocked engine. Typically, the method for dealing with this degree of hydrolocking is to remove the spark plugs. You or your mechanic will then turn the engine over and flush the water out.
If you’re a novice at car repairs, do not try this on your own.
An experienced mechanic will know that the engine should be checked thoroughly. They should remove the inlet manifold and cylinder head.
This allows the mechanic to check for any other damage and to make sure no water remains. Again, the expenses for repairing a hydrolocked engine add up quickly with all your engine needs to recover (if recovery is possible).
If you’ve hydrolocked while idling and you jsou able to repair it, changing your engine gaskets will be necessary as well. The faster you can remove the water, the less likely your engine will corrode.
The quicker your response time in caring for your motor, the less likely the damage will be fatal to your car.
Hydrolocking With Speed
Did you speed through that puddle? This is the worst degree of hydrolocking. Especially, if you have a large-capacity engine and you were driving fast.
Again, it’s those reaction forces from the large volumes of water that will destroy your internal components. Most often, it’s the connection rods that break.
The least damaging scenario is if the connection rods bend. When this happens, they must be replaced and you’re looking at an engine rebuild. While expensive, there’s still hope to save the car.
On the other hand, if the connection rods snap, a large piece of metal can move through the cylinders on its way to the crankcase. This results in serious damage.
Large holes are blasted through the sump or cylinder head. When this happens, you have two options as a car owner: pay for an engine replacement, or scrap the car.
Avoiding Hydrolocking: Causes
The number one greatest cause of a hydrolocked motor is driving through deep puddles or flood waters. If you’ve never been warned against this, the reasons extend beyond hydrolocking your motor. Deep waters can also damage your electrical components or undercarriage.
Other components that can be hurt by water include:
- Kloubové boty CV
- Spojovací tyče
- Kulové klouby
- Airbagový systém
- Zapojení
- Ložiska kol
- Šoky
- brzdy
While driving through very high water is the most common cause of a hydrolocked engine, there are other dangers that can cause engine problems.
Cold Air Intake Placement
Some inexperienced mechanics or car owners make vehicle modifications that place the intake system in a dangerous place.
They may try to find a different place for the cold air intake. Often, novices will install a cone air filter low in the corner of their bumper. With such a low location, the engine is in severe danger while driving through even bumper-height waters.
Large puddles or floods are no longer the only enemies; even small rain showers can be a potential threat to the engine.
Úniky chladicí kapaliny
Another risk of hydrolocking comes in the form of coolant leaking into the pistons. This causes head gasket failure which leads to a hydrolocked motor.
Most of the time, head gaskets fail when thermal expansion occurs too quickly for the gasket to handle. This creates ruptures. The level of severity varies, but any time a head gasket separates the cylinders and coolant passages, your engine will hydrolock.
Injector Leaks
The last, and most rare, cause of a hydrolocked engine is an injector leak. If your injector becomes cracked or stuck, fuel can flood in. Adam LZ, the racer and used-car enthusiast, recently experienced this very thing.
Still, if it happens, the best repair method is to flush the fuel from your intercooler, cylinders, and intake manifold.
Suspect Hydrolocking? What to Do Next
The hard truth is, with a hydrolocked motor, you’re either looking at some bolestivý expenses or having to scrap your car entirely. Most vehicles that undergo “flood damage” are totaled.
If the vehicle is salvageable, you’re looking at an average of around $2,500-$8,000 in repairs. For many car owners, this may be more than the value of the vehicle itself.
Understanding what causes these types of engine problems will empower you to make the most financially wise choice.
Research your car’s internal components. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to extending the life of your vehicle.
If you suspect your motor is hydrolocked, the next step is to find an excellent mechanic. The problems arising from this issue can be complex and experience is key in selecting a mechanic who can properly diagnose the severity of the damage.
Avoid being taken advantage of by untrustworthy mechanics by reviewing this guide. Get a firm grasp on how hydrolocking affects the inner workings of your car’s engine.
Don’t be afraid to seek a second opinion. If you are in love with your car, it may be worth having more than one expert take a look.
The Worst Case Scenario: It’s Unsalvageable
Unfortunately, there is little that’s worse for your car than a hydrolocked motor. If you’re certain nothing can be done to restore your vehicle, all is not lost.
Our team of professionals is here to help you. Contact us today at Cash Auto Salvage for a quote on the value of your vehicle. No matter the condition of your car, we will buy it.
Turn lemons (see what we did there), into lemonade, and don’t let your vehicle’s sale potential go unmet. While it’s never fun to lose a car to a hydrolocked motor, Cash Auto Salvage can help you find a silver lining.
