Possible Hydrolock Issue

Posted By: GTX4spd

Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 03:29 AM

My idiot brother hydroplaned my sister's '01 Ford Sport Trak into a water-filled ditch Thursday night. I took a look at it today & couldn't detect water in the cylinders but the intake plenum was very wet so I used the shop vac on that. Tried to turn it over (with the starter) to see if water would shoot out of the cylinders but it doesn't move, sounds like a dead battery or bad starter. Checked the battery & it's good, no reason to suspect the starter. Does it sound like it's hydrolocked? Never had this issue before so any input would be welcomed.

Posted By: jlatessa

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 03:43 AM

Drain the oil pan, pull the plugs and crank it, that should expel any excess water. if hasn't been wet too long, fill her up with oil put the plugs in and give it a go.

Joe

Posted By: Pacnorthcuda

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 03:44 AM

Pull the plugs, then turn it over. Also take close look at the oil.

Posted By: GTX4spd

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 03:46 AM

Yeah, I pulled the plugs & tried to crank it but got nothing. Didn't try cranking it manually yet, just not feeling up to it.

Posted By: MoparMarq

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 03:57 AM

(Glad I'm not the only one with an idiot brother...)

Posted By: Pacnorthcuda

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 03:58 AM

Quote:

(Glad I'm not the only one with an idiot brother...)

I wish mine was only an idiot.

Posted By: d-150

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 04:22 AM

bought a 92 dakota 318 that sucked water ,was locked up.bent rod and bad piston. could also have bent valves

Posted By: 70Cuda383

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 04:39 AM

If it won't crank by the starter and the battery is charged, and the only thing that happened was that he sucked down a bunch of water by forging through a flood.... I'd be afraid the motor is a mangled mess inside. Fluids don't compress. Metal bends and cracks.

Posted By: sogtx

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 05:03 AM

what if its a bad starter ?
crank it by hand , if it doesnt move -your brothers an idiot

Posted By: BB65Barracuda

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 02:07 PM

Quote:

Quote:

(Glad I'm not the only one with an idiot brother...)

I wish mine was only an idiot.

Sadly,

Posted By: 70Cuda383

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 03:50 PM

Quote:

what if its a bad starter ?
crank it by hand , if it doesnt move -your brothers an idiot

it's possible, but how likely is it that the starter goes bad from one heavy splash/submersion?

Posted By: gdonovan

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 04:02 PM

Quote:

it's possible, but how likely is it that the starter goes bad from one heavy splash/submersion?

Thats what I was thinking, I suspect the motor is toast.

I'd try some slip joint pliers on the alt or ps pump and see if the motor turns over first. Quick and easy test. If you can rock the motor back and forth then it might be a starter.

Posted By: Dcuda69

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 04:06 PM

Had a friend drive his Ranger through a small creek while 4-wheeling.It died,so they dragged it down the road trying to pop start it....bent all 6 connecting rods

Yep..it was full of water. The air intake is pretty low in the grill if I remember correctly.

Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 05:58 PM

If there's a bolt on the front so you can hand crank it with a breaker bar like we can then I'd pull the plugs & see if it is free. I'm assuming there is no bolt as that'd be the first thing to do. As you said no reason for the starter to have died at that point in time, same with the battery.

Posted By: Supercuda

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 06:06 PM

Smacking water does tend to shock the chassis. Something might have rattled loose.

Being all computerized, your no starter issue might very well be electronics related, not like the old days when things were real simple. Does the starter even make any noise or appear to attempt to turn over? Did the inertia switch trip? I forget if they DOA kill starter or just the fuel pump.

Posted By: mikemee1331

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 06:23 PM

my son did the same thing with his escort a year ago. after days of trying to get it to turn over i discovered the a small amount of water had gotten into the cylinders via the intake and because the car had been outside all this time the water had frozen the pistons. i put a heater in the engine compartment and covered it up for a couple of hours and viola! i never thought about it because it was in the upper 30's but it never got warm enough to melt the ice.

Posted By: Jeremiah

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 07:45 PM

Quote:

Quote:

what if its a bad starter ?
crank it by hand , if it doesnt move -your brothers an idiot

it's possible, but how likely is it that the starter goes bad from one heavy splash/submersion?

It is very likely. When I worked as a wrench every time we had a rainfall that flooded the storm drains (aka water on the streets) we were changing out starters left and right.

Posted By: mikemee1331

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 08:36 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

what if its a bad starter ?
crank it by hand , if it doesnt move -your brothers an idiot

it's possible, but how likely is it that the starter goes bad from one heavy splash/submersion?

It is very likely. When I worked as a wrench every time we had a rainfall that flooded the storm drains (aka water on the streets) we were changing out starters left and right.

i also suspected the starter and the battery and changed out both. it was because the pistons were frozen from about 1/8 inch of water in 2 cylinders and the crank/pistons wouldn't move.....my clue was when i did what Robert suggested above and tried to move the crank with a crowbar. couldn't budge it!

Posted By: therocks

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/23/14 09:05 PM

Most newer starters arent like the old ones.Different insides.If you smack them with a hammer like old ones to get them to start they will crack inside.I had a Pontiac at work that a guy drove thru a flooded street.Died and the whole air box was full.that and it wouldnt crank.Sat inside for a few hours and pulled plugs and finally cranked.New plugs,oil change and air filter and all was good.Rocky

Posted By: Twostick

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/24/14 02:05 AM

Does it have a factory anti theft or alarm system ? My Lexus would disable the starter if its system was triggered. I don't know how your idiot brother got out after it went in the drink but if he went out thru a window with the doors locked and then somebody reached in to open the door, that could trigger the system.

If it has a system do the reset procedure and see if it will crank.

Kevin

Posted By: sogtx

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/25/14 02:41 AM

Posted By: mikemee1331

Re: Possible Hydrolock Issue - 02/25/14 04:30 PM

Quote:

exactly! i hate when you never hear back. got to be at least 90% of the time. issues are a learning experience for everyone, not just the OP.