Miami People! Flood+SS= Possibly Hydrolock
06-06-2009, 12:25 AM
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Miami People! Flood+SS= Possibly Hydrolock boooooooooooooooooo South Beach storm drain system caca 
So I was making my way through some deep water (nothing extra ordinary though, probably 7-10" deep) moving very slowly. Then here comes an A$$HOLE on a big van coming the oposite way hauling *** (mind you, it was deeper on their side) and threw a homongous wave of water OVER MY HOOD and into the crack of my window.
Immediately the car shot off. A few guys that had been standing around helped me out and we pushed the SS into a parking lot that had water maybe 5" tall. Anywho, I tried cranking ONE TIME and it didnt turn over, I hear the starter TRYING to turn over the engine but nothing, just a "vvbump" is the best way I could describe the sound. I came back to the car 3hrs later and nothing, same thing.
The car will be towed back to my house later tonite, MAYBE by 4am.
I really suspect it hydrolocked. When I get to work on it tomorrow, the plan is to pull all my spark plugs and try to crank the engine over to spit out whatever water may have gotten into the chambers. I did check the dipstick and the oil did not seem milky at all, so Im sure there's no water in the crankcase.
What else can go wrong here? The obvious being alternator and PCM having gotten too wet. But I think even those will be fine as long as they are not operated until after they have dried enough (from my experience in other cars).
All opinions welcomed
So I was making my way through some deep water (nothing extra ordinary though, probably 7-10" deep) moving very slowly. Then here comes an A$$HOLE on a big van coming the oposite way hauling *** (mind you, it was deeper on their side) and threw a homongous wave of water OVER MY HOOD and into the crack of my window.
Immediately the car shot off. A few guys that had been standing around helped me out and we pushed the SS into a parking lot that had water maybe 5" tall. Anywho, I tried cranking ONE TIME and it didnt turn over, I hear the starter TRYING to turn over the engine but nothing, just a "vvbump" is the best way I could describe the sound. I came back to the car 3hrs later and nothing, same thing.
The car will be towed back to my house later tonite, MAYBE by 4am.
I really suspect it hydrolocked. When I get to work on it tomorrow, the plan is to pull all my spark plugs and try to crank the engine over to spit out whatever water may have gotten into the chambers. I did check the dipstick and the oil did not seem milky at all, so Im sure there's no water in the crankcase.
What else can go wrong here? The obvious being alternator and PCM having gotten too wet. But I think even those will be fine as long as they are not operated until after they have dried enough (from my experience in other cars).
All opinions welcomed
06-06-2009, 08:06 AM
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Well it's 9am, guess what? Still no tow trucks lol. What a mess. I have yet to attempt to turn over the engine once again. I'll try it when I get the news that the tow truck is close by as a "one last time" try and see. Maybe the water evaporated by some miracle and I can turn the engine. We'll see.
You guys should have seen the streets of south beach. I hear that the news helicopters were all over the place after the storm surveying the area. Some places that I walked through on my way from my car back to where I work, I had to walk through water half way up my thigh. Mind you that I left "after the water had drained down". So I cant begin to imagine how it must have been during the storm
You guys should have seen the streets of south beach. I hear that the news helicopters were all over the place after the storm surveying the area. Some places that I walked through on my way from my car back to where I work, I had to walk through water half way up my thigh. Mind you that I left "after the water had drained down". So I cant begin to imagine how it must have been during the storm
06-06-2009, 08:31 AM
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probably sucked water through the intake. Thats not good. I did it fourwheeling an s-10 one time. Had to get another motor. But, I was ******* it, so I'm sure i sucked in more water than you. It was up to my windows.
06-06-2009, 12:01 PM
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That should be covered by insurance. I would definately pull plugs and try to crank it, but it sounds like if it shut off, that something is probably allready damaged. Call your insurance company and explain to them what happened, but I wouldnt say you were in that deep of water. Tell them you didnt realize how deep it was and the moron coming the other way pushed much more water over in your lane, otherwise you would have been fine. Many years ago my girlfriend at the time drove her dad's ford ranger through standing water and it locked up the motor. Insurance covered it completely minus the deductable.
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06-06-2009, 12:34 PM
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All plugs came out fine, last one in the driver bank, I believe it's cylinder #7 was soaked. All the other ones looked like brand new. I know for a fact the motor ingested water not only due to the spark plug but also because when I pulled off the bellow from the TB, water poured out from the TB and bellow.
Anyways, all plugs were out. I tried to crank it over and nothing. Starter does click and I hear it trying to move the engine over but it's as if the motor is stuck. At this point it's not looking good. My last hope is that the starter itself is gunked up (like when they get old and they dont turn yet you hear its solenoid clicking, same thing Im seeing right now). Im going to remove it to inspect it. If not... well yea, this sucks.
That should be covered by insurance. I would definately pull plugs and try to crank it, but it sounds like if it shut off, that something is probably allready damaged. Call your insurance company and explain to them what happened, but I wouldnt say you were in that deep of water. Tell them you didnt realize how deep it was and the moron coming the other way pushed much more water over in your lane, otherwise you would have been fine. Many years ago my girlfriend at the time drove her dad's ford ranger through standing water and it locked up the motor. Insurance covered it completely minus the deductable.
blah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Of course Im running on like 5 hrs of sleep for the last 48hrs so Im not in the best of moods to say the least lol
06-06-2009, 02:00 PM
#10
Sux
but before you throw in the towel, see if the motor turns manually. Wet plug is not good, but if only one plug got a little water your motor might be okay.
I work for an insurance company and every year around this time I'm checking numerous motors at dealerships and mech shops with motors that sucked in water. A good amount of them survive with some basic maintenance, drying, changing fluids, air filter, plugs and maybe some electronics AIR FLOW METERS, MAFs, etc.
but before you throw in the towel, see if the motor turns manually. Wet plug is not good, but if only one plug got a little water your motor might be okay.
I work for an insurance company and every year around this time I'm checking numerous motors at dealerships and mech shops with motors that sucked in water. A good amount of them survive with some basic maintenance, drying, changing fluids, air filter, plugs and maybe some electronics AIR FLOW METERS, MAFs, etc.
06-06-2009, 03:01 PM
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tell me about it lol
I couldnt agree more. I HAD to take a break. I had to eat something. Soon as Im done eating Im gonna go outside and try to turn it by hand.
Here's some eye candy...
When the car was finally on the flatbed (That's the Walgreens on 5th street and Jefferson Ave for the local folks). IN the parking lot -which is a bit elevated) the water was about 6" deep
These are the spark plugs on the driver side. The one to the far left is cylinder #7. All other spark plugs looked brand new like the others
Sux
but before you throw in the towel, see if the motor turns manually. Wet plug is not good, but if only one plug got a little water your motor might be okay.
I work for an insurance company and every year around this time I'm checking numerous motors at dealerships and mech shops with motors that sucked in water. A good amount of them survive with some basic maintenance, drying, changing fluids, air filter, plugs and maybe some electronics AIR FLOW METERS, MAFs, etc.
but before you throw in the towel, see if the motor turns manually. Wet plug is not good, but if only one plug got a little water your motor might be okay.
I work for an insurance company and every year around this time I'm checking numerous motors at dealerships and mech shops with motors that sucked in water. A good amount of them survive with some basic maintenance, drying, changing fluids, air filter, plugs and maybe some electronics AIR FLOW METERS, MAFs, etc.
Here's some eye candy...
When the car was finally on the flatbed (That's the Walgreens on 5th street and Jefferson Ave for the local folks). IN the parking lot -which is a bit elevated) the water was about 6" deep
These are the spark plugs on the driver side. The one to the far left is cylinder #7. All other spark plugs looked brand new like the others
06-06-2009, 06:16 PM
#15
I was going to ask if it was a black SS. I saw the car on the flatbed this morning at the light on 5 St. and Alton (I was stopped next to you). Stop trying to fire it up. Drain the oil first, and change all basic things like mentioned...good luck
Heres some pic I took, my bucket truck had no problem thru the floods
Heres some pic I took, my bucket truck had no problem thru the floods
06-06-2009, 06:45 PM
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. Trust me I went into roads to turn back when I saw it was too deep. I actually got stuck on a road that did NOT seem as deep as the others (blah lol)I was going to ask if it was a black SS. I saw the car on the flatbed this morning at the light on 5 St. and Alton (I was stopped next to you). Stop trying to fire it up. Drain the oil first, and change all basic things like mentioned...good luck
Heres some pic I took, my bucket truck had no problem thru the floods
Heres some pic I took, my bucket truck had no problem thru the floods
OK so... I went out and tried turning it by hand. I can get about one full revolution before it gets stuck (with a 3ft breaker bar). What I attempted (and this is what Im famous for amongst my friends- make or break solutions lol, Dr. Kaos is what they call me when it comes to cars) to do was turned it the opposite way all the way to the lock, and then with the starter hopefully get enough speed into the rotating assembly so that the momentum will spin it passed that point of being stuck... well i think I killed my starter LOL. It sounds like the gear isnt catching on the teeth of the starter's ring on the flywheel, just grinding. It IS the original starter so it might just have been on its way out and I just happened to take it out of its missery right now.
Tomorrow I will remove the starter to have it tested and go from there. If this doesnt work, I picture myself starting to drop the engine/tranny tomorrow. Blah. Im already lurking around sites for an LS6 shortblocks just so I can prepare mentally for the financial hit if it has to come to it
06-07-2009, 06:38 AM
#18
lol! nah if I end up having to replace the engine I'll keep an aluminum block (LS6 preferably, or another LS1). I feel the car is heavy enough as it is, and FOR MY USES I dont merit getting an iron block. (what is the weight difference between the two engines anyways? I always wondered. But like I said, the car is too heavy as it is in my opinion.
Tomorrow I will remove the starter to have it tested and go from there. If this doesnt work, I picture myself starting to drop the engine/tranny tomorrow. Blah. Im already lurking around sites for an LS6 shortblocks just so I can prepare mentally for the financial hit if it has to come to it
Tomorrow I will remove the starter to have it tested and go from there. If this doesnt work, I picture myself starting to drop the engine/tranny tomorrow. Blah. Im already lurking around sites for an LS6 shortblocks just so I can prepare mentally for the financial hit if it has to come to it
The heads are 6.0 trucks heads, I also have the stock 5.7. $1500 for assembled block and motor. pm if you are interested.
06-07-2009, 08:18 AM
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you can get a tubular crossmember to offset the weight of the iron block. But either way. You can check to see if the engine is locked up by putting a socket and ratchet or breaker bar on the front crank pulley bolt.
