I am buying a 98 TA with an engine that hydrolocked. He sucked up water through the FTRA and the engine locked down. He tried starting the engine and he broke the starter. We pulled the spark plugs and tried turning the engine using a socket on the crank and it would not even budge.
I'm wondering the best way to be able to get the car on the road. I am concerned that a rod might be bent or that he damaged a valve. I almost feel that we should just pull the engine and go through it. I have a few thousand dollars to spend but I cannot afford a stroker motor or anything like that. If I have to get new pistons and rods then I would want to put forged in and do rings and bearings at the same time, although I don't really know the price difference between forged and just replacing the stock ones. The car has 106,000 miles on it so this is a good time to go through the engine anyways.

What would you do?

Thanks,
Eric

 

One word...ValveGod. I would try and contact Shaun for a cheap bottom end, and then just freshen up the heads. Hell, just do some clean up on the ports yourself and replace the srping and retainers. How reasonable are you talking. I would look over things very carefully, as the person who had it previously definitely does not sound too bright. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />

 

ditto

 

how would it hydrolock from regular driving, how can that much water get through the air filter and into the motor while its running? as soon as water would hit the maf the car should shut down? was the car submerged?

 

Eric,

You might e-mail Joseph on a rebuild. I bet he could slap something together for you. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> As a matter of fact, he and Jason are looking into forged pistons for a 3.905" bore. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> jpotak@hotmail.com

 

I haven't talked with shaun about a new bottom end but his posts in classifieds said it was like $3,000. That is waaay more than I want to spend.

LAFNATU, I have no idea how he accomplished this. Some people make mistakes that are so unbelievable it makes you wonder.

Trevor, my email still doesn't work so if you talk to them let them know what's going on. I'll try and give Jason a call if I can find his number.

 

If your block is undamaged you can get a new set of stock pistons/rods/rings from Valvegod for 275.00 New bearings prolly another 125.00 throw it all back together. You will need to deglaze the cylinders and that is cheap and get new head gaskets/bolt

 

How much does it cost to resleeve it - the current engine has over 100,000 miles on it. Does anyone know what gets damaged when a car hydrolocks? I'm wondering if I should expect a bent valve or any other head damage.

If I have the heads resurfaced and new stock springs put on will I need longer pushrods. I was thinking about just milling the head enough for a good seal against the block, .010

So,

$275 - pistons/rods/rings
$100 - bearings ??
$150 - gaskets/bolts ??
$100 - springs ??
$500 - machine work/rebuilding heads and short
block ????? (I have no clue)
= $1125

Please make changes if I am off on my price. I'm trying to get an idea. We will pull the engine over the next week and should have a better idea of the damage. I would like to know that it will be basically a new engine with new springs/rings/and bearings.

Thanks,
Eric

 

Eric, usually an engine that has been hydrolocked can be rebuilt, we do insurance claims all the time at work from water ingestion <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> Being that it has over 100K miles should be a good time for a thorough rebuild at the same time, no sence in bandade fixing that one. I would try to see if you can still get the assembled pistons/rings/rods, bearings from Shawn. The crankshaft shouldn't have any damage, but I have someone in Lubbock that can remachine it no problem. We had to regrind Jason's 6.0L crankshaft and picked up the oversized bearings from ARE.
The only thing I would be concerned about is the cylinder walls - being a 98 LS1. If you need any help send me a PM or email.