Standard story, flash rain, deep unexpected river of water in roadway, end up splashing through it and bam, engine stops, amber "Check Engine Soon" light appears. Yes I have a cold air intake, yes I have a super charger, yes I tried to start the motor afterward (it was a major roadway - EXTREMELY dangerous to sit in the middle of).

------ please read to the end of this post where the actual question is n_____n ------

So here's where my issue comes in. Obviously I think the motor must has sucked in water due to the depth of the standing water I ended up in (5+ inches standing = easily a foot or more when being splashed into by a 3000lbs car at speed) and that my engine stopped when going through it.

But, although at first I was unable to get the engine to turn over - after a few tries (... maybe 4?) it did, and although ran like **** at first, and stalled out an additional 2 to 3 times, eventually it came back to life and I was able to get out of the road and into a neighborhood.

At this point, if I revved the motor above around 2K and then let off the gas completely, and the rpms fell - they wouldn't level out like normal and would taper off all the way down until a stall and engine shut off. I can easily start the engine now without issue, and I can drive the car pretty standardly if I don't GET ON IT... but as soon as I try to go anywhere near WOT, the engine doe'snt seem happy.... and again, if let to drop rpm on it;s own will not catch at around the 800/900rpm mark like ti should do and idle - instead going right past that to 0 and dying.

Note - this is all within 12 minutes of the incident, and I have not come back to the car since making it home (took all back roads and just babied it big time once I realized the idle problem it's seemed to develop).


So. the real question at hand: If I *did* hydrolock my car - is it even possible to get it to start up within a minute of the incident by using the key/starter alone. And if so, did it cause bent valves (or other damage) when successfully starting up? And IF SO, will bent valves act normal at low (2000rpm and below) RPM, but get wonky at higher RPMs?

lastly, what about that Check Engine light? why is it there? what is causing it do you think from the info I've provided?

I've looked through about...20? threads here on the boards - and none actually specify if even possible to get an actually hydrolocked engine to start. I've read about changing engine oil, changing differential oil (due to possibly intaking water through it's breather tube), I've read about every imaginable dealer and insurance scenario with an actually dead motor. I've read to NEVER try and start the ending (oh well there in my case) I've' read ALL SORTS of things in this forum search party I've done tonight... But no solid answers on my question.

And I'm thinking that since I was able to start my car and drive away, I *could* be ok. But why the check engine light, why the idle problem, why the messy throttle response above 2k rpm?

Any info you can give is HIGHLY appreciated Thank you G35 brother's and sisters!

 

Vacuum the cylinders out and pop the hood in the sun...unplug battery and try again.

 

Any thoughts on the fact that I was able to restart the car and drive home after a few attempts?

Is this common to be able to do if there was a true engine breaking "Hydro-lock" situation in effect?

Or is it a sure sign that I've broken the engine (in some way) since I got it to turn it over and as someone else put it in another thread, because water cant be compressed then "something else had to give"...? I ask this becuase, engine runs normal below 2000, go over 2000rpm and things get poopey (and the idle to engine stall situation which is new).

 

Worse case u bent a valve. Hopefully ur circuits r just wet.

 

If I'd bent a rod I take it... the engine just simply wouldn't have run huh?

And if it had blown a head (or head gasket?) could that attribute to the bad operation above 2k rpm? Maybe a compression loss thing at higher rpm or something - or would I know something was wrong at any RPM with compression loss from a cracked or blown head.. I'm reaching here, but trying to prepare myself for anything.

Truthfully.. I just hope a few days of drying out will sort it. But I'd lie if I said I wasn't at least a little worried :O

 

Replying to your PM: My car did just hiccup if I try to go over 3k, I went home, took off the upper and lower plenum. Everything seem to be dry. Next day, I put everything back together and it drove normal for the next 2 years until I bought a M35S.

I say just try your car tomorrow.

 

When you hydrolock an engine, worst case is not bent valves, but a bent rod and there would be a HELL of a noise. Pull the plugs crank the engine over to blow out the water, reinstall plugs, change oil and start her up.

 

When I hydrolocked my car many years ago, It was locked... meaning not turning over. Lucky for you, you were able to drive off...

 

Ok, pushed the car into the driveway for a bit better light, popped open the oil cap and yep - white think residue all over. I've taken a pic to show what's at the top of the oil refill point and on the inside of the cap it's self. But as I look deeper into the refill tube with a flashlight I don't really see much more of it. But I do see what appears to be a floating film of the same color on top of a small pool in one of the visible areas inside the head where oil is.

PIC:


I poked around the engine bay more as well but did'nt see any other signs of flothyness coming out creases or mating points between heads and valve covers etc. I did find some resting water in the valley between the cylinders - but it's near impossible for me to reach that location due to the Stillen SC's plenum and snout/pulley/belt assembly atop my motor. So I was figuring I'd just leave it and let it burn off.

I haven't pulled a plug yet - but I think I should, just to see what the inside of cylinder or two is looking like. After looking back at all 6 coil over plug configs... some of those bastards are pretty tough to get at and remove :/ Considering this, do you think it's 100% nessecary to pull all 6 and crank the motor over since it was already running and got home last night? I'm assuming that process would have been for getting water out that would otherwise have prevented the engine from even rotating in the first place after ingesting a large amount of water - likely more than mine did. but then again, that white fothy sludge has me slightly trippin'. When I was a kid, one of my VERY early cars had a cracked head that leaked engine cooling water into the block / into the oil and made this same frothy off-white sludge. In that case it was a major engine overhaul. Obviously I don't think I cracked the head (....right?) and the froth is just from what water got into the intake, past the valves, past the piston rings and into the block..... wow!

At this point, obviously I have to change the oil - that's a given, but I guess a full 5 quart (or more of some generic dino juice should be used as a full flush first yeah? And what about attempting to get the remaining whit sludge that may have collected within the engine out? Should I fill the motor with the cheapo temp oil and drive it around an afternoon, then drain that out - or fill and drain immediately? Multiple flushes before refilling with the synthetic I use?

 

Removing the coil packs is easy and yes, you would need to do it to blow out all 6 cylinders.

 

Do I need to do it even though I can already start the car and it runs? I apologize if this seems dense, but I'm trying to be certain it's a requirement even though the engine already turns over (I restarted it, and drove it home last night). Thank you clarifying

 

And the last question is - I'm basically OUT of time due to work requirements at the moment. So is there a problem with letting everything sit as is for a week or so before draining / blowing out / ect? Will there be any damage that could occur by letting it sit for a week?

It's not how i want this to proceed, but it's very close to it being a forced scenario (although I'm exploring options to find time sooner)

 

You need to do it asap as your oil is highly contaminated with water and has already washed critical components free of oil and will start to rust bad. The sooner you do it, the better off you will be. This has to be done ASAP.

 

Your supercharged and ur asking these questions?? Did u buy the car that way?

 

kinda my first thought. anyway, change the oil asap. stop driving it until you change the oil. do a seafoam treatment to the crankcase and after ~100 miles change the oil again. check your plugs and make sure none of them are fouled.