Timing is everything and mine sucked today!

1350 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by lms, Aug 7, 2010

lms

Discussion Starter · Aug 4, 2010 (Edited)

Some days you should stay in bed. This AM we had a torrential downpour and when leaving my house I got stuck in a huge puddle and the car stalled. I knew what had happened (hydrolock), so I did not try and start car. After the water went down I pushed car back into garage, took dic off, plugs and air filter out which was pretty soaked and turned car over. Engine spins fine. Going to drain oil all night tonight and take delivery pipe off, etc and dry everything out. I will try and start it in the next couple days. So has anyone had this happen as this is a new one to me? Usually this will bend rods and such, but with the plugs out, the cars is turning over fine.
This sucks!

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WyldSaabMan

· #2 · Aug 4, 2010

I have seen a couple v8s Hydro-lock while out 4-wheeling (both in the same day too).

Both restarted after pulling the plugs and blowing the water out of the cylinders.

How long were you in the puddle? and how long did the engine run before dieing?
I'd keep a positive outlook. If it turns over fine and doesn't make horrible noises I'd say you probably dodged a bullet.

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lms

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 4, 2010 (Edited)

The lucky thing is that I was in first gear and when I hit the huge puddle at say 5mph or less my car got hung up on something (ripped the the plastic piece from under the IC off) and I stopped it. After about 5 seconds I realized that I was knee-deep in shit and shut it off while car started choking.

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WyldSaabMan

· #4 · Aug 4, 2010

If you actually turned it off your self, that's and even better sign that you are ok.

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christian900se

· #5 · Aug 4, 2010

That is truely terrible luck, did any water get into the passenger cabin?

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lms

Discussion Starter · #6 · Aug 5, 2010 (Edited)

Update: Pulled IC off and it had about an inch of water in it (not good, but not being on boost might have kept most of it in place). Found 4 tablespoons of water in cylinder number one (not good), and just a few drops in the others. Looked down into intake manifold and found some water in there. Drained oil can't really see any water in the oil, still draining. Used heat gun to dry out the tops of the cyl; the intake manifold, etc.. All the other parts are sitting in the house drying out as well. Pistons move without any noises, but I still need to put it all back together and fire it up. Before I do, I will take a compression test due number one having that water in it. Will update sat when and if It fires up.
No water in cabin, thank god.

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mike d

· #7 · Aug 5, 2010 (Edited)

if you need a good b204 let me know, i have one up for sale.

i have seen a few 4 wheelers hydrolocked, and heard storys from all cars, but never seen one in a saab.

if the water washed the cyls down youll have better luck starting it if you put a shot glass full of motor oil down each cyl and crank it with no plugs in,, this will re-seal the rings

have you check compression yet? id love to hear the results

mike

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lms

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 5, 2010

mike d said:
if you need a good b204 let me know, i have one up for sale.

i have seen a few 4 wheelers hydrolocked, and heard storys from all cars, but never seen one in a saab.

if the water washed the cyls down youll have better luck starting it if you put a shot glass full of motor oil down each cyl and crank it with no plugs in,, this will re-seal the rings

have you check compression yet? id love to hear the results

mike

Will check compression this sat.
Yep, oil will go in before the comp test, etc.
If motor is shot, I need to see if insurance will cover it, if not I'm selling car as is which sucks as it's in super good condition.

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BurnsSide42

· #9 · Aug 5, 2010

Sounds like you SHOULD be ok - when you first run it again just use standard oil and if all sounds OK run it for no more than 500 miles and change the oil again to make sure it flushes any un-wanted moisture/debris from it's system. You may even want to change the oil filter once or twice to make sure it's filtering anything which could have gotton in. I'm wagering you'll be good to go once it's all back together. Sounds like you shut it down just in time.

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Makeyousaab

· #10 · Aug 5, 2010

acetone is a good solvent for getting rid of the water in hard to reach places, it azeotropes and lowers evap. point of water.

good luck

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lms

Discussion Starter · #11 · Aug 7, 2010 (Edited)

She runs! Started right up, blew some smoke for a while, drove around the block a few times and I can tell it had some more water some where-thinking the turbo had some standing water in it as it blew white smoke here and there. Got into boost some and the turbo sounded a tad strange, and I think it's because of the water that was in there and the fact that I was running it without an air filter off the maf (waiting for it to arrive). I'm not going to drive it until the air filter comes but I dodged a big time bullet. I would say that there was at least a quart or two of water in the intake with most being in the ic. The turbo might have an issue with it, but only time will tell.
Wheeeew.
I will say this, I run a stock airbox but I modded it so the snorkel extends down about another six inches from where it makes the 90 degree bend off the stock box. If It did not have that extension, or if I had an OAI, I don't think this would happened. That extension is now off, and there is something to be said about OAI. The water covered 2\3's of the radiator as the car created a wave when I went into the puddle.

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