A Detailed Analysis of Hydro Lock Inside Your Car Engine (What, How, Why)?

Boats are made to deal with water while cars don’t. But, what the water can do to a car? Water can wreak havoc inside a car, especially damaging the engine. Water can rust exposed parts quickly, endangering the engine in the process. Usually, when a car crosses a puddle, it must deal with water. 

Although it's generally uncommon, hydrolock can cause substantial damage with an engine's internal parts and, in the worst cases, can even render an engine irreparable. Fortunately, most motorists will never experience a true hydro lock situation. But those who do won't forget it anytime soon. It is going to be fruitful to look at the inside story and the root cause of hydro lock, more specifically avoid such a situation happening with your car.

What does Hydrolock signify?

The word Lock means no further movement or action when it comes to the automobile. The hydro lock is simply a situation when car gets halted when there is an entry of water inside the combustion chamber.

Fluid, especially water presence is not a good sign inside the engine. It is incompressible and when pistons are found inside the combustion chamber, they are unable to complete the stroke. Therefore, the engine comes to a halt when one or more pistons find them in such a situation.

This summarizes the engine hydro lock. However, hydrolock may happen in any state whether your car is running or idling. However, hydrology might be a risk when it occurs during an active state and often damages a lot of components inside the engine.

Assessment of damages due to a hydro lock

However, Hydrolock is not a complete safety feature against water interference inside the engine. But the extent of damage usually depends on the engine speed.

1. At low RPMs or while idling

If water goes inside the combustion chamber when your engine is at low RPMs, there is less probability of damage. However, you have to deal with a stalled engine, which requires an immediate car engine repair for hydrolock.

If there is any delay, rust may emerge at internal parts and turn them into useless pieces of metal. This requires a car recovery service, especially from a trusted repair centre such as Service My Car.

2. At higher RPMs or while cruising

In case your engine is running at higher RPMs or cruising through the roads, it would have detrimental effects. Usually, there is always a force behind a running piston, especially when the engine is running at high RPMs. Once hydro lock occurs, a collision happens inside the combustion chamber when the piston hits uncompressed water. The collision might result in catastrophic damage, including the cracking of the rod, crankshaft, or even the cylinder walls.

In the worst-case scenario, an engine running at top speed could have the piston rod smash straight through the engine block. In extreme conditions, a hydrolock is rare but not impossible. 

Even when the engine is not running, hydro locking can happen. Such things happen during the floods. While the engine is not running and the starter cannot turn the engine over, fluid fills the cylinders. The only damage you might experience in this situation is if the fluid isn't removed right away and the engine corrodes.

However, a hydrolock might damage an engine or specifically its cylinder to such an extent that you will only be able to spare from it after a complete engine overhaul.

Possible causes of water entry into the engine

Flood or more specifically water is a genuine cause, but it is not the only reason, that coolant might take a route inside the combustion chamber, it happens due to a worn head gasket.

In most cases, water enters through the air intake. A car’s air intake system might suck up the water if it is completely immersed. Sometimes, it came to our attention that excess oil might create a situation that could force a hydro lock. This happens due to carburetor failure or defective fuel injectors filling up the combustion chamber.

Diesel engines usually experience such incidents more as they contain high-pressure fuel injection pumps. However, you can avoid the hydro lock by just getting your car's head gasket replacement at Service My Car if the water is not the primary culprit.

Besides, you should always try to stay away from the puddle or any other water source while driving. Not just hydrolock or damage to engines, water may cause other damages to a vehicle, such as premature corrosion, electrical shorts, contaminated fluids, etc.

 However, if you need any roadside assistance while dealing with such a situation, just call Service My Car. Besides, you can book a car service or order a car repair quote on our website or app online.