Hydrolocked Engine Fix - How To Repair A Flooded Engine That Stalled In Puddle Water

Did your engine stall out after going through a deep puddle of water? Your engine is now hydrolocked but don't panic; there's a relatively easy fix. First, don't attempt to turn your engine on again for 24 hours. Get your vehicle out of the water, remove the air filter, and let everything dry. Then watch this video to see how I used a ghetto trick to repair my hydrolocked engine for cheap.

[@theman8581]

THIS WOULD REALLY HELP FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAD THEIR CARS FLOODED, TODAY SEPTEMBER 29 2023, IN THE NYC AREA, THERE WAS A STORM WITH RECORD-BREAKING RAINFALL AND MORE THAN A FEW CARS GOT FLOODED. THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE

[@nja3224]

I’m one of them. I needed a sump pump for rainwater in my basement so I had to go to Home Depot, otherwise I wouldn’t have drove at all. The Home Depot parking lot on Cropsey Ave was flooded. Cars were going through, and I needed that pump so off I went, and boom. Car died before I could exit the water. Wound up pushing it to a spot by myself. What a nightmare I’m in.

[@djharryjohnson]

This car was not hydrolocked. It just needed to dry out. If it was hydrolocked the car wont crank because the engine is basically locked. But this guy is giving some good advice if your ever get stuck in a flood

[@jonathankohl6264]

True

[@patrickfrye6897]

Water was literally inside the engine... That said, I didn't attempt to crank it since this was my second experience being flooded and I knew that attempting to crank a hydrolocked engine could damage it.

[@DatDudeCody]

Not true my car was hydrolocked and it cranked over after I got all the water out and gave it fresh oil it drives just fine now

[@djharryjohnson]

@@DatDudeCody how did you know the car was hydrolocked?

[@DatDudeCody]

@@djharryjohnson well the engine wouldn’t start and there was water in every spot I checked sucked it all up with a shop vac did an oil change and replaced spark plugs and it started

[@laynelandon3701]

Make sure to give it a good oil and filter change too before running it, then change it again at about half the amount of miles you’d normally go before changing it.

[@delanomartin8400]

Q

[@timothysusee9252]

Just had this issue. Trying to figure out how to fix. Thanks for this

[@patrickfrye6897]

I thought I'd add that the car is still running several years later. I would have assumed the engine life would be negatively impacted but so far so good.

[@thenman23]

1zzfe is a tank

[@wayyveetsunami5307]

If the motor is hydra locked then the motor couldn’t crank even with the spark pluggs out and fuel pump fuse correct?

[@Loscno]

IT would have been MUCH more helpful to actually show us each step of the process in the video rather than just talking about it after the fact.

[@alexvega5929]

It was pretty helpful tho

[@claytonmaccartny5237]

I remember driving through deep mud with my blazer, and the engine stalled in water. Somehow it started right back up. I could hear water in the engine but it started right back up and kept going. 4.3 vortecs are good engines.

[@JJSmith1100]

A battery can not shock you. No danger to you but a good idea to disconnect to prevent shorts or damage to electronics.

[@funnystuff5492]

Though true that a battery can't shock you, damn near anything running off the fuses can. It is always safer to disconnect the batter.

[@RealDynamite]

Where do you get your info from? A Battery CAN and WILL shock you!!! Go ahead... Wet your arm and place it across both the positive and negative posts of a fully charged battery and tell me how you feel. I mean, damn, if you lick a small 9 volt battery you get a shock, so what makes you think that a 12v Big 800 cca Battery Won't Shock You? Yeah... don't go telling that farce.

[@AhmedAhmed-dh7yd]

When do you remove the engine oil. Before you do all this or after these steps have been done, then should i do an oil change with new oil/filter?

[@VolanicASH]

yes definitely do a change and filter.

[@eh503]

Before removing spark plug and cranking it or after​@@VolanicASH

[@MariluValdez-pl9bv]

I RECENTLY HAD SIMILAR ISSUE WITH A KIA SORENTO V6 3.3L GDI ENGINE. THE MECHANIC TOOK OUT THE SPARK PLUGS AND INTKE. IT APPEARED TO ONLY HAVE WATER IN A FEW OF THE CYLINDERS. NO WATER SHOT OUT, HE DRAINED THE OIL AND WHAT LITTLE BIT OF WATER THAT WAS IN IT AND PUT EVERYTHING BACK THE CAR IS NOW TRYING TO TURN OVER BUT WONT FIRE UP. NOW I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO NEXT. THE ENGINE WAS HYDROLOCKED BEFORE REMOVING SPARK PLUGS AND OIL MEANING WE COULDNT TURN IT WITH A BREAKERBAR. WHAT OTHER ISSUE COULKD IT BE?

[@hectorhiram6417]

Would it be the same for a 2011 grand caravan? I read something about removing injectors too

[@kevinburnettwilson1374]

Well I sunk mine blazer in high water on a back Rd and it filled with water I never tried to start it again I I got home I took out all the plugs and drained the oil I got a 5/8 $ocker on the harmonic balancer and I hand cranked it and got all the oil out and put spark plugs back in and filled it with oil and it started right up

[@Sharakomusic]

This is what Im aboutvto do with my Bentlwy

[@jakes8444]

so basically I slowly stalled my engine because water seeped in. Like a dumb ass i tried to start it after and it will didnt even turn over :/ how likely is my car screwed?

[@humanyoda]

Jake S, have you found out an answer to your question?

[@jakes8444]

@@humanyoda yeah number 2 piston sucked water. Bent conrod. Didn't have the time or money to rebuild it so I had to get a new vehicle

[@Brockandrews22]

Okay so I did exactly what you said and the engine started turning over it was sounding pretty good I had hope for it and then it just shut off Now it only do is one click what do you think this could be

[@fngonuts]

Charge batt.

[@mdashiqurrahman39]

I tried to cleaned my intake valves and decent amount liquid got into one of my chamber. I was dumbed and went to rotate engine by using key. That's was for 1/3 of a second and engine spit out those fluid. My sparks plugs were in. So I don't know where it spit it out from, probably from intake holes because I had fluid in there too. But after that I hydrolocked my engine. And I'm not able to crank my engine anymore. My flywheel is not turning by starter motor. I opened sparklers plugs and sucked all fluids out and never putted back spark plugs. And I'm only hearing a clicking noise but my flywheel not turning anymore. Is it possible I bent my connecting rods with my starter motor? For less than a second? Please reply 😌 I'm not able to crank my engine anymore

[@PLATESWEEPER]

What happened to you car? Did you fix it?

[@lilsnuff7987]

I have a 2002 bmw 325i and I recently ran into a huge puddle and water got inside I’m assuming the engine. Car was still driving that day. the car still turns and turns on it’s just immediately after turns off or it’s will rough idle the Turn off? My question is where should I check?

[@mikewilliams4947]

your car engine is overheating.those cars are notorious for having cooling issues even if not run through water. Maybe the water just pushed the issue over the edge. When the tech tells you that you need a new radiator and water pump etc believe them and do the whole job. If not sell the car because if it's not absolutely mint you will pay half the cars value in repairs

[@lilsnuff7987]

@@mikewilliams4947 I had no engine problems before I went thru the flood. I don’t think that’s the problem.

[@mikewilliams4947]

@@lilsnuff7987 I hear you but if the radiator is original you may want to look at that. If it runs on after you turn off the engine usually that’s a very hot engine. Maybe timing sometimes but from my experience it’s a cooling issue. Maybe unrelated and now it’s time to get it done. Good luck

[@lilsnuff7987]

@@mikewilliams4947 no man that’s not what’s happening. I drove thru flooded water. Water got inside. Car doesn’t turn anymore. Thinking water got in the spark plugs.

[@mikewilliams4947]

@@lilsnuff7987 I’m sorry man I read the car kept “running on” after you turned the ignition off.

[@harriettmyers1450]

If your fuel pump fuse and your spark plugs are removed how exactly did you turn the motor over to create a water fountain?

[@patrickfrye6897]

When the key is turned, the starter motor "turns the engine over," which means it turns the crankshaft which in turn gets the pistons moving in the cylinders. This normally starts the engine cycle, but in this case it just moves the engine and causes enough pressure to shoot the water out the top..

[@carlovincetti1352]

Chances are in most cases someone who gets water into their intake has no idea what trying to start even days later will do if that starter turns and there is water in any of the cylinders. Human nature says most end up with a seized motor. The good news is they never have it happen to them again:)

[@patrickfrye6897]

In this case it was my SECOND time having the engine flooded and hydrolocked. The first car, a Toyota Celica, ended up with an engine replacement. For this Matrix as soon as the engine began to sputter I shut it off immediately and never attempted the ignition again since I knew that could cause more damage.

[@crystaljones1447]

@@patrickfrye6897 I tried to restart my car while I’m water is it a total loss? I have a 2008 Mazda 5

[@jaggass]

There is a Ford near me and someone drove threw it and then his car died. He took the air filter out, took 2 spark plugs out and floored it until most of the water came out. Not the ideal way but it nearly started running properly again.

[@hnajee]

Excellent one Partick. Did you say you add STP to the fuel tank? What do you add to the engine? What is the engine oil you used. Sorry I missed that; it is not my first language.

[@patrickfrye6897]

I don't recall the exact oil but it's whatever Toyota recommended for the Matrix.

[@scottpc1234]

Water can not compress like air and gas the energy has to go somewhere and cause damage also all vapor lock causes the Mollybendum coated rings breaks down causing catastrophic failure over the long term

[@ethana9934]

Did you remove the oil in your motor first?

[@bmanclassics4350]

Yes he did the oil stays in the motor it won't shoot out the cylinders even if the spark plugs are removed and u don't won't that dirty oil to keep circulating remove it 1st and foremost

[@bmanclassics4350]

And put new oil in don't forget that! 😅

[@bhernandez442]

I have. 2010 Buick I believe it’s hydrolocked but it isn’t startable by key it is push start lot of electronics my first action was try to start to eat out of the water I did it a lot and now when I try to even push no lights come on is it possible that I fried all the electronics ?

[@yitzharos]

Thanks bill nye for your verbal schpiel.

[@gfysyoutube]

Skip to 2:50

[@beersforyearsTM]

Passed thru a pretty big puddle the other day, maybe three ft deep.... I have a infinity g37 and the air intakes are right in front of the grill. My car didn’t stall or anything because I went they slowly but not so slow, also didn’t accelerate or anything rash.... my car is running fine now it’s been two days.... should I still be worried ? I’m going to get it checked out either way, hope you answer I know this video is pretty old

[@FitnessFilmFanatic]

Os your car ok

[@beersforyearsTM]

Roger P yeah, the car is ok. A month later , my electrical starting acting crazy and some weird shit happened just one day . Then after that everything was ok , maybe cause my alternator got wet 😬. You drove thru a big puddle ?

[@MuayTao]

@@beersforyearsTM bro! This happened to me last night! I try to start it, the clicks, and nothing. How did you get your running again???

[@Gi_experience]

So my car passed through like deep water maybe someWhere half the wheel length, as I was passing by the engine seemed to suck some water , just like in your case and it stalled. I had to get a towing truck to take it to my house and so basically what I have to do is 1) remove the injectors 2) take off the spark plus ( of course disconnect the battery since the beginning) 3) change the air filter 4) disconnect the pump fuse 5) turn on the car and let it rev for 10-15 seconds so the water can be expelled off the engine 6) put spark plugs on 7) put the injectors on 8) put the pump fuel fuse on 9) connect the battery 10) turn on the engine and let it rev for somewhere between 5 to 30 mins and after a while go for a drive to make sure it runs well. Oh forgot , put the air filter back ( or the new one) and that should do the trick correct ?

[@americanmutt2901]

How the f can you start your car with no spark plugs or fuse for fuel pump? Wow!!!

[@pftrans]

How about all the electronic components? The ECM gets toasted when water goes right in, its not just the engine that it goes bad all the electronic devices get knocked out.

[@foredimples529]

Did it work for you?

[@MrTravisAl]

@@americanmutt2901 My guess is that he meant “crank” instead of rev. But who knows.

[@timothysusee9252]

Yea I ran threw the puddle got out died. Tried to restart it wouldn't at all. Tried to kick a few times then stopped completely

[@hottboxxrespectmindent.mus6393]

I was driving around all night in poodles in a 95 honda civic auto transmission and the next day it didn't crank but it turns over but won't start what you think is wrong with it

[@horsepowerhoncho8523]

Probably water in the starter & spark plugs ,

[@williamcarrillo4120]

Poor dogs! Why did you drive on poodles?

[@hottboxxrespectmindent.mus6393]

@@williamcarrillo4120 being dumb and plus my shocks been bad I'm doin an engine swap

[@2jzxjv848]

What do i do if the car doesnt wanna crank over to turn on

[@georgepogeliii5794]

I did this over a flash flood, fucked up and tried to restart it, but the water wasn't high enough. Got the car pushed out of the water, and 1/2 hour later tried jumping the car. Got it towed, and everything I search points to hydrolocked instead of stater. Gonna remove the spark plugs tomorrow and try this but I m not to enthusiastic that this will work. This way is a lot easier then trying a breaker bar to see if its a seized engine, never will I drive thru a flood again.

[@JJSmith1100]

So what was your results?

[@Bentley7Cruize]

Ya how did it go? Im in that exact situation now and dont know what to do

[@user-fs4zu9tc1z]

George Pogel III.

[@johnnyb6813]

@@Bentley7Cruize hey, I'm in the exact same situation right now. Did you find a solution?

[@buulee8514]

did you change the oil?

[@patrickfrye6897]

Yes

[@MrBangla11]

We had a very bad flooding here in NJ. I was driving through water and my car stopped.

[@diegoantillon5110]

Did you fix it??? What was your damage same thing happened to me in NJ a couple days ago.

[@thenman23]

thats a 1zzfe..the only thing that will stop it is lack of lubrication. engine is a tank

[@kILLuMBuS]

if water/oil doesn't shoot out of the spark plug wells, does that pretty much mean pistons aren't rotating therefor hydro-locked....last night i fucked up bad and let off the gas in 2 ft of water, car died right after i got out of the puddle..tried so many things and it wont fire up

[@patrickfrye6897]

JunezGG The starter isn't turning the engine over at all?

[@kILLuMBuS]

welp..it was hydrolocked..thank god for insurance

[@TDcryptobaby]

Anyone else watching this after Milton? 😂

[@jonathanramirez4952]

I drove through a puddle and my car shut off but not in the water I past it and managed to make to a empty lot car wouldn’t start eventually did now it turns on and works good but I changed the oil and it runs great and the air filter was dry so I’m guessing it ate no water but the exhaust is spitting water not a lot though

[@CodyMechanix]

Jonathan Ramirez do you know how to use periods? .......

[@humanyoda]

and commas

[@fireyourrocketts]

Eat water? wow that is a first!

[@ivanarroyo1986]

What if it’s full of gas ??

[@ra_redesignautomobiles]

For me this car is now disposable Flood damaged cars causes fire.

[@bryanmclean2477]

Pat Frye from Melbourne,Fl?

[@gccris5304]

I took out the sparks n turned the key to get all the water out the engine cranks but won’t start

[@gccris5304]

No water in my oil either

[@gccris5304]

There was only water in two of my sparks

[@ijavaid5121]

clean way to take the water in your case would be to use siphon pump to suck the water out. Use light to have a good view inside as the sparkplug tubes are deep holes.

[@gccris5304]

MultiDevaj has to re program the key change sparks and new air filter

[@americanmutt2901]

A car wont start if spark plugs are out!! The plugs are what ignite the gas!!!

[@ya8aweenaystrday]

Good video but I lmao when this guy tried saying 12v can kill you

[@dpats54]

Volts hurts amps kill

[@Treixgee]

Ikr I touch my battery all the time or a bad ground. It just feels like a thud. It doesn't even hurt. Actually the other day I was trying to get rid of a miss fire wanted to make sure I got rid of it so I pulled a spark plug wire while it was running and shocked my self on my distributor cap that hurt a lil bit 😂😂😂😂

[@frednerdesulme9678]

My car was flooded and I tried to start it while It was in the water. Now I don’t what kind of problem it has.

[@hollynff]

Same and now my truck is knocking

[@americanmutt2901]

Blown motor..

[@floridamansgarage8629]

U oh I tried to push start mine oof

[@Meg.walker20]

Was hoping i could fix my dads car for his birthday, it got flooded a while back when it rained bad, he drove through a puddle. Unfortunately i think were just gonna have to replace the engine, dont exactly have the money for that. Shame he quite liked his car

[@RedPlays1]

Remove spark plugs, then manually turn over the engine.wam bam thank ya mama congrats

[@Rap5005]

Nice video

[@dekt_rat]

Always these cars getting hydrolocked second one I seen

[@dochandclock6712]

Its cause the air filter is so low to the ground

[@lakegrinnelllane9926]

You talk a lot and did not explain anything useful

[@nataliaentwistle7905]

Maybe it jump start by then but idk

[@TurdCurdle]

Wasnt hydrolocked it was starved from air

[@edwardwest4985]

I have 2014 charger 3.6 drove through water got it bqck running after a week now rhe engine is knocking

[@RealDynamite]

Hydrolock can also cause Rod Damage.

[@Asmithiphonic5]

My 2001 civic locked up. Hopefully it’s not permanent 😫

[@Dyl_Cam]

Was it permanent?

[@Asmithiphonic5]

Yes unfortunately it was. I was told the nail in the coffin was when I tried starting it after it had stopped. Shoulda let it dry before trying to start it back up. Fortunately I was able to pick up a 2018 Civic Si blue with 17k mi so I’m very happy now 🙂

[@thenman23]

@@Asmithiphonic5 how did you manage to do that? I'm trying to get a new car but not sure how much to put down and how much to spend

[@Asmithiphonic5]

@@thenman23 street was flooded drove through about 12”-24” of water

[@Asmithiphonic5]

@@thenman23 kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5bLq2WditOBm5I

[@ernestoalfaro1923]

It’s a Toyota of course it will start

[@JP-Swag]

So I tried to turn my car on while I'm the water. What steps can I do to try and fix it

[@bmanclassics4350]

Pull the spark plugs and wires crank the engine get all the water out the cylinders change the oil immediately take it from there if it's a ticking it could be bad or something simple always bring it to the shop if those steps don't completely cure it ☺️

[@bmanclassics4350]

I'm going thru the same thing we jus got hit with a tropical cyclone here in Texas my engine can't b saved but I love helping ppl that can possibly save theirs

[@JP-Swag]

I'm from Houston Texas myself. And it's looking like it might be the same thing for me too. I'm thinking of just scrapping the car now. It's not that pretty any ways

[@bmanclassics4350]

That freakin sux bro I'm over here in Beaumont we got hit hard here too I'm keepin my durango personally it's always easier to build from a short block than putting a down payment on somethin else😅 I'mma have to no matter which way u slice it but I have alot of time n entergy in mine

[@Rossiross915]

@@bmanclassics4350 I just got hit with bad sunday night here in fort worth ran over a puddle on highway my car stalled hasnt started after that I'm gonna try and save it if not rebuilt it

[@Fc3s808]

Pistons are gone throw your car away

[@Nautical-g3c]

NAH

[@theDudeknows]

Sigh.....just get to it. Leave the yappin to the women.

[@fireyourrocketts]

Bud your engine was NOT hydrolocked; when it is it wont crank at all and you can not move the crank by any means

[@patrickfrye6897]

Whatever you say. All I know is that water literally sprayed out the top of my engine like a water fountain. I didn't come up with this method; found it online in a chat forum. Thought it couldn't hurt to try, it worked, and so I shared my experience after the fact on KZbin.

[@fireyourrocketts]

@@patrickfrye6897 you were lucky, you had water inside the engine that entered exhaust and maybe top and that is what came out but if the engine is locked it wont move, that is physics, not whatever me or anyone say. The term hydrolocked means exactly what it implies, if it is locked it cant move via crank or any other way

[@patrickfrye6897]

@@fireyourrocketts Perhaps, I would defer to an internal combustion engine design expert for a final answer, but I thought the whole point of cranking an engine without spark plugs as a deflooding procedure is that any water trapped inside the cylinder is pushed out the top rather than attempting to compress it, which can't be done. Water is very difficult to compress under normal conditions, which is why the engine is locked and stalled in the first place.

[@Nautical-g3c]

👎👎👎👎

[@MapleSyrup89]

You talk too much

[@David-qp4nn]

I couldnt stand his voice. I searched for another video