How does hydrolock work? Why? Answer is here.

[KingMarineM16a4]

Well today we learned about hydralics in class. Liquids unlike gas can not be compressed. If you are pushing 100psi of liquid in tube no matter what wall it's on it will always be 100psi.

Anyway.

When water is sucked up through your intake, then throttle body, then manifold into your piston it cant be compressed inside the piston thus bending your connecting arms. Every time your intake valve opens it allows more water in.

When your piston is at Top Dead Center(TDC) there is very little clearance between the top of the piston and the valves. So when you are spinning about 4000 rotations per minute your intake valves are opening 2000 times per minute since the crankshaft rotates twice to get a full repetition(intake, combustion, power, exhaust). Anyways you are pulling a lot of water in that doesn't ignite and combust so it just sits in the cylinder as you are spinning your rpms. And since liquid doesn't compress the connecting arm breaks and water is all in your engine, thus needing a full breakdown and cleaning...

That's why hydrolock, hydrolocks.

[Sirbelch]

Uhhhhhhhhhhh ... good effort. I already know who, what, why, when, how but someone else might not. You are going to need more that an engine breakdown and cleaning. You will need some, if not all, of these new parts, like rods (not arms), pistions, wrist pins, piston rings, rod berings, valves, springs/retainers, crankshaft, new block, new head.

[BATANG CITY JAIL]

Originally Posted by Sirbelch

Uhhhhhhhhhhh ... good effort. I already know who, what, why, when, how but someone else might not. You are going to need more that an engine breakdown and cleaning. You will need some, if not all, of these new parts, like rods (not arms), pistions, wrist pins, piston rings, rod berings, valves, springs/retainers, crankshaft, new block, new head.

new engine?

[mO 64 StAnG 06]

Let's ban water so no one will ever have to deal with this problem.

[k20beast]

yes moreless...

[k20beast]

lol yea thatd be nice for those with cai

[BATANG CITY JAIL]

when ur coolant enters ur engine, that will cause a hydrolock too.. so lets ban coolant too?

[k20beast]

haha

[mO 64 StAnG 06]

What about humidity?

[ErichPryde]

humidity is water molecules in the air. because there is so little water, and it is also in a gaseous state, it doesn't cause hydrolock. I think the key here is that LIQUIDS can't be compressed, but humidity is the measure of water vapor in the air.

[mO 64 StAnG 06]

I wasn't being serious...

[RiceBowL54]

Originally Posted by ErichPryde

humidity is water molecules in the air. because there is so little water, and it is also in a gaseous state, it doesn't cause hydrolock. I think the key here is that LIQUIDS can't be compressed, but humidity is the measure of water vapor in the air.

lol, way to freak out

[KingMarineM16a4]

Originally Posted by Sirbelch

Uhhhhhhhhhhh ... good effort. I already know who, what, why, when, how but someone else might not. You are going to need more that an engine breakdown and cleaning. You will need some, if not all, of these new parts, like rods (not arms), pistions, wrist pins, piston rings, rod berings, valves, springs/retainers, crankshaft, new block, new head.

Why will you need a new crankshaft? Block? Head? Spring? Retainers? Valves? Pistons? All that doesn't even get damaged. They just have to be cleaned free of water.

[truflip]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hydralics

[Jardiniboy]

Long story short

Don't fully submerge your air filter in water/liquids or you'll hydrolock.

[SiCOM]

Rlated question: Do those "bypass valves" actually work?

[slostjoe]

Originally Posted by BATANG CITY JAIL

when ur coolant enters ur engine, that will cause a hydrolock too.. so lets ban coolant too?

Haha you funny man!

[Sirbelch]

Originally Posted by KingMarineM16a4

Why will you need a new crankshaft? Block? Head? Spring? Retainers? Valves? Pistons? All that doesn't even get damaged. They just have to be cleaned free of water.

When a piece of metal tries to compress something that is not compressilbe, the metal has to bend in order to create enough space for the non compressible liquid to remain. So if enough water gets into enough cylinders, it could bend the crankshaft, block, head. However, the likely hood of those parts breaking is low because the pistons and rods are softer than the block, head, crankshaft. I just felt like covering all the things that could go wrong in a hydrolocking situation. Or engines are just like balloons, if you put too much stuff in a balloon, it will pop at some point.

If a car hydrolocks, the chances of not bending a rod are smaller than winning the lottery. So hydrolocking is more that just cleaning the water out.

[RiceBowL54]

Originally Posted by Sirbelch

If a car hydrolocks, the chances of not bending a rod are smaller than winning the lottery.

I think thats the worse comparison I've ever heard.

[Sirbelch]

Originally Posted by SiCOM

Rlated question: Do those "bypass valves" actually work?

Sport Compact Car did an article on that. The CEO of AEM put his own NSX on a dyno and they completely submerged the filter in water. The intake did suck up water for a second until enough of a vacuum was created to open the bypass valve. However, SCC made a hypothesis that if the filter was only partially submerged, there wouldn't be enough vacuum created to open the bypass valve which would cause the engine to suck up both air and water causing the engine to go BOOM!!!