I went offroading this past weekend with my XJ and decided to go through a shallow puddle that turned out to be not so shallow... Anyway, I Hydro locked my engine!

My uncle and I got it running again after removing the spark plugs, changing the oil and oil filter 3 times, changing the air filter, replacing the starter, and running fuel injector cleaner through he gas tank.

It was running fine for a couple of days, but today I went to start it and it took a lot of battery power to get her going (plus it sounded horrible while trying), If I press down on the gas too far, semi-thick greyish smoke floods out of my exaust.

Whatever went wrong happened over the course of one night since I was driving her around the day before with no problems. My uncle thinks it might be the alternator.

PLEASE Help me. I'm extremely confused and havn't the slightest idea what I should do. I appreciate any advice

 

Sounds like there was still some water in some part of the motor. When mine hydrolocked the smoke happened when i fired it up right after. The only other thing i can think of is you bent a valve.

 

I hydrolocked my Toyota and I took out my spark plugs and I dropped my oil pan and flushed everything out. filled everything back up and I ended up replacing two valves but after I put the oil pan back on and filled back up it ran like a champ
I had a lot of gunk in the bottom of my engine

 

Replacing valves sounds expensive. How much do you guys think it'll cost to get her running good again if all I have to do is replace the valves?

 

valves arent that expensive. most of it will be labor to take the head off and get to the actual seat of the valve. Head Gasket set is like 50 dollars and you could get it done in a few hours. the valves arent hard to do.The hard part is lining everything back up and getting her all back together. Whole job shouldnt cost more then 100-200 dollars and thats if you include the price for beer.

 

I just read your post again. You stated that after you cleared the engine it ran fine for a day then you started her up and it was doing this? I cant see the alt doing that because youd have more of a dead battery then white smoke from the tail pipe. keep an eye on your coolant level. After I drowned my 77 blazer it only smoked after the initial start up but very little the day after.

 

almost sounds like you blew the head gasket.

 

X2, i would say rip the head off and replace the gasket and have the head checked at the same time, that way you take care of both possibilities at the same time.

 

Thanks so much everybody. I hope these ideas work, so since I'm 18 the cost should come down without the beer money?

 

hve checked the lambda or oxagen sensor in the exaust water can really damage these and might cause it to run very rich happen on mine

 

If it was something like the O2 sensor and it was running rich then you would have more of a blackish puff coming out which is mainly unburnt carbon deposits.

Blueish Grey smoke is more indicating oil being burnt and it has that smell of dripping oil on the exhaust manifold.

white smoke is almost always coolant or heavy moisture. you would most of the time also have the aroma of coolant from the tailpipe.

 

Wouldn't his 1999 throw a check engine light and store a code if either of the O2 sensors went out?
Mike

 

wait hydro locked is water going up and into your exhast?? and air filter??

 

Your statement made me wonder... I wonder how deep the water was and how bad it was hydrolocked? It makes a difference if he mildly ingested some water as to actually burying it in water and sitting there with the water up to the windshiel for a few hours.
Maybe he'll read this and repost more details. I think the deeper he went and the longer it sat there makes a big difference in our diagnosis.
When my Friend did it he turned the key off right at the point of no return. I think that made a difference. The computer did not go under the water either.
Mike

 

Hydro locked is a state where fluid which is denser the air and doesnt compress like air keeps your pistons in the motor from compressing the space and getting to TDC.

thinnk of it like brakes. when you have good brakes your pedal is firm. When you have air in the brakes then its spongy as hell. Air compresses easily. Fluid is harder to compress. Essentially you might as well filled it with something like a wood block.