Dreaded Hydrolock 1990 Base Coupe
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
Dreaded Hydrolock 1990 Base Coupe
User Jodywitt posted this back in June and it is the exact same conditions I am seeing. I did not have the clamp fully tight on the induction tube and it was sucking air. Evidently the ECM compensated for all of the extra air by adding a ton of fuel.
It looks like the simple fix is to remove the plugs and spin the motor to get all of the liquid out of the cylinders. What I did not see in the responses is can you tell if damage has already been done to the bottom end? I'm guessing you can't until you actually unlock it and get it running.
Also, is there a typical timeframe of trying to start the motor with a hydrolock condition before damage occurs? I probably tried about 5 minutes total across a 2 hour time frame. I did not learn about hydrolock until researching the symptoms last night. I know, this one is probably a question that can't be answered.
Thanks
Wade
"Went to start my 94 coupe and the starter made a loud THUNK, THUNK, THUNK each time I turned the switch. I waited till the next day and I got it to crank and crank and finally it would started - missing and running very poorly with lots of white smelly smoke from both tail pipes twice as much smoke from the driver's side tailpipe. The smell was so bad I had to change clothes and shower and air out the garage."
It looks like the simple fix is to remove the plugs and spin the motor to get all of the liquid out of the cylinders. What I did not see in the responses is can you tell if damage has already been done to the bottom end? I'm guessing you can't until you actually unlock it and get it running.
Also, is there a typical timeframe of trying to start the motor with a hydrolock condition before damage occurs? I probably tried about 5 minutes total across a 2 hour time frame. I did not learn about hydrolock until researching the symptoms last night. I know, this one is probably a question that can't be answered.
Thanks
Wade
"Went to start my 94 coupe and the starter made a loud THUNK, THUNK, THUNK each time I turned the switch. I waited till the next day and I got it to crank and crank and finally it would started - missing and running very poorly with lots of white smelly smoke from both tail pipes twice as much smoke from the driver's side tailpipe. The smell was so bad I had to change clothes and shower and air out the garage."
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Joined: Aug 2000
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- at this point, all you can do is hope for the best. if any bottom end damage has occurred, you're screwed. personally, I think you may be OK, but who really knows? we're all be second guessing at this point. good luck....
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 73
From: Georgetown TX
Same thing happened on my 89 a while back. I had a blown head gasket and coolant got into my number 7. I did not have any damage. I was told that starter more then likely did not have enough power to break anything, but it it did it would bend a push rod only. Mine did this numerous times before I figured what was going on. Just passing along what I was told
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
Thanks guys! When I pulled the plugs yesterday they were fouled and saturated with fuel. it was running just before I pulled them.
I saw no signs of coolant so hopefully blown head gasket is not an issue. What I "think" I can contribute this to if it does turn out to be hydrolock is the 4 bolts on the throttle body backed out creating a 1\4" gap between body and plenum. This was most likely my fault for not making sure they were tight when I cleaned it a couple weeks ago. It may have confused the crap out of the ECM.
I looked up Jody Witt who had a thread back in June but that was the only thread he has ever posted on here. I HOPE that is not a sign that his 93 was damaged!
W
I saw no signs of coolant so hopefully blown head gasket is not an issue. What I "think" I can contribute this to if it does turn out to be hydrolock is the 4 bolts on the throttle body backed out creating a 1\4" gap between body and plenum. This was most likely my fault for not making sure they were tight when I cleaned it a couple weeks ago. It may have confused the crap out of the ECM.
I looked up Jody Witt who had a thread back in June but that was the only thread he has ever posted on here. I HOPE that is not a sign that his 93 was damaged!
W
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,708
Likes: 266
From: indy indiana
good luck. There are only three colors of smoke.. blue is oil, black is fuel and white is coolant. That starter shouldn't have caused any damage to the bottom end. Worry if it was runing and happened.
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Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Anaheim CA
What I've seen is that cranking the engine with a hydrolock will eventually free itself up when the valves open and blow out the liquid.
Wet plugs are usually caused by missing spark. The fuel never burns so the plugs stay wet.
Wet plugs are usually caused by missing spark. The fuel never burns so the plugs stay wet.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
Looks like it definitely was hydrolock. Pulled new plugs back out and it spun free! I am not sure that it would have freed itself but maybe. The battery was struggling to the point where I had to keep the 50 amp start setting on with the charger hooked up.
Luckily this did not happen while the car was running. The plugs were fouled all to hell so that may have been a contributing factor for limiting or completely eliminating spark. If this is not the case then I need to find root cause. I would "assume" if it did it once it will do it again??
I ran out of daylight so did not get oil change or plugs back in but at least I feel somewhat better. I really don't think it is water related. The old plugs were saturated with fuel and a strong noxious fuel smell all around the car. If not just due to the fouled plugs not firing then I am leaning toward a stuck injector or bad regulator.
A mechanic friend of mine said to disable ignition, remove the fuel rails and turn them upside down. see if any injectors continue to leak. If there is no evidence then have someone spin the motor and watch the spray pattern. Of course he cautioned about disabling the ignition first and then cleaning any fuel up thoroughly before trying to start.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Thanks
Wade
Luckily this did not happen while the car was running. The plugs were fouled all to hell so that may have been a contributing factor for limiting or completely eliminating spark. If this is not the case then I need to find root cause. I would "assume" if it did it once it will do it again??
I ran out of daylight so did not get oil change or plugs back in but at least I feel somewhat better. I really don't think it is water related. The old plugs were saturated with fuel and a strong noxious fuel smell all around the car. If not just due to the fouled plugs not firing then I am leaning toward a stuck injector or bad regulator.
A mechanic friend of mine said to disable ignition, remove the fuel rails and turn them upside down. see if any injectors continue to leak. If there is no evidence then have someone spin the motor and watch the spray pattern. Of course he cautioned about disabling the ignition first and then cleaning any fuel up thoroughly before trying to start.
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Thanks
Wade
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I would fix your known leak and check the FPR. If still leaking it is most likely the injectors I would not mess with them if they are original. Just call Jon at FIC and get a new set much cheaper than you think. I do not recommend dousing your car in gas! What could go wrong there?
Last edited by antfarmer2; Oct 27, 2016 at 08:18 AM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
I would fix your known leak and check the FPR. If still leaking it is most likely the injectors I would not mess with them if they are original. Just call Jon at FIC and get a new set much cheaper than you think. I do not recommend dousing your car in gas! What could go wrong there?
What is the FPR??? I probably know the part but not the acronym.
I definitely agree with you on the dousing part. I can see this as a "Hey y'all watch this" moment!!!
I will give Jon a call.
Thanks!
Wade
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I know there is a leak somewhere but I don't know where. I mentioned the leak in reference to pulling the injector harness out and seeing if one or more injectors is leaking fuel into the cylinder. There are no visible signs of a fuel leak around the outside of the engine itself.
What is the FPR??? I probably know the part but not the acronym.
I definitely agree with you on the dousing part. I can see this as a "Hey y'all watch this" moment!!!
I will give Jon a call.
Thanks!
Wade
What is the FPR??? I probably know the part but not the acronym.
I definitely agree with you on the dousing part. I can see this as a "Hey y'all watch this" moment!!!
I will give Jon a call.
Thanks!
Wade
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,282
Likes: 172
From: Lake Wylie, South Carolina
I would fix your known leak and check the FPR. If still leaking it is most likely the injectors I would not mess with them if they are original. Just call Jon at FIC and get a new set much cheaper than you think. I do not recommend dousing your car in gas! What could go wrong there?
Thanks!
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 15,926
Likes: 579