Maybe OT: Quick question on flooded engines - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

Hollis · 11th September 2003, 08:34

Ok, I got really curious and I can't seem to find anywhere else what exactly happens to an engine that is "waterlocked". I've gone looking across google's great expanses of knowledge, but I can't turn up the answer I'm looking for, so I thought I'd ask some helpful people that tend to know what they're talking about

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Now I know what causes this, but I never knew what exactly happened to the engine to cause it to stop working altogether, and/or how it can be fixed. Would anyone care to shed some light on this for me so I can stop being an uneducated heathen?

Mmm-Five · 11th September 2003, 12:31

AFAIK it is when water gets into the cylinders and the piston tries to compress the water in the same way as it would the air/fuel mixture.

However, because does not compress the force of the stroke has to go somewhere and it usually damages the head, valves, piston, etc.

jrturbo · 11th September 2003, 12:51

Hi there

As Mmm Five mentioned a engine thats has water inside its cylinders if its turned over it will try to compress the water or whatever liquid its has inside, water is not compresible, so it usually results in bent conrods and possibly the crank aswell, in extreme cases cracks blocks, cylinders heads, pistons, etc

If you are lucky the when trying to crank the engine over with starter motor it just stops and stalls the starter motor.

You will have more luck if you search under the term Hydraulic lock

Hope this helps

Joe Rubido