What are the symptoms of a hydro-locked engine with a blown cylinder?
2 Answers
The symptoms of a hydro-locked engine with a blown cylinder are as follows: Significantly increased noise: When a cylinder blows, the piston overheats and expands, causing intense friction with the cylinder block. This friction results in abnormal engine noise. Noticeable engine vibration: In severe cases, black smoke may also be emitted. The expanded piston body inevitably hinders the piston movement within the engine, and when the friction between the piston and cylinder block increases, it causes severe engine vibration. Overheating of the radiator: Due to increased resistance in movement, the pressure inside the engine cylinder becomes significantly higher, which can easily lead to engine overheating.
Last time my friend drove through a deep puddle, the engine suddenly made a loud 'bang' sound, followed by the oil light on the dashboard turning completely red. The whole car seemed to lose all power and just stalled in the water, with white steam mixed with water vapor coming out of the exhaust pipe. Later, when the engine was taken apart, we saw the connecting rods were bent like pretzels—water is harder to compress than gasoline, so the pistons were hitting it directly when moving upward. The worst part is that repairing this kind of damage costs more than replacing the engine, and the resale value of the car dropped by 100,000 RMB. So when encountering standing water during rain, always go around it. If the engine stalls, don’t try to restart it—calling a tow truck is the safest option.
