Will the engine valves bend if water enters?
2 Answers
Engine valves can bend if water enters. If the engine is operating at high speed and water enters the combustion chamber while all valves are closed during the compression stroke, the compression process cannot be completed. Since water is incompressible, the piston or connecting rod may hit the water and fail to move upward. Under the force of inertia, this can cause damage or bending, and in severe cases, it may even damage the crankshaft. Below is an introduction to engines: Concept: An engine (Engine) is a machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy, including internal combustion engines (reciprocating piston engines), external combustion engines (Stirling engines, steam engines, etc.), jet engines, electric motors, etc. For example, internal combustion engines typically convert chemical energy into mechanical energy. Classification: Internal combustion engines, external combustion engines (where fuel burns outside the engine), gas turbines, and jet engines.
I've seen many cases where engines ingested water, and the valves did get bent. Specifically, when the engine is running and suddenly sucks in water, the piston forces upward during the compression stroke. Since water is incompressible, the impact force is directly transmitted to the valve stem, causing the valve to bend or deform at best, or even break the connecting rod at worst. This often happens during water wading, such as driving through deep puddles without slowing down, allowing water to be sucked in through the intake pipe. Repairs are complicated—you'd need to remove the cylinder head and replace the valves, and sometimes even the connecting rod or the entire engine. My advice is to be cautious when encountering standing water; don't blindly charge through. If this happens, shut off the engine immediately and tow the car for repairs—delaying will only worsen the damage. Regularly checking the intake pipe's sealing can help prevent such accidents.
