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Home > Performance Mods > Intakes > The Myth About Hydrolock

The Myth About Hydrolock

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psiewert Reg'd: May 05, 2007 Vehicle Designer	Once and for all I am going to explain the concept of hydrolock to everyone, because time and time again people are afraid to buy cold air intakes due to their fear of sucking in too much water. Definition of Hydrolock: In automotive terminology, a hydrolock (short for hydraulic lock) is the immobilization of an engine's pistons by a liquid (usually water, hence the prefix "hydro-"). Hydrolocking occurs when liquid fills a cylinder on the intake stroke and, due to the incompressibility of a liquid, makes the compression stroke impossible. To say this plain and simple..Your car will not hydrolock unless you a) drive through a river, lake, or stream, b) submerge your car into any body of water where the level of water is higher than your intake, c) stick your filter in a fishtank. Imagine if you will, trying to suck up enough water during a rain storm through a straw so you can fill a small thimble in one breathe. At the same time, put the straw perpendicular to the direction of rain fall. It just isn't going to happen. Also, consider the fact that your engine is running a high enough temperature to completely vaporize large drops of water before they even reache the intake manifold. Here is a video to illustrate how much water it takes to drown your car. If you really feel the need, you can purchase a bypass to restrict the flow of water. But be warned, if you're window deep in puddle, reving the hell out of your engine, a bypass valve WILL NOT stop water for more than a couple seconds. If you're lucky you'll choke or flood your engine before blowing it up.
[#] Dec 10, 2007 01:54pm
FrAnkRYzzO Reg'd: Oct 21, 2005 $upervillain for Hire	Quote: But be warned, if you're window deep in puddle, reving the hell out of your engine I'm actually in the process of designing a snorkel system for the tC (patent pending) for just such occasions. Nice write up! Even Zombies can Search... .............. .......................................................................Why Can't You?!?!?!
[#] Dec 10, 2007 02:06pm
majic27 Reg'd: Jun 22, 2005 Master Mechanic	nice i can already see myself linking atleast 5-10 threads in the future to this...
[#] Dec 10, 2007 02:11pm
Mayo Reg'd: Feb 14, 2007 *The Guru*	psiewert wrote: To say this plain and simple..Your car will not hydrolock unless you c) stick your filter in a fishtank. %#$@! You mean I cant do this anymore? Haha, great info. I think Ill sticky this. -- Stickied 12/10/07 2:04pm EST "I have an idea! An idea so smart, my head would explode if I even began to know what I was talking about." - Peter Griffin -- Want to post a "For Sale" thread? Check out the rules first.
[#] Dec 10, 2007 02:12pm
antiks Reg'd: Oct 04, 2007 Chief Mechanic	im sure everyone will be driving through puddles that deep everytime haha good write up.
[#] Dec 10, 2007 02:12pm
Mayo Reg'd: Feb 14, 2007 *The Guru*	^Haha, good point. Although it might be a little difficult to hydrolock, I dont think psiewert is encouraging anyone to take their tC through big ponds. "I have an idea! An idea so smart, my head would explode if I even began to know what I was talking about." - Peter Griffin -- Want to post a "For Sale" thread? Check out the rules first.
[#] Dec 10, 2007 02:16pm
youngflyer Reg'd: Jul 07, 2007 Scion Guru	i was afraid of hydrolocking my tc but even my autotech teacher told me i would have to drive through a lake to do it. most of the time, the reason why many hydrolock is they have there filter to low and nothing covering it from the water. they are asking to hydrolock there cars. the tc's intake sits so high, its hard as hell to hydrolock our cars. as long as our intake is mounted according the manufactures design, the wheel well is in place, and we dont drive through a puddle at 5000 rpm's, were safe! ThE JeWiSh PiMp
[#] Dec 10, 2007 02:32pm
psiewert Reg'd: May 05, 2007 Vehicle Designer	also consider the fact that our cars come with a splash panel on the bottom of the fender well. Even if you did submerge your car a foot, you would have to leave it under water for about 3 or 4 seconds until the water could rise enough to hit your filter.
[#] Dec 10, 2007 02:42pm
joker77 Reg'd: Jun 20, 2007 Oil Changer	this may be a stupid question but what about condensation?? im asking because i live by the lake and every morning there's lots of it. and when im driving its like its raning (but is not)and water acumulates on the front of the car. idk, i just got my intake a few days ago but i don't want to install it( i used the money i was saving for my system by the way )
[#] Dec 10, 2007 03:01pm
youngflyer Reg'd: Jul 07, 2007 Scion Guru	ok condensation overtime (were talking lots of it) can stall your motor. it is highly unlikely thought and less likely to happen than driving through a puddle! ThE JeWiSh PiMp
[#] Dec 10, 2007 03:17pm
Mayo Reg'd: Feb 14, 2007 *The Guru*	Yeah, I've heard hydrolock can actually happen over time as well. So not just completely break your motor at once, but over time rob power from your engine. Now that is what Im afraid of. Haha, hopefully psiewert can provide some reassurance. "I have an idea! An idea so smart, my head would explode if I even began to know what I was talking about." - Peter Griffin -- Want to post a "For Sale" thread? Check out the rules first.
[#] Dec 10, 2007 04:08pm
psiewert Reg'd: May 05, 2007 Vehicle Designer	Mayo wrote: Yeah, I've heard hydrolock can actually happen over time as well. So not just completely break your motor at once, but over time rob power from your engine. Now that is what Im afraid of. Haha, hopefully psiewert can provide some reassurance. I don't think thats possible, unless you continually hydrolock your motor and it eventually destroys a piston. If water gets into your cylinder, it'll vaporize instantly and get flushed out with the exhaust. If anything it may rob power and compression space for a single revolution. Also, about condensation, the only way that would hurt your car is if you built up a gigantic puddle inside of your intake. But consider the fact that your CAI is angled downwards. The water will run to the bottom and out the filter. Condensation WILL NOT cause hydrolock. When I say "it takes a lot of water to hydrolock" I mean A LOT of water. Im talking about 2 or 3 CUPS of water. Enough water to completely fill a inch or two of the piping.
[#] Dec 10, 2007 04:18pm
alpha_zulu Reg'd: Dec 13, 2007 Detailer	Nice write up, very informative. Now I'm not as worried after installing my CAI No sig for you! Come back one year!
[#] Dec 28, 2007 02:07am
Raven Reg'd: Apr 23, 2006 Master Mechanic	SOOOO tired of reading the hydrolock question in nearly every single intake thread. Thanks for posting this, hopefully people will be browsing the forums before they ask their intake questions (hahahaha), and maybe we wont have to see THAT one anymore at least. Good write up, and excellent visual aid!
[#] Dec 28, 2007 05:17am
07TouringCoupe Reg'd: Jul 14, 2007 Scion Guru	Nice write up A car is only as good as it's driver.
[#] Dec 28, 2007 03:55pm
liquidhate Reg'd: Aug 17, 2007 Tire Changer	i remeber it was raining and my car was so high in water over the wheels.mind my car has a trd drop.and my car did not show any signs of locking up.i was scared as hell though!=-)
[#] Aug 09, 2008 04:09am
brianc500 Reg'd: May 19, 2007 Master Mechanic	My 3800 Gm power-plant had a pin hole internal coolant leak inside the intake manifold and it stopped the motor dead and threw the rod out the side of the block. In that instance it didn't take a river or lake to drive through. All you need to hydro-lock and engine is enough fluid to stop the piston from making its full stroke. So say you have a 72cc dish on the cylinder head, all you would need is any amount over that to prevent the rod from completing it's stroke. As far as water goes it would take a large body of water to get into the intake system to stop the motor, but not much to actually prevent the rod from making full stroke. "Losing is often a temporary condition, giving up makes it permanent."
[#] Aug 09, 2008 07:47am

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