Hydrolocked engine..need advice

[jlindblom]

I recently hydrolocked my engine and the dealer is not covering it under factory warranty. Has anyone had any luck fighting this. I have read all other posts and all they say is that you are a moron if you hyperlock your engine. I have an '05 GMC Sierra 5.3L 1500 and I have not put any aftermarket parts on the engine itself. The mystery of the whole deal is I went through about 3 - 6" of water at about 10 - 15mph and I was following my friend in his Honda Accord. I also have a 6" lift on my truck so that makes it even more perplexing as to how the 6, 7, and 8 cylinders are full of water. The truck stalled just after the water and would not turn over after that. They are wanting $6800 to fix it all and I have appealled to GM and they are reviewing it. I could go through insurance but I'd rather have GM cover it. My arguement is that it is a closed intake system and I am wondering how the heck all that water got in there and filled the engine when the water didn't even splash above my tires. I was wondering if anyone had any info that could help my situation with the dealer and the warranty.

Thanks

[Supa Dexta]

Hydro- It's hydro locked.. as in water...

Anyways theres something not right if an accord can go thru it and your truck cannot... was you air filter in, and in place right?

This thread could get interesting....

And I'll add, If I were at the dealers when you brought it in explaining what happened, I honestly wouldn't believe 6 inches of water runied your truck, your either hiding something, or there is a serious problem with your truck... Trucks have been going thru water since they've been invented and can handle a lot more that 6 inches even in stock form. So unless there is a small possiblity that you hit it at the right angle/right speed/right time/ that it spat water at the intake (shouldn't even be a clear path) then possibly, but doubtful...

[infected]

Seems like there must have been something loose on your car if an an Accord made it through and you couldn't. Is there a reason why the dealer is not covering it under warranty?

[Supa Dexta]

They are probably going on the fact that the truck should have no problem withstanding what he "says" it went thru. They see it as misuse/abuse = void warrenty....

your only hope is finding something out of place/missing/etc that allowed water into the engine to begin with....

[FiveFreshFish]

Did anything happen to your buddy's Accord?

[jlindblom]

Sorry.. I meant hydro.. The guys at the dealer rolled their eyes as well when I told them and they even accused me of switching the intakes until they looked at it and could tell that I hadn't messed with it. I first was checking electrical stuff because I couldn't imagine it being HYDROlocked (I got it right that time) and finally pulled the intake and the plugs. The intake was wet and there was water in the throttle body. The 7 and 8 cylinders had water coming out when I pulled the plugs as well. It also appeared to have oil residue up in the throttle body tube which was a little weird to me.That is why I spent a couple hours on the phone with GM trying to convince them that a truck shouldn;t do that. I understand of I went through a pond but this was a few inches of water. I live in Arizona, we don;t have an abundant supply of rivers or lakes to submerge our cars into.

[jlindblom]

the accord made it alright

[jlindblom]

and the air filter was in place. Is there any possibility some type of hose blew inside the engine that would cause that. I just don't see how more than a few drops of water can get through a closed intake system.

[Supa Dexta]

Theres only a couple ways in, spark plug holes and the actual intake, if it's running, exhaust gas keeps anything from entering there so you are left with 2 and only 2 ways that water can get into the cylinders. And realistically you can count out the spark plug holes as well, as they would blow out air (your engine wouldn't be running right (if at all) to begin with if they were missing/ loose to the point water could seep in) so the only way they could let water in, is if you had them removed and water got in, then put the plugs back in and then you wouldn't even turn it over before it would lock up solid... And we're left with it going in the intake, it was water correct? (it makes sense its water since you had just gone thru it, and I doubt it could dump in enough fuel in one revolution to lock it up, if there was something totally wrong with fuel delivery)...

[Zero102]

Where is the air intake located on the truck?
It does sound a little fishy, but if the accord has an intake system where it draws air from fairly high up, and the water is deeper than you thought it was, then I could see it submerging your factory intake location.

Otherwise, there should be some kind of protection on the stock intake against this. Such as with VW, there is a spring-loaded flap in the bottom of the airbox. If the intake pipe is submerged, then the lower pressure in the intake will pull the flap open. I'd be surprised if your truck doesn't have something like this.

[ninspeed]

Originally posted by Zero102
Where is the air intake located on the truck?
It does sound a little fishy, but if the accord has an intake system where it draws air from fairly high up, and the water is deeper than you thought it was, then I could see it submerging your factory intake location.

Otherwise, there should be some kind of protection on the stock intake against this. Such as with VW, there is a spring-loaded flap in the bottom of the airbox. If the intake pipe is submerged, then the lower pressure in the intake will pull the flap open. I'd be surprised if your truck doesn't have something like this.

then be susprised... its does not.. and the stock system is frt right corner, and draws air from a hole on the inside stamp of the fender. I am sorry, but there is no way you had a) a stock intake system on at the time, or b) it was alot deeper than 6"....

[dodad]

PULL ALL SPARK PLUGS AND TURN IT OVER/ CHANGE OIL DO THAT FOR SAY AN HOUR THEN LEAVE PLUGS OUT FOR SAY ACOUPLE DAYS THEN TRY IT

[dufferson]

have you checked the ex-wife?

[Mr_ET]

Originally posted by dufferson
have you checked the ex-wife?

lol

[alpha]

Is this truck used, or does anyone else have access to it, where they could have modified the intake in any way without you knowing about it?

I know in my civic that the air box piping is arranged so that there is basically no way of getting water into it unless is is submerged up to the hood, and even if it was it would have to be for a few seconds to fill up the bottom resonator box to go through up to the throttle. so if there is a system that complex on a civic, then it only stands to reason that an all terrain vehicle like a full sized truck should have the same if not better precausions.

I've been in trucks that have gone through creeks and rivers at slow and fast speeds, up to 3 feet deep with no troubles, and no lift kit. I am stumped.

something just doesnt sound right with your story.

[talonboi]

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.p...hreadid=106327 i dont know if this actually works

[jlindblom]

Thanks for all of the responses. Especially the ones that tell me there is no way it happened the way I am saying it did. I really appreciated those. lol. It did happen and the intake was stock. It is a closed intake system and both the air filter and the entire intake tube were moist. But I guess the dealer is right when they said "you just got lucky and the water must have got between the fender and the air box". I don;t think I'm lucky but defenitely got screwed. Thanks again

[RobTheGob]

This doesn't sound like a warranty issue to me.

I'm sure the owner will disagree - but to me it completely sounds like driver error whether it happened the way it was described or not...

Driving though the "pond" was the cause and GM can hardly be held responsible for that, unless there is a guaranteed fording depth and you can prove that you were below that level.

[Mazstyle]

I can see why they don't believe you, it is pretty far fetched. You should have taken pictures of the water with some sort of depth gauge, or even you standing in the "puddle" that would help, maybe even try to get your buddy in the accord to be a witness... if it happened like you "say" it did then it is some sort of freak occurence and may still not be covered by warranty, either way good luck.

[Primer_Drift]

Just keep at them, or threaten to buy a Toyota.. they'll take that personally

For what it's worth I believe your story, weird shit can happen. GM engineers should have made the airbox better, period.