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Hydrolocked but got it running again - what to replace?

M

ManWithJeep

NAXJA Forum User
Location
NY
Well, this happened:

12476705_10100993960966189_371625064_o.jpg


Dove my XJ head first into a deep muddy puddle. Hydrolocked immediately. Submerged as shown for about an hour while I got myself unstuck. I know, dumbass move.

I replaced the IAC valve, the coil, the plugs and wires, cap and rotor, stator/camshaft sensor, and the crank sensor. I removed the throttle body and cleaned that out as well. Did an oil change, added oil treatment and fuel treatment. It runs now, which is great - but now I want to keep it running for as long as possible.

I am still planning on replacing the 02 sensors and the TPS, and doing another oil change. What other sensors or parts should I be replacing for preventative maintenance, and what other maintenance should I be doing to help prevent more problems as I put miles on this thing?
 
What about other stuff like transfer case and differentials - any chance of those fluids being affected? Other things like u-joints, wheel bearings and axles? Or is that stuff mostly sealed?
 
I have never seen a motor that hydrolocked that lasted very long afterwards. If you plan to keep it, you need to pull the head and check for bent valves and piston problems. You need to pull the rods and inspect VERY well. I would magnaflux the rods and crank at a minimum.

As far as axles and tcase, drain the fluids and see if there was any water incursion. If there was, you need to thoroughly flush everything and check the bearing surfaces for any corrosion.

The same goes for a manual tranny, but if you got it into an auto, save yourself some time and effort and get a used one from a junkyard.
 
You'd go through all that effort to disassemble a 4.0 for an inspection?

Drive it til it blows up and then swap in another engine. Done.

Change all your fluids and drive it.
 
Lowrange2 said:
You'd go through all that effort to disassemble a 4.0 for an inspection?

Drive it til it blows up and then swap in another engine. Done.

Change all your fluids and drive it.
Click to expand...
Yes. They have a habit of cratering at the worst possible time. If you can catch a problem early, you may still have a chance of saving the engine with some simple fixes.
 
Thanks guys, forgot to say that it is a manual transmission. So fluid change on the trans, transfer case, and both differentials then.
 
no pull the motor and trans and do a thorough inspection. Hydrolocking will destroy things. you are on Borrowed time now.
 
you can drive it until it dies. it might be 200 miles or it might be 10000 miles.
 
My question is did it truly hydrolock, or just die as you dove into the puddle? If it hydrolocked, as in water entered the cylinder and stopped the piston, how did you clear out the cylinder? Did you try and start it after it died?

If it simply died and did not truly hydrolock I'd say you're fine with what you've done plus changing any of the remaining fluids
 
ManWithJeep said:
What about other stuff like transfer case and differentials - any chance of those fluids being affected? Other things like u-joints, wheel bearings and axles? Or is that stuff mostly sealed?
Click to expand...



In theory they are sealed in real life they leak, especially front axels. Even doing water crossings it's a good idea to change the Fluid.
 
1990JEEPXJ said:
My question is did it truly hydrolock, or just die as you dove into the puddle? If it hydrolocked, as in water entered the cylinder and stopped the piston, how did you clear out the cylinder? Did you try and start it after it died?

If it simply died and did not truly hydrolock I'd say you're fine with what you've done plus changing any of the remaining fluids
Click to expand...



I was wondering this as well. It's right at the tipping point where water is definitely in the air box but maybe not in the cylinders.
What did the oil look like and was the air filter soaked as well.

Hydro locking usually leave a engine pretty well screwed over.

PS right at the deepest corner in my jeeps is where the computer is as well. I'm not sure how what're tight the electronics are.
 
Last edited:
Hydrolocked mine in July 06. As soon as it went under and died I did not attempt cranking it. Winched it out, pulled plugs and cranked out the water (lots of water). Dried out distributor cap, air box and left it sitting in the sun hood open for a couple hours. Put in an old spare air cleaner and after quite a few attempts started it up and ran the 40 miles home. Changed fluids both diffs, t-case, transmission, and engine. Lasted 4 years including one trip on the Dusy Trail, a long fishing trip in Oregon, and daily driving. But when it went it went with a bang. Blew a hole in the block right around the 180,000 mark. So it did shorten its lifespan by a couple years.
 
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