LOW OIL PRESSURE AFTER HYDROLOCKED

wasssup! I own a 99 xj 4.0. ok.. here we go. i went through a deep water puddle going too fast and i hydrolocked it right there in the middle of the water. I had no tools to pull the plugs and pump out the water so i had no choice but to try and crank it over and it cranked over for a second and then locked up. to make a long story short my xj sucked about a half gallon of water in the intake. i got it running and drove about 30mi home. i changed the oil four times and did a fuel system cleaning. my oil pressure gage will go up to normal(50) when i first start it and when the engine is warmed up completly after 15min or so it will slowly drop to 20. I spoke to alot of people and they said i probably spun a bearing or crushed one. i do burn some oil when i step on the gas almost all the way and i can see a black smoke behind me. I've been driving my xj for about three weeks so far and i drive about 40mi a day. Does anyone have any clue of how long my engine will last or could it be a head problem and not a bearing . any good input will be great!

ummmm, you hydrolocked your motor bud. i'd suggest you take a better look at it than you seem to have before you decide how long it will last. without any other info, we can't really determine how long your motor will last, but i had a similar experience and its still operating about 30k miles later.

Tyquan said:

wasssup! I own a 99 xj 4.0. ok.. here we go. i went through a deep water puddle going too fast and i hydrolocked it right there in the middle of the water. I had no tools to pull the plugs and pump out the water so i had no choice but to try and crank it over and it cranked over for a second and then locked up. to make a long story short my xj sucked about a half gallon of water in the intake. i got it running and drove about 30mi home. i changed the oil four times and did a fuel system cleaning. my oil pressure gage will go up to normal(50) when i first start it and when the engine is warmed up completly after 15min or so it will slowly drop to 20. I spoke to alot of people and they said i probably spun a bearing or crushed one. i do burn some oil when i step on the gas almost all the way and i can see a black smoke behind me. I've been driving my xj for about three weeks so far and i drive about 40mi a day. Does anyone have any clue of how long my engine will last or could it be a head problem and not a bearing . any good input will be great!

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A warm motor should idle right around 25 psi, so that's not really a problem.

my brother drove on his hydrolocked 4.0 for a month. When it got warm it registered no oil pressure and sounded like a diesel.

87manche said:

my brother drove on his hydrolocked 4.0 for a month. When it got warm it registered no oil pressure and sounded like a diesel.

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How long after that month did it run?

woody said:

How long after that month did it run?

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lol i was thinking that was it. hydrolocked, started it up a month later, drove it, made it half way there, and sent a rod threw the block lol (just guessing)

i hyrdolosked mine bad pulled the plugs it blew tons of water out
sprayed the cylinders w/ carb cleaner then blew that out
put it bad together and it fired right up that was 6months ago and did runs fine

I'll say the same thing that I said to another unlucky soul who didn't know when to quit:

They make snorkels for a reason. Take this as a lesson not to play in water with your Jeep. You could have easily blown a head gasket or bent a rod. Run a compression test to see if you need a new engine.

The first rule of 4 wheelin is knowing the capabilities of your vehicle. Deep water crossings are only for people with snorkels or very high lifts/tires. Those of us without such equipment (myself included) that attempt such feats are incredibly dumb. I turn around and go find a bridge or shallow crossing. Turning around or finding an easier way when I know my vehicle can't make it doesn't make me feel any less of a man or Jeeper. Id rather have a 300,000 + mile engine than 10 seconds of fun at the old water hole.

i have 125,000mi, it is lifted 4.5" on 33x12.5 15 wheels. It sounds exactly like a diesel. the weird thing is that when i start is up in the mourning the oil pressure will run normal then slowly after 15min of driving will drop all the way down to about 15-20psi and stay there until the engine cools almost completly. smoke will come out of my exhaust only when i really jump on the gas so that tells me that its burning oil and i've been adding oil to keep it up to the full mark. sence i hydrolocked it im now using regular 20w50 oil hopeing it will do some good. I'am saving money for another 4.0 at a junk yard that has 65k and they want $750+tax for it. Can anyone tell me what should i do? a new head won't work? new oil pump? i have a bad feeling my f***ing motors gonna go and im gonna have to buy that one from the junk yard and im hopeing i can pull off a engine swap without messing something else up. thanks for the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Does anyone have any clue of how long my engine will last or could it be a head problem and not a bearing . any good input will be great!
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Only the Gods can know how long before any engine blows.
Just do the same thing you would have done without the big drink of water. That is drive her until she drops. That all any one can do.
The most important thing to remember about water crossing is to keep your gun powder dry. Luck

Tyquan said:

the weird thing is that when i start is up in the mourning the oil pressure will run normal then slowly after 15min of driving will drop all the way down to about 15-20psi and stay there until the engine cools almost completly.

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This is not weird, it's normal. Your oil get's thinner as it warms, making it easier to pump, and leak out of bearing surfaces. Therefore, your oil pressure drops.

Tyquan said:

smoke will come out of my exhaust only when i really jump on the gas so that tells me that its burning oil and i've been adding oil to keep it up to the full mark.

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Your cylinders are scored, and your rings are shot. You'll likely have trouble passing smog. Buy a new motor or rebuild yours.

Listen to Crash....that ole dawg is too hurt to hunt. It's gonna die...shoot it.

woody said:

How long after that month did it run?

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ran daily to work for one month, then replaced by a new-used motor from the junkyard.

87manche said:

ran daily to work for one month, then replaced by a new-used motor from the junkyard.

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Actually it was 4 months and about 4,000 miles and it probably would have kept on running had I not swapped it. It wasn't the water that did it, it never was locked, it was the mud in the water that wiped the bearings.

RedHeapOjeep said:

Actually it was 4 months and about 4,000 miles and it probably would have kept on running had I not swapped it. It wasn't the water that did it, it never was locked, it was the mud in the water that wiped the bearings.

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you ran on that pile for 4 months? Wow, I thought it was one, and I was surprised it did that.

Tyquan said:

wasssup! i got it running and drove about 30mi home. i changed the oil four times and did a fuel system cleaning. my oil pressure gage will go up to normal(50) when i first start it and when the engine is warmed up completly after 15min or so it will slowly drop to 20. I spoke to alot of people and they said i probably spun a bearing or crushed one. i do burn some oil when i step on the gas almost all the way and i can see a black smoke behind me.

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Okay let me explain the whole thing your mixing alot of it up !

First if you made it 30miles home it should be too bad. You still have some sort of compression !! Compression is what hydrolock kills !!!

Second, you burning oil your oil rings are probably shot from the hydrolock. Never Never try to drive it out. (water cannot be compressed) so when your motor is in the compression cycle and the plug is still in there the uncompressionable water will go somewhere and/or cease the motor. I've even seen broken rods (rods like more than one) thats where the damage comes into play you cannot compress water !!
Its simple physics and chemisty people.

Third, Why does everyone think they can drive it out !! Take you damn plugs out and crank the water out its not hard. Use brake cleaner but i think work better is starter fluid burns super hot to dry up any remaining water. You know you have compression rings and oil rings right well. alot of time when you hydrolock and you drive threw it the water blows by the oil rings hence why your burning oil but, why your might still have compression. You have oil getting into the combustion chamber. Drive it till she's dead. She might still last another 40k you never know.

Last, if you had a spun bearing you would know it expecially a broke one i don't know who told you that ? Also, you oil pressure is going to drop when warm. As long as you have more than 8-9psi at idle and 22 running hard your made in the shade

An engine from the junk yard it will be. thanks for all the good advice. That will be the last time i go through deep water without a snorkel.

Tyquan said:

An engine from the junk yard it will be. thanks for all the good advice. That will be the last time i go through deep water without a snorkel.

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Yea i got caught in a thunderstorm on my integra type-r i had with a cold air intake on it. needless to say the motor had a 9mm hole with the rod showing threw it. i had a fun time putting the stock airbox back on and explaining it to acura. (warrenty) :smsoap: