Avoiding hydro-lock

Money Mark · Feb 25, 2007

How does one route the vent tube from the engine to the intake to avoid hydro-lock? (if my understanding is correct)

I've had a few people give me ideas but not specific parts needed and the how-to of routing.

This is for a 22RE Toyota engine if that matters.

Side note: A tell-tell sign you have hydro-locked the engine is when engine oil is on a spark plug when you pull it.......correct?

And for those curious, no, I didn't flop/roll it already.:flipoff:

Not Jobless · Feb 25, 2007

Hydro-locked is when your cylinders fill with oil when you shiznit turns upside down.

It leaks past the rings or valves. The only way to tell is to pull the plugs and turn it over.

Some peoples **** does it 100% of the time while other motors rarely do it at all.

It's best to just flip the key real quick after you turn it back over to find out what it's doing.

hwcurtice · Feb 25, 2007

Jobless said:
Hydro-locked is when your cylinders fill with oil when you shiznit turns upside down.

It leaks past the rings or valves. The only way to tell is to pull the plugs and turn it over.

Some peoples **** does it 100% of the time while other motors rarely do it at all.

It's best to just flip the key real quick after you turn it back over to find out what it's doing.

I thought hydro (water) locking and engine was when you suck water into the engine and it locks up. Many newer cars have this issue when plowing through puddles. The intake is set so low, that there is almost no way to avoid getting the engine flooded with water. I am also under the impression that when this happens, your engine is toast.

If I am wrong, tell me. I can take constructive criticism... I can, I really can...

::sniffs::

Cascade_Crawler · Feb 25, 2007

hwcurtice said:
I thought hydro (water) locking and engine was when you suck water into the engine and it locks up. Many newer cars have this issue when plowing through puddles. The intake is set so low, that there is almost no way to avoid getting the engine flooded with water. I am also under the impression that when this happens, your engine is toast.

If I am wrong, tell me. I can take constructive criticism... I can, I really can...

::sniffs::

You have the right idea, but not in this situation. They are talking about oil locking up the motor after a rollover not after injesting water.

Money Mark · Feb 25, 2007

I don't drive through water; I float on top of it. :haha:

Yes, oil not water.

crash2 · Feb 25, 2007

ToyBug said:
I don't drive through water; I float on top of it. :haha:

Yes, oil not water.

You may float---but it'll be upside down

crash2 · Feb 25, 2007

Jobless said:
Hydro-locked is when your cylinders fill with oil when you shiznit turns upside down.

It leaks past the rings or valves. The only way to tell is to pull the plugs and turn it over.

If thats the case then eveybody should have tons of blow by. The oil comes from the intake side of things.

Mark--the only way to help with it is to route any breathers that leave the valve cover and go directly into the suckion side of the motor into some kind of catch can..

Not Jobless · Feb 25, 2007

crash said:
If thats the case then eveybody should have tons of blow by. The oil comes from the intake side of things.

Not everyone, but a few :redneck:

cisco · Feb 25, 2007

I thought hydro (water) locking and engine

In this case hydro is short for hydraulic and can mean water, oil, gasoline, or any other liquid.

From wikipedia "Hydraulics is a topic of science and engineering subject dealing with the mechanical properties of liquids. ":;

Bunk1 · Feb 25, 2007

cisco said:
In this case hydro is short for hydraulic and can mean water, oil, gasoline, or any other liquid.

From wikipedia "Hydraulics is a topic of science and engineering subject dealing with the mechanical properties of liquids. ":;

Straight from the resident ENGINEER!!!!!!!!

Binder · Feb 25, 2007

A easy fix is to just put fuel filters into the PCV and return lines. The oil takes a bit of time to go through the filter element giving you time to turn it back over. Be cautious re starting it afterward.

Money Mark · Feb 25, 2007

Nice, :;

That's the shortcut I was looking for, thanks Binder!

crash2 · Feb 25, 2007

ToyBug said:
Nice, :;

That's the shortcut I was looking for, thanks Binder!

Binders idea is good for a domestic motor but I recomend you not run that setup on your rig---the fuel mapping is setup for a certain amount of suckion thru the vent---too little and your going to have runability issues and you run the rick of sucking in a gasket....

psychotoy · Feb 26, 2007

crash said:
Binders idea is good for a domestic motor but I recomend you not run that setup on your rig---the fuel mapping is setup for a certain amount of suckion thru the vent---too little and your going to have runability issues and you run the rick of sucking in a gasket....

X2 Crash, I took this route and it took me forever to figure it out on my 22re, if the pcv valve has too much or too little, it will develop a nasty high end miss.......

Binder · Feb 26, 2007

Hmnnnn never heard that one before, must be a toyota thing.

cisco · Feb 26, 2007

I have yet to see a 22R or RE that was hydro locked when righted. Is this a known problem?

crash2 · Feb 26, 2007

Binder said:
Hmnnnn never heard that one before, must be a toyota thing.

Stock fuel maping. You would get the same problem with a vortec motor also. You can get a lean code out of one if you leave the vent off the air inlet that goes to the valve cover....

Money Mark · Feb 26, 2007

Back to the drawing board.:booo:

I think I'll try the "catch can" idea. I've got a hand brake bleeder kit with a nice reservoir that would be perfect to let air pas through but not let liquid through.

I would assume mounting the reservoir lower than the in/outlet would be a good idea. So if the oil did get inside it would have to fill the reservoir up before the intake could suck it up.

Money Mark · Feb 26, 2007

cisco said:
I have yet to see a 22R or RE that was hydro locked when righted. Is this a known problem?

Me neither, but I have "heard" stories. This is more a precautionary measure than anything. You know how I drive. :redneck:

crash2 · Feb 26, 2007

Here is something that works mark. Pickure a soda can sitting upright. On each side a fitting, one going to the valve cover the other to the motor. So when you roll over if any fluid dumps it collects in the one side of the can. When you roll it over the oil goes to the other side of the can--all ya need is a lil drain at the bottom :;