My engine hydrolocked yesterday (CAI with no bypass). It died within 5-6 seconds in the water, and I tried restarting it once, none after that. Towed to the dealer, and they showed me what they did. Opened the oil drain and pure water came out for a full minute..same with the oil filter. Refilled it back with oil and the engine started after about 9-10 seconds of cranking. Checked the oil and it was milky white.

The mechanic did 2 flushes in the engine with tranny fluid. Afterwards, 2 oil changes to get all the water out and now the engine runs like new. Said I was lucky that day.

Right now, it seems the engine runs the same as before. But what kind of problems can I anticipate in the future? Doesn't seem like anything is bent? He told me to get another oil change in about 1000 miles.

 

If it starts now & you don't have any leaks, or bad idle/running that's good. I would change the plugs, & do a compression check on all cylinders. Make sure there's no internal damage.
And just keep an eye on it. He's right, change the oil again in 1K miles, maybe even 500 & another at 500 more. I would also do a coolant flush.

 

Happened to me too. The engine shut off so quickly that nothing got messed up. You may want to change your spark plugs too.

When it happens your heart usually skips a beat or 2. I had my AEM for another week before I got my Icebox. And I didn't even go through deep standing water. There was 2 inches of water on the road. The problem was that the pothole I hit was about 6 inches deeper.

I towed it to my mechanic. He drained the oil, cycled fresh oil through a couple times, removed all the plugs, replace the oil and plugs. Never had a problem with it for the next 2 years + until I sold the car.

 

Wait till it blows up cause there is a very good chance it will.

 

Most likely, if you f$@k'd it up, you know about it now because you'd have bent/snapped rods, cracked pistons, etc. Reason's why I won't run an open filter, we get so many flooded roads up here it's rediculous. What's the deal with the Icebox, I'm not familiar with it? I've heard a few people mention it? I should probably do a search, but I'm feeling kinda lazy today!

 

The filter for the Icebox is in an enclosure next to the battery. There is a tube that extends downwards for air intake. If you were to go through water, and water got into the tube there is a valve on the side that will allow air in and prevent hydrolock. It's a lot safer. I never drive through water unless I see a bunch of cars before me and use them to gauge the depth. I just got unlucky with the pot hole.

www.comptechusa.com for images.

 

I don't run through any standing water. I will stop & seek out an alternative. Doesn't matter if there are cars behind me, in front of me, hooking there horns, I don't care, it's my car & my ass.

 

Thanks for the reply! I got off my lazy arse and started reading about it anyway! Is there a big diff between the icebox and the stocker with K&N and resonator removed? Just curious!

Up here, it's the standing puddles on the sides of the road that are a killer, they can be there for days. I avoid them at all costs, but sometimes you just have to nail one when there's a car in the other lane and you have no room to go around. Very tight curvy roads where I live.

 

IMO, the stock airbox is a POS. when i was disassembling the stock airbox to install the icebox, there was so many "useless" pieces to that damn thing. it's a good choice to stick with the CT icebox and K&N filter.

 

Yeah, I was just looking at it on their site and it looks like a pretty nice piece! May have to put it on the x-mas list for Santa.

I'll tell you, I'm amazed at how much more expensive mods for the CL are than for my old Saab 9-3. $1K for headers, $600 for a cat-back, holy crap! And I was bitching about $300 for a cat-back exhaust for the Saab. I guess everything's kinda doubled due to 2 cylinder banks tho. Still, even stock, the CLS would DUST the Saab, so I'd better quit my bitching.

 

You could have very well bent a rod, especially when you tried to restart the car.
If in the next week or so nothing happens, your probably fine but just keep an ear out for any strange noises your motor might make or if it seems to run rough.

 

btw, it actually didn't happen in ATL. i'm up here in NJ now and the roads here become rivers. Happened on route 17 N. could get away without a bypass down there, but i learned.

 

Yea, the rain was bad yesterday. 17 usually has probelms when there is heavy rain.

 

Yeh 17 is horrible for flooding. So is Newark. That's where I got nailed.

 

Since I had both I can say I didn't feel any difference. If there is a power difference it's small enough for a butt dyno to not know it.
Not sure what aznxtallxboy is talking about with the stock airbox. It's about the same as the CT box. If anything the CT box has more restrictions since it has a big round tube thing at the bottom. Once the stock resonator is removed it's very open in the box.

 

Hey there... i'm in danbury too and i have comptech icebox. Like everybody said, Icebox is saver than AEM since the filter is up there. You really have to submerge the front of the car before you can hydrolock the engine.

As you know, the last couple of days had been nothing but rain, and i've driven my car just fine, even through puddle ....most puddles are on the right side of the car anyways

 

i live in philly. 01 cl-s aem cai no bypass. when it starts heaving snowing will i have to worry about hydrolock.

 

if so whats the best way to avoid it until i get the bypass. how much and where can i get the bypass

 

Always the best way to avoid hydrolock is to not go through standing water. The bypass may work. I don't know for sure.

As for snow....you shouldn't really have a problem.

 

Yea rain is the emeny to our cl-s