Water in Cylinder Head – Causes & What To Do To Protect Your Engine

The presence of water in cylinder head can be caused by a number of factors including driving through a deep puddle or a malfunctioning gasket.

Water is not compressible like air. Therefore, when it enters the combustion chamber, it can damage various components of the engine, including the pistons and engine block. This can lead to hydrolock – a situation where the engine seizes and stops running altogether. To prevent further damage, it’s crucial to take action immediately.

In this post, we’ll explain what causes water in engine cylinder and how to clean car cylinders when water has got in.

Reasons Why Water Can Get Into The Cylinder Head

1. Blown Head Gasket

A blown head gasket is a significant problem in an engine. The head gasket is a sealing component that sits between the engine block and cylinder head. It seals the combustion chamber, coolant passages, and oil passages. When a head gasket blows, it allows fluids to mix where they shouldn’t, and this can cause various problems in the engine.

One way a blown head gasket can cause water in the cylinder is by allowing coolant to leak into the combustion chamber.

When the head gasket is damaged, it can allow coolant to leak into the combustion chamber. As a result, water mixes with the fuel and air that are supposed to be ignited by the spark plug, and this can cause the engine to misfire, run poorly or not start at all.

Another way that a blown head gasket can cause water in the cylinder is by allowing the engine oil to mix with the coolant. The engine oil circulates through the engine to lubricate and protect the moving parts. If the head gasket is damaged, it can allow the engine oil to mix with the coolant.

As a result, water mixes with the engine oil and can cause damage to the engine. Water in the engine oil can cause the oil to become milky and can also cause rust and corrosion on the engine’s internal components.

In either case, when water gets into your engine cylinder, it can cause significant damage to the engine if not addressed promptly. The engine may start to overheat, the cylinder walls may become damaged, and the engine’s overall performance may suffer. It is essential to have a blown head gasket repaired as soon as possible to prevent further damage to the engine.

2. Cracked Cylinder Head

The cylinder head sits on top of the engine block and seals the combustion chamber where the fuel and air mixture is ignited to produce power.

If the cylinder head is cracked due to age, high mileage, overheating, or poor performance, this seal can be compromised, allowing coolant (which is usually circulated around the engine to prevent overheating) to leak into the combustion chamber.

When coolant enters the cylinder, it can cause a number of problems, including engine misfires, poor performance, and even catastrophic engine damage if the water gets into the oil or if it causes the engine to hydro-lock (where water fills the cylinder and prevents the piston from moving).

It’s important to address a cracked cylinder head promptly to prevent further damage to the engine. This typically involves removing the cylinder head, repairing or replacing it, and reassembling the engine with new gaskets and seals.

3. Cracked Engine Block

An engine block is an essential component of an internal combustion engine, which houses various components such as cylinders, pistons, and crankshafts.

The engine block is designed to withstand high temperatures and pressures generated by the combustion process. However, over time, the engine block can develop cracks due to various reasons such as overheating, corrosion, or poor maintenance.

If the engine block develops a crack, it can allow coolant to leak into the combustion chamber. When the engine is running, the coolant mixes with the fuel-air mixture, which can cause the engine to misfire or stall.

Also, the coolant can cause damage to the engine’s components, such as the spark plugs. In severe cases, the coolant can cause the engine to hydrolock. And this can lead to catastrophic engine failure.

4. Damaged Intake Manifold Gasket

The intake manifold gasket is a component that seals the intake manifold to the engine block. It’s designed to prevent air, fuel, and other engine fluids from leaking out of the intake manifold and into other parts of the engine.

If the intake manifold gasket is damaged or worn, it can create a gap or a leak between the manifold and the engine block. This can allow coolant or water to leak into the cylinder through the gap.

The coolant or water can then mix with the fuel and air in the cylinder, which can cause a number of problems. The presence of coolant or water in the cylinder can cause misfires and potentially cause damage to the engine over time.

In some cases, a damaged intake manifold gasket can also cause coolant or water to leak into the engine oil, which can lead to engine damage if not addressed promptly.

Overall, a damaged intake manifold gasket is a serious issue that should be addressed as soon as possible to prevent further damage to the engine.

5. Driving Through Deep Water or Heavy Rain

When you drive through deep water or heavy rain, water can enter your vehicle’s air intake system which is responsible for providing the engine with clean air. Once water enters the air intake system, it can get sucked into the engine cylinders during the intake stroke.

Water is not compressible like air. This means that it cannot be compressed when the engine piston moves up during the compression stroke. This would cause the piston to hit a wall of water, and likely cause severe damage to the engine.

If water enters the engine cylinders, it can also cause the engine to hydrolock, which means that the engine is filled with water and cannot turn over. This can cause damage to the engine’s internal components, such as the connecting rods and crankshaft, and may even lead to complete engine failure.

To prevent water from entering the engine cylinders, it’s important to avoid driving through deep water or heavy rain whenever possible.

If you do need to drive through water, make sure to check the depth and avoid driving through water that is deeper than the vehicle’s ground clearance.

Additionally, you can install a snorkel, which is a specialized air intake system that is mounted higher on the vehicle and allows the engine to breathe clean air above the water level.

Effects of Water in Cylinder

1. Rough Idle

When there is water in the cylinder, the engine may struggle to idle smoothly. The engine may also shake or vibrate more than usual.

2. Misfiring

Water in the cylinder can cause misfiring. This occurs when the fuel and air mixture in the cylinder does not ignite properly. Misfiring can cause the engine to run roughly or stall.

3. White Smoke from Exhaust

Water in the cylinder can cause white smoke to come out of the exhaust. This smoke may have a sweet smell, which is a sign of coolant burning in the engine.

4. Loss of Power

Water in the cylinder can cause a loss of power. This may be noticeable when you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. The engine may also feel sluggish or unresponsive.

5. Overheating

If there is water in the cylinder, your engine may overheat. This is because the water can prevent the engine from properly cooling itself, leading to overheating.

How to Diagnose Water in Cylinder

Diagnosing water in a cylinder usually involves checking for signs of water damage in the engine, such as misfiring, rough idle, and difficulty starting. Here are the steps to diagnose water in a cylinder:

1. Remove the spark plugs: The first step is to remove the spark plugs. This will allow you to inspect the cylinders for signs of water damage.
2. Inspect the spark plugs: Check the spark plugs for signs of corrosion or rust. If the spark plugs are wet, this could be a sign that there is water in the cylinder.
3. Perform a compression test: The next step is to perform a compression test. This will help you determine if there is a problem with the cylinder’s compression. If the compression is low, this could be a sign that there is water in the cylinder.
4. Inspect the coolant: Check the coolant for signs of contamination. If the coolant is contaminated with oil or has a milky appearance, this could be a sign of water in the cylinder.
5. Perform a leak-down test: A leak-down test is a more advanced way to check for water in a cylinder. This test involves pressurizing the cylinder and checking for leaks. If there is water in the cylinder, you may hear air escaping through the spark plug hole.
6. Check for other signs of water damage: Check for other signs of water damage, such as white smoke coming from the exhaust or a sweet smell from the engine. These are all signs that there could be water in the cylinder.

Overall, diagnosing water in a cylinder can be tricky, and it may be best to consult a professional mechanic if you suspect that there is water in your engine.

Read: 862 LS Heads

FAQs

Can You Drive a Car with Water in The Engine Cylinder?

Yes, you can. However, it is important to remove the water immediately after the problem is identified in order to avoid irreparable damage to your engine. Cars have a drain plug in the bottom of each cylinder. This is where you need to drain the water out of your engine.

To do this, turn over your car’s ignition and start cranking until it turns over completely without starting up. Then open up your hood and look for a small hole in the middle of each cylinder head where coolant drains out when it needs to be drained. Place a pan under this hole and let all of that water flow into it until there is no more coming out.

Can You Fix a Flooded Engine Cylinder?

Yes, you can fix a flooded cylinder. But it won’t be cheap.

You’ll need to replace the cylinder head, piston, and rings, and possibly even the cylinder block (the part of your engine that holds everything together) if there is any damage caused by water getting in.

All of these parts can cost anywhere from $100 to $1000 depending on what you have and what kind of car it’s in.

So before starting this process, be sure that replacing your cylinder head isn’t going to cost more than buying a whole new engine.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a lot of ways you can get water into your engine cylinder or the cylinder head. Some of them are; a faulty coolant system, driving through high water, overfilling the cooling system, and a faulty water pump, head gasket, or intake manifold gasket.

If you don’t want to deal with the hassle and expense of taking it to a shop, then draining the water and changing out the spark plugs should be enough to get your engine running again.

However, if your car still isn’t driving right after doing this (or if it was only partially flooded), then we recommend calling an expert who knows how to deal with these types of problems. They’ll be able to diagnose any other issues that may have been caused in addition to the flooding incident itself.