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I need to know advice on how to unseize my 3.5L Acura TL that is seized as a result of hydrostatic lock after stalling in flooded waters. I can not get the crank to turn.
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If it isn't obvious, you should almost certainly change the oil, as there's a good chance it's full of water now.
But to answer your question, you can't turn the engine because the cylinders are almost certainly full of water. Your pistons are designed to compress air, which they're very good at; however, they're not so good at compressing water. So take out all of the spark plugs and you'll find the engine will crank over, spraying oily water everywhere out the spark plug holes.
You mention hydrostatic lock, which, by definition means the pistons are locked in place by water pressure. If there's no water pressure, either because the cylinders have been cleaned out one way or another, or the spark plugs and/or fuel injectors were removed so no pressure can build up and the engine still won't turn, then you've got something else going on; possibly bearings that have rusted/oxidized in place.
Sounding more and more as though you may be looking at some serious engine disassembly to figure out what's going on with it.
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I wouldn't change it right away to be honest - I'd take the head off and check for terminal damage. If it was fine, cheap Walmart oil and a engine flush, then you put good stuff in after you flushed it at least once, 2 if it's bad - or at least get some miles on it and do a 2nd oil change within ~100 miles.
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Before you try, remove the heads and ensure the pistons and lifters are in good condition. I mean this! Water tends to damage them, and if you turn the block with damaged pistons, you bought an engine, and lost the chance to replace the affected parts!!!
Anyway, follow this tutorial to at least get to the heads and check with a camera like this Borescope camera before you go further. That said, you can always just remove the spark plugs, remove the fuel relay, and then turn it over several times and see if it starts, but you really, really need to inspect for damage first before you potentially make the situation terminal. If there is any type of large scoring or damage to the block, the engine is junk. Follow this video to take the heads off: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqLVqDZ5...
If the engine does come back to life, do not use the old oil; assume it is contaminated and should be treated as if it is contaminated. Pull the pan and drain all the oil inside the engine, then add fresh oil. If you can find an engine flush, I would also probably do that to make sure that you got everything out, but that's up to you.
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It’s a 2012 model
da StevenReeves
I’ve taken the plugs out after vacuuming the water from each cylinder and changed the oil. Removed the starter to test it and ensure it was good, changed the battery to one with 1110 Cca. It’s been sitting since April now. Any other tips welcomed
da StevenReeves
@stevenreeve7599 You cranked the engine over without the plugs installed, correct? Because frankly I don't see how vacuuming is going to work; did you stick a tube down the spark plug hole and suck whatever came out into a shop vac? Otherwise vacuum pressure alone isn't going to pull all of the water out of a cylinder if it's just applied to the spark plug hole.
da Jerry Wheeler
Jerry. Yes we vacuumed with shop vac and tube. Then we put the planting back on and spark plugs back in and tried to turn the engine. I removed all oil that was in pan. There was a lot of water in it so I replaced the oil with new 0-20 synthetic oil and change filter. I sprayed over blaster and mystery marvel oil directly into the cylinders prior to replacing the spark plugs that were in it prior to the hydrolocked I had a so called mechanic friend help me to begin with and when we pulled plugs on cylinder 1 and 2 only the engine did attempt to turn. It spewed water and oil forcefully out but didn’t turn all the way over to start. We put a new battery on it but the car still only clicks when pushing start button. For whatever reason that battery did not hold a charge so I bought a bigger battery with more cca. Then pulled starter and ensured it was not inop. The starter bendix was bound but it did function on oreilly tester after failing one test. It worked 3/4 times so I reinstalled it and the new battery.
da StevenReeves
Jerry when I pushed start button with new battery it still only clicked once per push. The engine still won’t turn over. Since then that battery has lost charge. We only attempted to push starter button three times in total. I don’t understand why the battery didn’t hold a charge and I haven’t attempted anything further since. The car has been sitting inop in driveway since 4/6/25. We have priced a replacement engine but the swap alone is 1200 and engine is about 1000. So 2200 isnt fathomable with our finances but without a car income is nonexistent so we are trying to do it ourselves due to desperation
da StevenReeves