Hello,
Our car is breaking starters, not turning over We replaced both battery and starter. There is no water in the cylinders. We took the car to our regular shop that we have trusted for over 8 years. In March they replaced the head gaskets which had blown, and we paid to replace the heads which were cracked. Shortly after getting the car back, which ran well, we started experiencing broken starters. We were using the cheap re manufactured starters from O'Reilly, and we ended up exchanging two starters. We got the third starter, tried it, and it broke, engine still not turning over. About one month ago we had all the hoses changed at the repair shop as they were failing from the oil that got into them. After failing to get the car started, we had it towed over to the shop. He believed from the outset that the engine was hydraulic-ing and that he would find melted temperature tabs on the head gaskets. He called the next day to advise the engine was hydraulic-ing, but from gas. He said something had failed after they had returned the car to us. I believe they reassembled the fuel system incorrectly and should cover the repair under warranty. Needless to say, I am getting ready for small claims court but I was hoping to get any input from the forum. We had never had this problem before, and immediately after getting the car back it was breaking starters. We did not realize the starter problem would be related to fuel filling the cylinders, and we ended up buying an original starter because we had read how much better the OEM starter is. Any thoughts, suggestions, input. Can car even hydraulic from gas?
Thanks for any help.

 

There is a such thing as vapor lock, where the fuel will change from liquid to vapor in the fuel system. It'd prevent the pump from operating correctly if it happens in the tank, but this is unlikely to happen in a modern car and would only prevent the starting of the engine.

I don't see how they could mess up the fuel system when doing head gaskets. The feed line and return line are different sizes and will not go on the others line.

There would have to be a ridiculous amount of fuel filling the cylinders for it to hydro-lock from fuel. Mostly since most, if not all, of the fuel would leak down past the rings, into the crank case. There are simple checks to see if an injector is leaking, which is what would have to be leaking in order for fuel to get into the cylinder.

Onto the problem, what do you mean by "breaking"? Does it just not start? Is it chewing the teeth of the pinion off? Is it cracking the case?

Have they tried shimming the starter? Are the teeth on the flex plate/flywheel in good condition?

 

Literally breaking starters. Breaking off the nose cones.

 

if you are hydrolocking then its leaking fuel at a pretty good rate. injector would have to be blown out and pouring out fuel, your pan should also be full of fuel

 

Have them shim the starter. I've seen that before and that ended up being the problem. It's too close to the flexplate. Best to have them check the flexplate out too to make sure it didn't get damaged.

The only other thing I could think to cause your problems would be the ignition timing being too far advanced...but the computer controls timing, so very unlikely. I will bet my money on the starter needing shimmed.

 

You can easily check to see if the engine is locked or seized by turning it with a wrench connected to the front dampener. It should turn with a moderate amount of effort.

 

take the spark plugs out and try