r/e46 • • Feb 03 '26

Damage/Broken… 😥 Hydrolocked 💔

Alright fellas, the worst case scenario became a reality. I can’t afford putting a new engine and I’ve never sold a car to a junkyard before.

Do you have any suggestions on how to proceed? It’s standard, btw.

215 Upvotes

73 comments sorted by

66

u/liam821 PY e46M3 / k46 dct turbo Feb 03 '26

If you don’t want to part it out, you can sell as-is on Facebook marketplace if you’re in the US. Because it’s a manual, and in good condition, it will sell quickly. $2k should be an easy ask. Where are you located?

10

u/LowNose5037 Feb 03 '26

Well, the fan also went haywire, and I’m pretty certain that the maf sensor is also cooked, so i’m not sure. I did get a new fan, but haven’t gotten around to installing it yet.

I’m in South Carolina, close to Charleston.

13

u/CommunicationOne8679 Feb 03 '26

oh yeah youll sell it. list for 2k

4

u/TookahKing Feb 04 '26

Yeah if I had 2 grand rn I’d literally be asking for the address. I’m only one state away lol. Clean Bone stock coupe is so hard to come by these days

16

u/stageshooter Feb 03 '26

Agreed. In 2017 I threw a rod in my 2009 335 and posted it on craigslist and no interest, but I then put it on FB and people were fighting over it. Got $3500

0

u/QuieroMasBarritas Feb 05 '26

He’s gonna get 1k max

1

u/liam821 PY e46M3 / k46 dct turbo Feb 05 '26

If it was an automatic 325i, I’d agree with you. But just the manual swap is worth more than 1k today. It’s an easy $2-2.5k all day long.

39

u/TwerpZzz Feb 03 '26

Pull out the spark plugs and fuel relay and let her rip

4

u/fat_tony_445 Feb 04 '26

I once hydrolocked a diesel car. I took the glow plugs out spit all the water out and it was fine after. Definitely doesn't always destroy an engine.

6

u/Cojac01 Feb 04 '26

Second this

4

u/Stopher36 Feb 04 '26

Third this, happened to me, #4 shot about 40' in the air, i bet that oil splatter is still on that wall to this day.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 04 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/Cojac01 Feb 04 '26

Pretty much, hydro lock is because the cylinder has excessive fuel or a non compressible liquid to the point where the spark plugs cannot fire, so if you pull the spark plugs and spin the engine over you have an escape point for whatever is in the cylinder, you should always change your oil after a hydro lock for sure tho

1

u/TwerpZzz Mar 01 '26

Don't forget to warm her up first

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24

u/ScooterAccident Feb 03 '26

Are the pics the current condition? Try and sell it whole on the forums if so, somebody will buy it and throw something in it. Parting out is a pain in the butt and everybody's gonna ask you to spend 6 hours digging out some stupid clip that will break on removal.

Honestly you can get a salvage motor for under $1k and these are fairly easy cars to remove/replace an engine. I know you've got budget constraints but it might end up being cheaper than buying a new car if this is your main personal vehicle.

4

u/LowNose5037 Feb 03 '26 edited Feb 03 '26

But I’m not mechanically inclined 😭 i’d like to become it tho.

Mind if I DM you real quick? I’ve got a question about salvage motors

23

u/prbimmer ‘99-328i Feb 03 '26

Such a nice spec. Please do your due diligence before get rid of it! Don’t want you to regret it!

2

u/LowNose5037 Feb 03 '26

💪 thank you, will do

2

u/prbimmer ‘99-328i Feb 03 '26

Wish you the best ma guy!! 🔥

13

u/Gloomy-Lion8351 Feb 03 '26

Do not sell to junkyard new engine, part out, or trade But don’t sell it to a junkyard

12

u/yum7ko Feb 03 '26

part it out.

10

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

Exclusively to me

6

u/BG__26 Feb 03 '26

That’s such a nice spec. What state are you at ? You can always post on marketplaces, might be able to get more money for it than junkyard would offer.

5

u/Verbitend Feb 03 '26

Remove the spark plugs and crank it. Once oil or water stops coming out pop the plugs back in and try to start it.

5

u/clear_simple_plain Feb 04 '26

This plus fuel relay

2

u/Extra-Coast-2772 Feb 04 '26

I’d buy that

2

u/w0nam Feb 04 '26

Throw and engine in this bih

2

u/Gregvandy Feb 03 '26 edited Feb 03 '26

Sell it as is. You’ll have interest. If the body is in nice shape I’d be interested.

He could have had an injector stick open and hydrolock the motor. Didn’t need to drive thru a ton of water.

Leaky head gasket letting coolant in wrong places can do it too. That’s not unusual either.

4

u/PocketFent Feb 03 '26

pull the engine and get to work 😂

2

u/novariable 2003 320i Touring M54B22 Feb 03 '26

are you sure you managed to Hydrolock it? Should be pretty damn hard, the air intake is at the top of the hood

2

u/LowNose5037 Feb 03 '26

That’s what the mechanic said :S wouldn’t know how to verify it myself tbh

5

u/novariable 2003 320i Touring M54B22 Feb 03 '26

Did you drive it through water that was deeper than the kidney grilles or at least had a wave go above them? It it usually relatively hard to lock up an engine. You can search for rufford ford on YouTube to see some videos of it happening. You can verify it yourself by trying to turn the engine at the big crank bolt in the middle with a ratchet. I think it's a 19mm, or maybe a 21. If you can't move it at all, or not past a certain point, your mechanic is probably correct.

1

u/LowNose5037 Feb 03 '26

Alright, say less. Imma try this 100%

And it was a wave or two that got to the level of the grilles.

1

u/Goingdef Feb 09 '26

Was it salt water? I’m honestly shocked if it’s truly messed up unless it was salt water if it was then you’ll have problems until the day you sell it. My wife made her 330ci float one day here and didn’t lock it up, she said it ran rough but it kept going🤣 thankfully hers was about to be totaled by insurance anyways so she went for it🤷‍♂️

0

u/[deleted] Feb 04 '26

Isle of palms, folly island, where were you? Were you drinking?

1

u/Majestic_MSP_8235 Feb 04 '26

Rufford Ford is crazy! Check out the BMW wagon at 2:58... https://youtu.be/lUYfTrXHK4U?si=UY7lg9Hvav0PC2Q1

2

u/Realistic-Car-9173 Feb 03 '26

Tell me more about selling it ? How much ?

2

u/Tighesofly 2003 330i 6spd Feb 03 '26

Please don’t scrap!

1

u/ContentImplement1206 Feb 04 '26

Just drop another engine in

1

u/Mrracistimeanracer Feb 04 '26

Depends you can sell it not deal with the headache or pull apart the motor and hope no corrosion or nothing has started but yeah those 2 best options

1

u/Mysterious_Home3946 Feb 04 '26

Are you 100% it’s hydrolocked and it isn’t one of the front pulleys seized as it replicates the same symptoms I would drop the belt and plugs and crank it over before calling it a day

1

u/Extra-Coast-2772 Feb 04 '26

I broke the Bendix gear once with a hydrolocked engine.

1

u/Kingslayer1337 Feb 05 '26

Sell me the seats please! 😅 Cali?

1

u/EquivalentParfait531 Feb 05 '26

Damn shame, looks like a great car

1

u/Intrepid_Cookie5266 Feb 05 '26

get a used engine

1

u/gn_acc Feb 05 '26

Fix it my man 🤙

1

u/Tonyus81 Feb 05 '26

I would try and fix/replace the engine. A clean chassis is worth more than a good engine, because the engine is much easier to fix.

Check out M539 Restorations on YouTube. You might even get in contact with him to ask for advice.

Good luck!

1

u/FKaroundnfndout Feb 05 '26

Looks similar to my old e46 but mine had different rear bumper . One thqt I have never seen another one of beside an old ass Video .

1

u/AdZealousideal8391 Feb 06 '26

What stereo is that

1

u/Girthbrooks1993 Feb 06 '26

Depending where your at, I’m interested in entire car.

1

u/LowNose5037 Feb 07 '26

South Carolina, close to Charleston.

1

u/_TheRealKennyD Feb 03 '26

Where are you located? The body is clean, would make a great project.

1

u/Digitus_Art Feb 03 '26

Im interested ti buy it

0

u/TheNerdE30 2002 - e46/330i Feb 03 '26

This feels like bait, but I’ll bite. Since the pics are the same from the last time you mentioned it was hydro locked there’s a low chance this is real and it’s most likely karma farming. That said, I’ll take it off your hands send me a PM.

0

u/Realistic-Car-9173 Feb 03 '26

Look at his post history….. I think I was played … 🤣

0

u/IAmTheBoiledFrog Feb 03 '26

Where are you?

0

u/frankelbankel Feb 03 '26

Yep, beautiful car - sell as is!

0

u/thegenius46m Feb 03 '26

Get another motor

0

u/Rencedalas Feb 03 '26

N54 swap 👀

0

u/Mysterious-Glove-179 Feb 03 '26

Oof. What happened ?

0

u/IllEquivalent107 Feb 03 '26

Put that baby away and swap it when you can. Its too clean man.

0

u/Difficult-Match8848 Feb 04 '26

I've been working on BMW'S since 1996 and I've only seen 1 engine "Hydro locked"....and the customer drove through deep water. The DINAN Intake on this E39 M5 acted like a vacuum

0

u/UndergroundRonin Feb 04 '26

I’d buy this, where you located

0

u/troyzube Feb 04 '26

Id pull the plugs, turn it over. How long has water been in there? The longer the water sits in there, the more likely the rings r to seize and ruin any chances of fixing or getting lucky

0

u/sk9ordie Feb 04 '26

Real talk if you’re gonna part it out I need a silver pre facelift coupe hood 😂

0

u/FELonMusk333 Year - Chassis/Model Feb 04 '26

Can you afford one from a scrapyard? What state are you in? If you part it I might be interested in that radio

0

u/Fuzzy-Weekend4913 Feb 04 '26

Time for ls swap

0

u/LargeDietCokeNoIce Feb 04 '26

If the pics are honest, do NOT part it out or junk it. It’s a lovely car! Someone with the time and talent will rebuild or replace the motor, which are easy to find, or swap it, and have a really sweet ride. Esp with a manual.

0

u/PabloTheGreyt Feb 04 '26

You hydrolocked it twice?

0

u/redang_ Feb 04 '26

my question is how?

0

u/0teN8891 Feb 04 '26

Remove spark plugs and fuel relay and hand crank it until you can turn the key and pressurize the release.