My 89 350 TPI with 62k miles blew a head gasket and water filled up #7 cylinder after I parked it. When I tried to start it later the water stopped the engine. I didn't know what was going on so I kept trying and it eventually started. When I saw the white smoke I shut her down immediately. After taking off the heads, I found water in #7 and some odd looking horizontal scratches about 1" from the top of the cylinder that might be hairline cracks.

Can starting with a water locked cylinder cause the block to crack?

 

I don't think you could devlop enough pressure to crack a block with a hydro-locked cylinder??, I have heard of bending rods though.

Were the lines up and down? Could be scratches?

 

i wouldn't think so either..

are you 'positive' that your headgasket blew? possibly you cracked the block and mistook it for a headgasket?

are the horizontal lines perfectly straight or crooked?



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Two engine rebuilders just told me it is possible to crack the cylinder and bend the crank or rod when a cylinder goes hydraulic. The cracks in my cylinders are irregular, not a straight line. I am going to try some over the counter dye penetrant crack tester.

 

It is definitely enough to damage a motor. A guy I know has a Quad-4 Grand Am, and he drove it through a puddle about 6 inches deep. He swears he wasn't going too fast, but it was enough to fill a cylinder with water and send a con rod right through the side of the block!

 

Yea it can crack the block although thats the least likely part to get damaged. Usually the crack is either from a flaw in the block or cold water getting into a hot engine.