[COLVERT]

Originally Posted by kaiser

There is little to no chance the cylinder will fill fully with water.
I have it happen on a V8, where the electric fuel pump filled one piston with petrol. ( the ignition was on, with a stationary engine, and the valve did not close on the one SU).
I tried to start, but the starter motor could not turn the engine.
No damage occurred, and all was well after the fuel had been drained.
I would suspect the same would be the case with the 1.8.

My thinking was a volume fractionally larger than the space in the combustion chamber with the piston at top dead centre

This would give the piston time to gather speed before hitting something that can't be compressed.--.