Steam Clean Inside of Engine?

NocalFJ60 · 09-13-04, 10:18 AM

I was talking to a friend today about cleaning my engine out with sea foam to pass smog. I used the sea foam and you would not believe how much it smoked.

He was telling me a good thing to do is with the engine running to pour in just alittle water (few drops?) straight in the carb (I would try the inner hole in the carb). While doing this adjust the choke on the carb to keep the rpm's up. He said the water will create steam and shoot/sputter out all kinds of junk out the pipe. The steam will clean out all kinds of foreign debris.

Has anyone done this before? Am I crazy and everyone does this already?

Thought?

Thanks

fsusteve · 09-13-04, 10:26 AM

Sounds a little ify to me, too much and you could hydrolock the motor. I have heard of a mixture made up of ATF and I think diesel fuel, that's suppose to work.

Dan_J-spec_fj62 · 09-13-04, 10:29 AM

that one of those "hey billybob hold my beer while I cleen my engine" methods..... i knew a bunch of demo-derby drivers who would do that to their beasts b4 the start... they claimed it cleaned the engine and gave them more power..... ive seen highschool friends do it to their farm trucks too....

cant say i've ever tried it... give it a shot a little probably wont hurt ... just don't hydolock your engine...... water dosn't compress = bent connecting rods and lots of down time ....

dan

trucruiser · 09-13-04, 11:10 AM

Yeah,
My grandpa used to do this sometimes, i think i seen him use tranny fluid also, i was young , but i do remember all of the smoke that used to come out when he used to do it.

Jman · 09-13-04, 11:38 AM

I've heard of this method quite a few times, from old hot rodders--never did it myself/never saw it done.

NocalFJ60 · 09-13-04, 11:56 AM

The guy that told me is a hot rodder.

69vortec · 09-13-04, 12:34 PM

Not much different then the water injection systems. I had a water injection system on my Honda civic with a supercharger with no problems. I used a 50/50 mix of water and isopropyl alcohol. When I removed the head (to port and polish) the combustion chamber was spotless.

jim45r · 09-13-04, 01:17 PM

I've seen that with blown head gaskets, too, one spotless combustion chamber in the middle of the line of dirty ones. I discovered that my original F had a cracked block after I got it started (after a 12 year sleep) and after a 20 minute run, found that the oil looked like a chocolate milkshake. When I tore it down to scavenge parts, the inside of the motor looked factory fresh! I'm not sure whether I'd recommend pouring a quart of water into the crankcase to clean an engine, but it would be an interesting thing to do before a rebuild - as long as you were going to put bearings in it . . . .

jwest · 09-13-04, 01:33 PM

My guess is that the old timers found out about this when they pulled their heads to change blown head gaskets. The cylinders where coolant/water had leaked into were clean compared those that were well sealed.

Point is it works if done properly. BUT be aware that you're also dealing with aluminum in the carburetor and aluminum has it's own way of rusting. It hazes and pits, so if you do it, chase it with carb cleaner.

Years ago I bought an edelbrock water injection system. It would work great for something like an RV to cool cumbustion, but not for anything used off road. Too many inclines.

Personally, I'd stay with a sea foam type product.

.

largenfirm · 09-13-04, 03:29 PM

I've done this for many years to clean carbon off valves, spark plugs, and pistons.

I use a pint each of brake fluid and water, mixed 50/50.

Get the engine warmed up, run up to about 1500-2000 rpm, and pour the mixture into the carb as fast as the engine will take it without stumbling - if it stumbles, back off on the pour rate.

Helps to have someone on the throttle.

Produces great clouds of gray smoke. Generally one or two applications is sufficient. I did this on the 82 FJ40 I picked up in Montana. Makes a world of difference on carboned-up engines, and I've never had a problem in 30+ years of doing this, probably on 100 different cars.

Definitely a shade-tree mechanic technique, but it does work, and leaves everything as polished as a hound's tooth!

Good way to find exhaust leaks, too.

Kirk

CruisinGA · 09-13-04, 04:23 PM

My grandfather explained this technique to me, he said an old veteran mechanic told him about it 30 years ago when he had a carboned up motor in a woody station wagon. -Only he used straight brake fluid.

I know theres plently of carbon in my F, I think I may give this a shot. Sounds like fun.

Ponce · 09-13-04, 04:42 PM

My machinest told me about this. My 283 developed a funny sounding knock after trying to tune in a carb that was running really rich. I pulled the oil pan to look at the guts thinking that I may have wiped a lobe or something. I poured just straight water out of a 12oz drinking cup filled with water. Pour a stream no thicker than a pencil. I smoked for a while and I had to keep the rpms up. It cleared up the knock too. He also mentioned somthing about rebuilding a motor that had blown head gasket. When the water gets in there it polishes them right up.

PHBeerman · 09-13-04, 05:56 PM

I have been told to do this very thing with Marvel Mystery Oil.. I don't know if it will work or not.

red66toy · 09-13-04, 06:48 PM

This sounds like it cleans up the motor pretty good but how does it effect the longevity of the motor?

Velocity2 · 09-13-04, 07:48 PM

i have asked some factory techs and it has worked so i have been told by them and they use this to clean engines. they did this on a old caddy before injkectors. it made the car run much clearer. he told me the cold water will isntantly boil and vaporize on the parts and when it evaporates pulls junk (carbon and oily stuff) out the exhaust!

largenfirm · 09-13-04, 07:48 PM

That's a very good question. I've been doing this for 30+ years, and only ever had one engine do anything unexpected afterwards, and that was a Chevy straight six that threw a rod, and sawed the block in half, six months later...

Can't see how there would be a connection.

Kirk

PabloCruise · 09-13-04, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69vortec

Not much different then the water injection systems. I had a water injection system on my Honda civic with a supercharger with no problems. I used a 50/50 mix of water and isopropyl alcohol. When I removed the head (to port and polish) the combustion chamber was spotless.

Exactly!
Water injection ran a cloud of fine mist in intake, vs pouring.
Does your old lady have a plant mister attachment for the hose you can borrow?

I also used to mix a quart of ATF in a tank of gas to keep me from vapor locking in New Mexico, before I restored my carb fan to service. That should also clean out your carb. My mechanic passed that on to me, said it was an old trucker trick...

69 Vortec, that Honda sounds like a bad little scooter! PM me the details. I have a Civic... Wondering about supercharging.

red66toy · 09-13-04, 08:50 PM

Just curious, but how much grey smoke comes out? Is it mostly steam? I am guessing that all this grey smoke can't be good for the air.

Quote:

Originally Posted by largenfirm

Produces great clouds of gray smoke. Generally one or two applications is sufficient. I did this on the 82 FJ40 I picked up in Montana. Makes a world of difference on carboned-up engines, and I've never had a problem in 30+ years of doing this, probably on 100 different cars.

Kirk

offcamber40 · 09-13-04, 09:19 PM

I can see it now.. Everyone pouring water down the carb tommorrow! LOL

Texican · 09-13-04, 09:27 PM

When the sm blk Chevy was introduced in 1955, they had the rings or the block too hard and the rings were not seating, there is a factory TSB telling the techs to mix Brasso and water and run this mixture thru the carb.....strange but true.
Butch