Cleaning the Combustion Camber Using Water?

[amazinghl]

Do I just take off the intake tube and spray water with the spray bottle or what?

[Saturn-Eh!]

I take the intake tube off of the throttle body, and pour the water (slowly) in front of the throttle plate. The airflow will "suck" the water into the engine. Make sure you rev the engine up to about 2000 rpm when you do this, and start with a small amount of water until the engine starts to bog a little...

This has a greater effect if done when the engine is hot.

If you want a good indication of what gets flushed out of the engine, look on the pavement under the tailpipe after five minutes of this.

I do mine every couple of months or so... No pinging, unless I lug it in 5th...

[Twin_Cam]

Interesting, never heard of this procedure. Cleans the cylinder you say? Gets rid of carbon, or just cleans the surfaces?

[Saturn-Eh!]

"steam cleans" the combustion chamber. The same thing happens with a blown head gakset, coolant/water will clean the cylinder out completely.

[Applefool]

Would misting with a spray bottle accomplish the same thing? Not sure how comfortable I would be pouring water into the throttle body. Definitely interested in this cleaning procedure though.

[tightsaturn96]

I once heard a story about a mechanic who did this regularly for people. His assistant thought that he would do it just like the mechanic did, only he poured too much water in. The results were not pretty I hear. Moral of the story is to be careful!

[ProDarwin]

Hmmm... interesting. I would also feel safer misting with a spray bottle.

[TIMSPEED]

Harry,
A product called "SeaFoam" has the same effect, only greater cleaning power, and it's safer than water. I'd try it, it helped my friend pass smog.
It's easy to use, you just pull the vacuum line from your brake booster and stick it in the can and then start the car. It'll either suck the bottle dry and keep running, or the car will stall. If it sucks the can dry and keeps running, turn it off and let it sit for about 45 minutes. (If the car stalls, start it up again, until it sucks out all the seafoam.) After the 45 minutes, start the car. (you may have to keep the car running with a little throttle.)
Warning: The car is gonna smoke like CRAZY!! This is the crud burning off, this is good. I just did to my cousin's car and I plan to do it to my SC2. You MIIIIGHT have to buy new spark plugs after using SeaFoam, because SOMETIMES it fouls them...But it's really good to use.

[haplo06]

Hello there, anyone know where to get sea foam in canada or it's equal.....I have never heard of it before.
thank's

[auxmike]

I wonder what effect this has on the two o2 sensors and the 2 cats in my car's emissions system.
All that junk has to pass by them on the way out.

[ProDarwin]

Originally posted by auxmike
I wonder what effect this has on the two o2 sensors and the 2 cats in my car's emissions system.
All that junk has to pass by them on the way out.

Hmmm... That is a good point. I just put a new cat on, don't want to clog it already.

[Applefool]

I would like to try this out, just need a real good idea about how much water exactly to use and at what rate should the engine consume that amount. I am not looking to destroy my engine at this time as the new one is not yet built.

[amazinghl]

Originally posted by Saturn-Eh!

If you want a good indication of what gets flushed out of the engine, look on the pavement under the tailpipe after five minutes of this.

I poured at least a qt of water in the engine. Tailpipe had NOTHING come out.

Also, is steam suppose to come out at the valve cover hole where it connects to the air intake tube?

[auxmike]

Perhaps you should drain your oil and see if the water ended up in the crankcase.Don't think you should see steam coming out the valve cover!
You are a brave soul,I give you credit for trying this,I hope it's done no harm to the internals though...

[amazinghl]

Thanks for your useful reply.

In case you don't know, the by-product of combustion is water.

[auxmike]

Originally posted by amazinghl

In case you don't know, the by-product of combustion is water.

Yes,from the tailpipe it's normal,but not usually from the valve cover vent tube!

[Applefool]

A quart eh? How did you trickle the water in, and how much at a time?

[Saturn-Eh!]

Perhaps some clarification...

When I do this, I will end up using between a quart and a gallon of water, depending on the degree of carbon deposits/pinging I suspect the engine has.

Remember - have the engine hot...

I will pour the water into the throttle body (remember... High idle!about 2000 rpm) at about the same rate one would pour cream into a cup of coffee... in a stream about 1/4" around... If done correctly, then engine will start to stumble, at which point I will open the throttle a little further. I try to reach a median with the engine stumbling slightly at about 2000 rpm. at this speed, after

a quart of water at this rate will have you pouring for about two minutes, a gallon closer to 5 or 6 minutes...

As long as the engine is running and not stumbling badly or stalling, you run no risk of hydraulically locking/damaging your engine.

The byproduct of this procedure is steam, and carbon... nothing that will harm a catalytic converter. If you start pouring solvents/cleaners into the engine, then the converter will have to deal with their byproducts, but unless you pour solvents/cleaners for a long long time, your converter is safe.

Steam from the valve cover tube is normal, and may be increased over normal (as AmazingHL pointed out, water vapour is a byproduct of the combustion of gasoline) depending on the ring wear in your engine. Unless you stalled the engine, or accidentally poured the water into the oil filler cap, water will not end up in your crankcase...

[robh456]

As far as clogging the O2 sensor or catalytic converter, unless the cleaner has some bizarre in-organic compounds like lead or something in it, there shouldn't be any permanent harm. If carbon does get on them, running the engine at a fast idle for a few minutes should clean off at least the O2 sensor, and probably the converter as well..

[Applefool]

I did this today with a spray bottle and didn't really notice much of any difference. I probably didn't use enough water. I used a full spray bottle, maybe 16 oz or so, and held the throttle open and just sprayed it in. it got slightly stumbly a couple times, but i just compensated a bit with the throttle. Not sure if it did any good. Didn't really notice anything making it out the tailpipe.