PDA

View Full Version : Decarbonizing combustion chamber and the ol' 'water injection' craze.



tri again
10-11-2011, 01:46 PM
The engine flush thread got me thinking.

I remember pulling heads off that had blown (water jacket)
head gaskets.
The affected cylinders were sparkling clean.
Around that time (oil crisis) in the what, late 70's?
Water injection was promoted to increase hp, keep engines clean and
increase compression.

They'd spray a mist into the intake when the vacuum hit a certain point.

Ya know how engines run soooo much smoother on a real foggy day?
Well that was the reasoning.
They were commercially available units and kinda interesting. You could actually feel them kick on.

Maybe I'll hang a sippycup near my intake somehow and report back.

El Camexican
10-11-2011, 04:09 PM
The engine flush thread got me thinking.

I remember pulling heads off that had blown (water jacket)
head gaskets.
The affected cylinders were sparkling clean.
Around that time (oil crisis) in the what, late 70's?
Water injection was promoted to increase hp, keep engines clean and
increase compression.

Ya know how engines run soooo much smoother on a real foggy day?
Well that was the thinking.

Maybe I'll hang a sippycup near my intake somehow and report back.

I've tricked a water hose into a few engines. The first time I did it (on that same olds I ran gas through) a lot of gray vapor came out, so I was immediatly convinced this was the way to remove carbon. I've done it on other engines since and all I've seen is water come out the pipe. I guess the only way to know for sure if it does anything is pull the head(s) take some photos, button it up, run water through it and open it up again. I've also built and used a Water4gas gizmo, but that's a whole different story.

PS. I would never attempt putting water a 2 stroke.

dougspcs
10-11-2011, 04:16 PM
There is also commercially available spray products to do this..

Solvent based cleaners that you spray into the intake or carb until the engine floods out..allow to sit a short time for the solvents to breakup the carbon buildup then restart the engine.

Sippy cup in front of the intake..that's funny!!

4cylinders
10-11-2011, 04:29 PM
hey, yes water works good for combustion chambers, but too much water can hydraulic the piston.

Thorpe
10-11-2011, 04:35 PM
Yamalube ring free fuel additive... So much easier... (and my trikes prefer beer to water!)

El Camexican
10-11-2011, 05:01 PM
Sippy cup in front of the intake..that's funny!! and a diaper under the pipe to catch the drippings!

dougspcs
10-12-2011, 08:19 AM
But then we aren't kids anymore and this isn't dad's old 3 on the tree '77 Ford pickup..you know flip the breather cover so it make that woosh sound when you hit the gas, high test fuel and tweek the timing ahead just til it pinged, maybe even an occasional flaming backfire out the carb!!

Bumpkin tactics like water in the intake are old..just like tipping the machine to change the oil. Times are different..there are better ways of doing things now!

DasUberKraut
10-12-2011, 10:50 AM
I spray Seafoam Deep Creep in the intake and occaisionally will pull the splug(s) and spray in there too.
Great stuff if you have an EGR equipped engine.