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From: prins@cornell.UUCP (Jan Prins)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: Internal "steam clean"
Message-ID: <1400@cornell.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 5-Dec-85 12:54:48 EST
Article-I.D.: cornell.1400
Posted: Thu Dec  5 12:54:48 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Dec-85 03:29:56 EST
References: <1@vaxine.UUCP> <738@ihu1g.UUCP>
Reply-To: prins@cornell.UUCP (Jan Prins)
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept.
Lines: 30

>> INTERNAL STEAM CLEAN: get a pint or a quart of water in a pourable container.
>> Take the air cleaner cover off and get a good grip on the throttle.  The car
>> must be hot.  Rev the car up to 3 grand or so, and pour water down the barrel
>> of the carb, fast enough to slow the engine down, but not enough to stall
>> it out.  Use the throttle freely to keep it going.  If the car stalls and
>> floods, open the throttle and wait a few.  Sounds wild, but I have cured
>> (temporarily, at least) a few pingers this way.

>Has anyone else tried this???  I have never heard of doing this before

I would be extremely careful about pouring liquids down carburetor throats.
Any liquid (not yet vaporized) that gets into the cylinder will raise the
pressure above normal during the compression stroke (because liquid is not
compressible).  If enough water or whatever gets in, there will be hydrostatic
lock.  At 3000 r.p.m. that's certain to break the connecting rod.

It is fairly common practice to prepare an engine for storage by pouring
oil through the carburetor while the engine is running.  Oil is far more 
viscous than water and hence can't flow into the combustion chamber at a 
great rate.  But even this procedure must be undertaken carefully.  I would 
think the potential for an accident with water is greater.

B.T.W. I can't really figure out why the steam would dislodge the carbon
buildup: chemically the carbon is very inert.  What is the mechanism?
Mechanical shock?

jan prins   prins@gvax.cs.cornell.edu  (ARPA)
            prins@cornell.csnet
            {vax135, ihnp4, decvax}!cornell!prins