Thread: Removing carbon deposits with water???

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I have heard that introducing water(small amounts) to the intake will help remove carbon from the combustion chamber. Is this a safe practice?? I dont suspect heavy carbon, I just want to clean up the chambers and valves before a camshaft upgrade.

Just run the engine under heavy load for a while to burn the carbon off. Longer freeway drives work well to keep carbon at bay.

We sell a couple of products at work (our Marina) that our techs use alot of to do just that. One goes under the common name of "powertune", and you remove the aircleaner, bring the rpms up a little, and keep injecting this spray into the carb throat. The engine will want to die, but you keep playing with the throttle to keep it running. You pretty much inject the whole can into the engine, and just before the can runs out you shut it off and let this stuff soak in there overnight or so. When you start it the next time all this crap will blow out of the tailpipe (carbon) like you have never seen. Various marine manufacturers sell their own brand of the same product, (Mercury has one, OMC another, etc.)

The other product is Yamaha "Ring Free"> You put this into your gas tank and run it continually to keep deposits down. There are different doses to either just keep the system clean, or in higher concentrations to "shock" treat the system. Our techs swear by both, and I run ringfree in my Jeep truck because it is on it's last legs and I can feel the difference in power from running it.

I even used the power tune in my riding lawnmower and it made a much better running engine out of it after the treatment.


Don

Plain water will do what you want it to,but it wiil plug converters and raise hell with oxygen sensors which would explain why it's not a common practice anymore. Hank

"Top Engine" works good also. GM sales it. use it the same way itolduouso said.

A good hard run on an open road works best for blowing the crud out. It also blows the crud out of the old brain cells! Win-win! (As long as the Dudleys don't get ya!)

Thanks for the info guys,

This is a great forum! I dont run any emissions equipment. Tennessee doesnt require them(yet) . Being a daily driver, I give the engine a good workout weekly . I run 93 octane and was under the impression that higher octane fuels have a tendacy to build carbon. I do have a high voltage coil and hot plugs, so I think I am keeping most of it at bay. I am still kind of reserved about the water induction. I will look for the products mentioned.

Going for a cam change with new springs, seals, chain, retainers, pushrods and such, and wanted to provide the best flow opportunity without removing the heads.

1986 S-10
GM 5.7 Crate
9.1:1
212/222 duration @.50 435/465 lift
GM aluminum intake (Z28 style)
Eddy 1406 (600CFM)
Headman shortys
Flowmaster
THM-350
2000 stall
3.42 gear

upgrading to Comp Xtreme Energy 268XE:

Intake Duration at 050 : 224
Exhaust Duration at 050 : 230
Advertised Intake Duration: 268
Advertised Exhaust Duration: 280
Intake Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.477
Exhaust Valve Lift with Factory Rocker Arm Ratio: 0.480
Lobe Separation (degrees): 110

My grandfather showed how to use water to clean deposits in engines, it turns to steam and steam cleans the inside of your engine. The only thing you have to remember is water, when turned to steam, expands 1600 to 1 so you only want to use a couple of small drop at a time.


Jimi G.

Originally Posted by Jimi G

My grandfather showed how to use water to clean deposits in engines, it turns to steam and steam cleans the inside of your engine. The only thing you have to remember is water, when turned to steam, expands 1600 to 1 so you only want to use a couple of small drop at a time.


Jimi G.

Thanks Jimi G.,

Welcome to Club Hot Rod!

No problem, it's an old school way to do it, but it's effective and neat to know.

Jimi G.

If you have a vacuum advance line you can use it to put the water in slowly. Just put the water in a old clean coffee can and let the vacuum suck it out. Carlg

streeter, be real careful with your cam selection because at 9.1:1, I suspect the cam that's in the motor now is pretty close to optimum. With a longer cam, you may find that you've spent a lot of money to slow down due to a much lower dynamic compression ratio.
http://www.kennedysdynotune.com/Dyna...ion%20Tech.htm

Originally Posted by techinspector1

streeter, be real careful with your cam selection because at 9.1:1, I suspect the cam that's in the motor now is pretty close to optimum. With a longer cam, you may find that you've spent a lot of money to slow down due to a much lower dynamic compression ratio.
http://www.kennedysdynotune.com/Dyna...ion%20Tech.htm

Thanks for the reality check Techinspector,

I chose this particular cam with influence from ryans small block combo page: http://ryanscarpage.50megs.com/combos1.html

I decided on the cam in Combo 2 because the application best fit my needs and wants. Although there was a note that the torque may be decreased, I interpreted it as minimal which I was willing to accept for the upper rpm power increase . The engine at time of manufacture was rated 300hp/369ftlbs. It has not had any internal changes since installlation.

The compression ratio for combo 2 is 9.5:1. Could I effectively increase the ratio here by installing a thinner head gasket? The compressed thickness of the stock gasket is supposed to be .35. Could I go thinner and not risk piston to valve clearance issues??


I did some research before choosing this setup. I referenced Comps website that recommended this cam as the largest cam for stock convertors(2000 stall recommended), with no reference to compression ratio. The tech line at Comp said there should be no clearance issues with this cam.

With the kit already laying on the workbench, the anxiety is tremendous . But I guess I need to step away and back up and scratch my head once more .

Would any other specific information about the engine give any of you guys more to work with?? It you need something more let me know and I'll try my darndest to provide it.

Also, while I'm thinking about it, Comp recommends degreeing the cam to 106 intake centerline. They say that it is not imperative, and alot of times the general installation proceedure turns out to be 106 centerline, it is best to know for sure. The point I am getting at is seems like alot of time and measuring just to end up not having to retard or advance the cam?? Not to mention the degree wheel and dial indicator.


OK, is anyone confused yet, if so, come on aboard, the water's fine!

"Could I go thinner and not risk piston to valve clearance issues??"

Depends on the deck height. (piston crown to deck measurement)
Only way to know for sure is to clay the pistons and run the motor through a couple of hand turns with solid lifters and checking springs.

"Not to mention the degree wheel and dial indicator."

Hey, you're either willing to shell out the drachmas for equipment or you're not. The alternatives are to spend even more money by having someone do it for you or leave the motor alone and sell the cam kit on ebay.

Here's what I would do. Purchase a dial indicator, degree wheel, six inch dial caliper and go to a local machine shop and have them make me a steel rod the same diameter as a lifter, but about 8" long. Use this in place of a lifter to do your checking. Being this long, it sticks up far enough to make setting up your dial indicator off the deck easy and if you set up the block so that the rod is vertical, it will follow the cam lobe very nicely, being that it is made of heavy steel. Make sure the shop finishes off the ends nicely.

Purchase 2 solid lifters, a pair of checking springs and some oil-based modeling clay to do the valve to piston check. If you don't know how to do this, just say so and I'll elaborate.

Ok, Tech,


I think I have all the information for the clearance checks and degreeing that came with the kit. Using the clay and then measuring the thinnest part (min. .100 on the intake and .125 on exhaust with steel rods).
The instructions say to measure from the retainer with the indicator plunger parallel to the valve stem when degreeing a camshaft. Would you approve this method?