# Steam cleaning carb, now won't start



## KingJacobo (Jul 6, 2011)

Was replacing the valve cover gaskets today and my friend was telling me I should try steam cleaning my engine since ithelped his '65 mustang run a little smoother. So we started her up, and my friend started pouring water straight down the carb and applying a little throttle to keep the car from stalling out. He was barely pulling the throttle, so it died. We couldn't get it to crank after around 5 solid minutes of trying, definitely flooded the engine. We pulled out the spark plugs to see if there was lots of gas (to show it was indeed flooded) and most of the plugs were doused in gas, but one of them had oil on it? After cleaning them we got it to start once for about 5 seconds, then the car died. Couldn't get it to start again, even after waiting a few hours to hopefully clear the engine of any gas/water still in the carb. 

I'm really nervous about if the car won't start tomorrow, anyone have any ideas/suggestions? I hope I didn't damage the carb/engine by pouring the water.


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

what a friend


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

A new take on steam cleaning.... Maybe spin the motor over w/o the plugs in it to clear out gas/water. May want to try new plugs too.

I blew a head gasket in a boat once, one cyclinder was sucking in water. Bent some push rods and the oil was milky from moisture.

Not sure how much water was "added". Check the oil for moisture. Change if needed. Carb should be fine..


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

1) Don't let your friend near your car anymore 2) remove plugs and crank engine to clear clyinders.3) remove and clean ALL the water out of the carb, then reinstall 4) Pray to your favorite diety that the engine didn't hydraulic lock and break a rod or piston 5) re-install FRESH plugs and try to start ......Carbs should be cleaned with CARB cleaner when on the car. I hope all works out! Good Luck!:willy:Eric


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

....my pocket watch didn't seem to run any better after I threw it in the wash, either.....sometimes hot water in the wrong places is a _bad_ thing.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

I am waiting to read this was a joke.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Gents, Some how I have a feeling it's no joke.......


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

I don't think it is either.

I was going to say, one of the more important steps is to smack his buddy beside the head for such stupidity......


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Eric Animal said:


> Gents, Some how I have a feeling it's no joke.......


I read that 3 times to make sure I was really reading it right.


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Really? Water makes engines run smoother? Really? In this day and age... With the intranets all handy and such. Google be your friend. Got's to be a joke. If not.... Well some people deserve what they get.


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## KingJacobo (Jul 6, 2011)

Not a joke, unfortunately. Tried to start today but no luck. I'm living on my colleges dorms so I don't even have the right size wrench to get the plugs off. I think i'm gonna have to wait for my friends to get back sunday, he's bringing a torch to clean off the spark plugs. I don't think that much water made it in, he was adding for probably 5 seconds before it cut off.

My friend is convinced the plugs just needs to be cleaned since they were fouled up, last time I ever do something like this that sounds sketchy. I feel like an idiot and am really nervous because I've never done anything with the drivetrain before, never even had the valve covers off until yesterday.


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## crustysack (Oct 5, 2008)

DO NOT LET THAT DIP$HIT touch your car ever again- water in the carb ARE YOU RETARDED, water does not burn nor can it be compressed, what it can do is DESTROY your engine- do not turn the motor over until all the plugs are out- squirt some marvel mystery oil down each plug hole and then turn it over, new oil and filter,new plugs. DO NOT let your friend run the torch he will probably try to clean the gas tank with it. Good luck
and if his car ran better after doing that I would have hate to have seen it before the steam clean


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## pontiac (Mar 6, 2011)

Actually, properly done, this does remove the carbon in the cylinders but the key word is properly. Can't be done at partial throttle. All 4 bbls must be open, which includes the secondaries.


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## 69Goatee (Aug 14, 2009)

Just buy a new set of plugs, I have never heard of cleaning plugs with a torch. You might want to check the oil, see if it looks like chocolate milk. Check the under the distributor cap for water. Tell your buddy that pouring sand down the carb is a cheap way to do a port and polish job, but only works on Furds though.


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## crustysack (Oct 5, 2008)

well after some quick googling- it does come up that you can clean carbon deposits this way-learn something new everyday---my apologies to the aformentioned retard , but still that is the LAST thing I would every dump in my carb- oh wait I dont have one. probably why they developed fuel injection-to conserve water :rofl: glad no one has found out that beer cleans better than soap :cheers


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I have done what pontiac has said. It works. ATF works better, IMO. (Lots of smoke!!)There is a technique, and it takes finesse. Not to be tried by nimrods, that's for sure.


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

I would/have used seafoam. And will again. Decarboning valve's is not done with a steam cleaner. Nor a water hose. Hydro locking an engine is way to freakin easy to do. Just because something can be done does not mean it should be done UNLESS full knowledge of who what why and oh crap boom new motor time. I agree on checking to see if there's water in the distrubutor. If the engine does still turn over one of two things. It did not get enough water to hydro lock it OR it did get enough to hydro lock it and something is now broke. As for the plugs being "gas" fouled now. highly unlikely but may be soaked from water along with everything else in there. Pull the plugs before you attempt to turn it over again. And buy some new plugs. Also stop taking advice from this one particular friend.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

x2 on the Seafoam. If for no other reason you'll have peace of mind you have no chance to hurt the motor..... Heck, you can even dump some in the oil to free up lifters, rings etc. I've been a firm believer in Seafoam for years....


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## XCELERATIONRULES (Oct 19, 2011)

Never use water in an engine compartment...the motor does work..not supposed to look pretty except on a trailer.
Poor some fuel into the carb vent to purge the water.
Pull plugs and crank motor with hei disconnected to remove internal mosture.
remove cap and make sure it's dry.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Taking a torch to clean the spark plugs ..... that was the give away this is a spoof.


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

seriously, just get a new set of plugs. it probably needed them anyway.


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## markdavid (Nov 29, 2009)

They actually(I think it was Holley) had water injection kits years ago.It was suppose to clean the cylinders by removing the carbon in the cylinders. I use to sell these when i worked the parts counter at Save Auto here in okc,even did so at Parr Auto as well. People will buy the durndest things. I would only hope he didn`t damage something internally . Maybe he finished off a worn out timing chain if everything else is ok since he did probably hydro-lock at least one of the cylinders.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I had an Edelbrock water injection kit on my '67 GTO back in the '80's. It was a finely tuned metered spray of water down the carb primaries and it was regulated by engine load. I had a severe pinging problem and it was supposed to help. It did, sort of. Water doesn't burn, but it does cool down the combustion chamber and it does keep the chamber clean. If your car is pinging due to high temps, it can help. If it's detonating due to pre-ignition caused by too much compression, not so much. I took it off when I swapped on some low compression cylinder heads. A co-worker of mine's dad was a fighter plane mechanic in WW2 in the Pacific Theater, and used to work on the Corsair fighters. They had water injection, and to adjust it, you had to set the brakes, and apply full throttle while turning a little screw. A 4000HP radial engine wide open on a metal landing strip with the wheels chocked. He said it was really scary....


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

I was wondering when someone was going to mention water injection systems on military aircraft...  Interesting stuff. There's a big difference though between a fine, precisely metered spray mist and just dumping liquid water into an engine 

Many of the big 'ol aircraft engines had mechanical superchargers on them too. The water mist also helped cool the compressed intake charge, doing the same job an intercooler does.

Maybe at some point after I "finish" (yeah right) the 69 I'll be able to "get current" and start flying again.

Bear


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## KingJacobo (Jul 6, 2011)

GTO JUDGE said:


> Taking a torch to clean the spark plugs ..... that was the give away this is a spoof.


Don't laugh..it actually cranked right up after the plugs were torched.

Thank GOD! arty: :cheers


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

BearGFR said:


> I was wondering when someone was going to mention water injection systems on military aircraft...  Interesting stuff. There's a big difference though between a fine, precisely metered spray mist and just dumping liquid water into an engine
> 
> Many of the big 'ol aircraft engines had mechanical superchargers on them too. The water mist also helped cool the compressed intake charge, doing the same job an intercooler does.
> 
> ...


dont forget the nitrous oxide. i think hitler was fond of that.


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## crustysack (Oct 5, 2008)

Glad your car was not ruined. Definitely change the oil and filter and buy some new plugs at the very least.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

Torching the spark plugs is actually an old school way of not only drying them out but burning the gas out of gasoline fouled plugs. Back in the day, I witnessed my dad, my uncle and my grandfather and great uncle do some things to car that I'm not sure I'd attempt.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Well, you lucked out. PLEASE don't try the water method anymore....go for a nice long highway drive....works wonders for cleaning out carbon!:cheers
REMEMBER: the little spark plug cleaners from years ago....you threaded in a plug to a box, hooked to the air hose at the shop.....pressed the buttton and the plug got blasted clean! Kinda a mini-blasting cabinet witg grit in it.....very cool! Eric


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

Eric Animal said:


> REMEMBER: the little spark plug cleaners from years ago....you threaded in a plug to a box, hooked to the air hose at the shop.....pressed the buttton and the plug got blasted clean! Kinda a mini-blasting cabinet witg grit in it.....very cool! Eric


Still have one on the corner of my workbench.......


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

HP11 said:


> Torching the spark plugs is actually an old school way of not only drying them out but burning the gas out of gasoline fouled plugs. Back in the day, I witnessed my dad, my uncle and my grandfather and great uncle do some things to car that I'm not sure I'd attempt.


I do it, mostly on 2 cycle stuff, like flooded snowmobiles.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Eric Animal said:


> REMEMBER: the little spark plug cleaners from years ago....you threaded in a plug to a box, hooked to the air hose at the shop.....pressed the buttton and the plug got blasted clean! Kinda a mini-blasting cabinet witg grit in it.....very cool! Eric


Remember having one in auto shop in high school. Worked very good. Made them almost like new again....


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

Rukee said:


> I do it, mostly on 2 cycle stuff, like flooded snowmobiles.


I was referring to other stuff I saw them do like flushing the cranckcase with kerosene, diesel fuel, or auto trans fluid before an oil change, using egg whites to stop a cooling system leak, etc.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

HP11 said:


> Still have one on the corner of my workbench.......


THAT"S THE ONE !!!!!!!:cheers


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## Josh.AZ.GTO (Jul 11, 2009)

Rukee said:


> I do it, mostly on 2 cycle stuff, like flooded snowmobiles.


I used to do this as well on snowmobiles, we had a Scorpion 440 that once you got started you didn't shut off till you were absolutely done riding. Was a pain in butt to get started. It was a cardio test of pulling. I had a CR125 that every now and then would get flooded. I used to always use a lighter to dry out the spark plug and burn off excess fuel in the cylinder. A little squirt of WD40, and it would start right up on the first kick (usually).


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