Using water to clean the combustion chambers

[Webslinger60]

What do you guys think of running water through the engine to clean the combustion chambers? Lets say you suspect a sticky valve, due to sludge on the top side & not closing 100%.

I’ve gotten a few different opinions.
One mech used to actually pour water into the carb at fast idle, with no problems. Then again my dad saw a guy blow an engine using just an eye dropper. The safest way I was told was to use a spray-bottle on “wide/mist”, and no more than a quart.

Then again, wouldn’t water just clean the underside/combustion-side of the valve and NOT the top where the sludge is?

I was also told to used GM’s “Top engine cleaner" "Seafoam" or other things. Im not crazy about solvents. A little sludge on hi-mile rings is not a bad thing. If you dis-lodge it, the cylinder may start to smoke.

[burnM]

I've seen people use everything from water to tranny fluid. Just put some water in a pop bottle, and use a vacuum line from the carb. Stick a tee fitting on it so you have an extra line to work with. Put the carb at fast idle. Take that vacuum line, put it in the bottle and pinch the line. Release the line a little bit. When you hear the engine bog, pinch the line again. Continue until you've used up about 1/3 of the bottle. Just make sure you have good neighbours before you do this. The smoke will be quite thick. I've never blown an engine this way and never heard of anyone else doing it either.

I've used that trick to clean carburator throats as well...however you should change your plugs afterward. That crap has to end up somewhere, usually sticks to the plugs.
If you feel uncomfortable doing this, take your car to a shop to get the 'engine vac' service. It takes about 30 min. to an hour. It is claimed to clean carbon and sludge from the entire engine.
2 cents

[bduff509]

Sounds like a good idea. I'll have to try that. Same with TBI ? Anybody remember the stuff Gummout used to sell back in the '70s? I believe it was a complete fuel system cleaner that was fed directly into the fuel line into the carb. My cars always billowed white smoke when I used it. Worked great though. I think they took it off the market when cats got too common.

[Webslinger60]

I’ve been told water is the most dangerous, because of the sudden compression change and Im better off with a petroleum based solvent. I’ve been told to try:

8oz of brake fluid or ATF
10oz of diesel,
12oz of Marvel oil
Whole can of GM Top Engine cleaner
PB Blaster aerosol (something like liquid wrench or rust buster) through a vaccum line.
Or something else called “Seafoam”

Any opinions?

[70z]

Water injection has been used succesfully for years to help guard against denotation. I plan to run a water/alcohol injection system on my blown BBC. Set up to run during boost only. Get a more complete burn, Cleans, and Cools.

www.dawesdevices.com/water.html

This site explains it. This is not the system I am going to use, however it does explain the principles behind it.