Just did water decarbonization on Mazda 3

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: sunfire
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Is this method even a good idea ?

Seems like you are asking for trouble with water decarbonization


Specifically what trouble do you think water decarbonization will do? I suppose the Seafoam and Power Foam users are asking for trouble too?

Hydrolock, really.

When I did a powerfoam on my saturn yesterday (more on that later), the engine did not start on the first try, but did on the second attempt. If I had been using water, the results would've been disastrous as water doesn't ignite nor does it compress.

 

[Vizzy]

I agree that you have to be VERY careful when considering the use of water to clean the combustion chamber especially on modern cars!

If y ou have to try this make sure you use a misting sprayer to absolutely minimize any chanse of hyrdrolocking your engine!

Also make sure you use very hot water, the use of cold water could crack metal parts!!!!!

While it is a bit more costly I would definitely recommend any PEA based bottle cleaner with a percentage content of 35% or more per bottle. The PEA is actually more effective at decarbonization, will also clean your fuel injectors and is completely safe when used as directed.

 

[sunfire]

Originally Posted By: Vizzy
I agree that you have to be VERY careful when considering the use of water to clean the combustion chamber especially on modern cars!

If y ou have to try this make sure you use a misting sprayer to absolutely minimize any chanse of hyrdrolocking your engine!


Today I extended the PCV hose so I could dunk it in a pot of hot water. Which turned out to be a bad idea. I got about half gallon of water down before it stalled my engine and took a few starts and a lot of gas to get her running normally again. Finally saw some white smoke and some water that blew out the tail pipe. It appears some of the water made it into the oil as well. Oil was a bit higher above full on the dip stick and looked a bit watered down. Oil seems like it wanted to separate from the metal tip of the dip stick. I sampled the oil before I did the water injection. The oil looked was definitely darker after the water treatment. But the car immediately felt more responsive as I was leaving my street.

I'm going back to using the handheld steamer next time. Because it just too easy to foul things up. Now I have some highway driving to do to hopefully burn off the water in the oil.

I'm also curious what my proselect filter is going to look like when I cut it open.

 

[Craig in Canada]

"Dunk"? That would be the problem. You want to "slurp" and "sip" when ingesting the water. You certainly don't want to "dunk".

You ingested WAY too much water too quickly, and should count yourself lucky if you didn't hydrolock and bend a rod.

Water decarbon is an old technique, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be done with caution.

 

[sunfire]

I used a clear plastic hose so I could see how much water was flowing. The other end of the hose was submerged in the hot water while I pinched the hose almost fully closed. I was definitely in control of the flow. I could see water droplets being sucked up hose. But I guess its still too much water.

I can only conclude that the handheld steamer injecting water vapor is the safer method.

 

[Vikas]

Any suggestion on where to purchase handheld steamer?

By the way, any liquid injection has the possibility of hydro locking the engine including petroleum products such as Seafoam. Liquid does NOT like to be compressed

- Vikas

 

[sunfire]

I got a Conair at biglots for 25 clams a while back. But any super stores like Wallys or Target should carry them.

http://www.google.com/products?q=handhel...sa=N&tab=if

 

[Ken2]

The impact of water droplets before they flash to steam can be a powerful cleaning force. On a big diesel engine we use water injection to clean the exhaust turbocharger blades, and water plus chemical to clean the intake air blades. The exhaust blades are cleaned daily and the intake blades cleaned monthly.

I'd use room temperature distilled water administered very sparingly.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: sunfire
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Is this method even a good idea ?

Seems like you are asking for trouble with water decarbonization


Specifically what trouble do you think water decarbonization will do? I suppose the Seafoam and Power Foam users are asking for trouble too?

Hydrolock, really.

When I did a powerfoam on my saturn yesterday (more on that later), the engine did not start on the first try, but did on the second attempt. If I had been using water, the results would've been disastrous as water doesn't ignite nor does it compress.


I assume you mean you were doing a piston soak on your Saturn, as I have done on my dearly departed SL2. But this is a different premise. Yes, hydrolock is nothing to be truffled with, but with precautions such as a red hot engine, using copiously limited amounts of water, I'm pretty sure it's at least as beneficial as a "piston soak." And a piston soak is performed internally on a cold engine while H2O decarbonization involves water is being jutted into a hot, running one...

No one in their right mind would ever dump water into their cylinders with the plugs out.

Regards,

 

[Nickdfresh]

I just did it on my 98' Mercury Mystique 2.5L DOHC using a spray bottle of water and kerosene. I'm usually pretty skeptical about stuff like this. But boy! I'll swear up and down that my car runs slightly better and my fuel economy may have noticeably bumped.

Keep in mind, my car was running rich with a bad oxygen sensor when I got it, so I may have more room for improvement here than most. And I've done just about every other conceivable tune up on this thing with only a marginal payoff in fuel economy and reconditioning. But this really seems to have made a big difference...

 

[Nickdfresh]

Incidentally, I used a mix (well, they don't really mix) of kerosene and H2O for this...

 

[pzev]

Would steam from a garment steamer fed though the throttle body be effective?
I have an insanely powerful steamer, and could sit the nozzle in front of the throttle body pretty easily. This would be downstream of the filter and MAF of course.

An alternative would be to use a downward aiming jar over the steamer head to collect the steam, then a vacuum line feeding from the top of the jar to the most centrally located source in the manifold.
I am not sure which one would be more effective and safer.

I am not too comfortable sucking hot water through a hose, so the possibility of using a steamer is more appealing.

 

[ahoier]

The steamer sounds like a good, safe method; but would probably recommend distilled water in your steamer unit; for both the sake of your steamer, as well as your engine. While local water filters (city/county filtration) and after-market filters (Culligan, Pur, etc...) claim to "filter" water, they could still leave behind chlorine, and other stuff that probably wouldn't be good for your steamer or the engine

Personally, I did just fine with a warmed up vehicle, and a can of Seafoam through the brake booster line; slowly

 

[nicholas]

I just did this on my mazda3 - in the past I have done this water "trick" to other cars, but thanks to the OP for the FYI -

Better pick up and go and hopefully better fuel economy - The shocker is that I use fuel treatments -redline- very often - but hot water beats them all..... thanks again

I siphoned up 3/4 of a quart in about 2 mins through the brake booster line behind the throttle body -
I will do this every 3-4 months - great old timer trick that still has merit .

 

[JamesBond]

I have 2 questions about this process. 1. How do you run a 3/8 in. hose from under the hood into the passenger compartment? 2. Do you really drive around with your brake booster hose disconnected?
I live in a metro area and would not feel right driving around with the hood popped and no power brakes. Any tips?

 

[5150ds]

Would there be any added benefit to using a fuel system cleaner like Redline or Techron?

 

[nicholas]

I used a 5/8 hose - and do not drive around the the BB hose disconnected...... I get the engine to full temp, pop the hood connect the lines, sit in the drivers seat , and rev the throttle and slowly ingest the hot water........
I would not do this process with the engine under load, just idling.

Great and cheap - 10feet of 5/8 clear hose, to watch and monitor flow, was $2, and lexican bottle with measurements on the side, so I can monitor how fast the flow is going -
Important - Do not dunk the hose into the bottle - let it hover a bit above the water line, you will see the water misting through the hose, and when the flow reduces put the hose a little further into the bottle.

It is cheap and really works, personally all this talk about misters and steamers is not necessary at all, just good old hot tap water, not scalding but nice and hot -

My next attempt I might add some rubbing alcohol to the water mixture.
As I under stand this WW2 planes and 1/4 mile dragsters used a water injection process similar this to keep cylinder temps down and avoid detonation.

Cheers - have fun.
Oh and my fuel economy so far is up almost 10% in my city driving.

 

[nicholas]

I am not sure about adding Redline or any other cleaner - I dont think those are designed to be injected into the combustion chamber at such a high concentration rate, -

just try hot water - it works great.

 

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: ahoier
The steamer sounds like a good, safe method; but would probably recommend distilled water in your steamer unit; for both the sake of your steamer, as well as your engine. While local water filters (city/county filtration) and after-market filters (Culligan, Pur, etc...) claim to "filter" water, they could still leave behind chlorine, and other stuff that probably wouldn't be good for your steamer or the engine

Personally, I did just fine with a warmed up vehicle, and a can of Seafoam through the brake booster line; slowly

Your engine will not care if the steam is created from distilled water or from tap water. The impurities in water do not appear in the steam. That is the entire principle behind the distilled water!

- Vikas

 

[countryboy9799]

I did this on my buick century a few months ago, didnt notice any improvement but maybe nothing was wrong to begin with. I used a 1 gallon sprayer and that made it real easy.

I did end up taking out the first oxygen sensor and mileage went from 26 to 20 mpg with the check engine light on for 2 tanks. I then replaced the sensor and mileage was back up to 26 again.

Anyone else wreck the oxy sensor out while doing this?