Steam Cleaning Engine via UIM
 

I would like to clean the carbon build up in my engine and would like to know if this procedure is right. Take a gallon jug of distilled water, connect a vacuum line from the extra nipple on the UIM to the jug. Now do I have to keep this line pinched a bit or can I just let the engine vacuum take the water freely while I rev the engine to about 4k to keep it from stalling. Another other advice would be greatly appreciated.

Which are this two nipples as mentioned in Rotary Resurection. Can someone post a pic. "Some engines (fd’s and s5 na’s for example) have 2 separate nipples that can be teed together externally (vacuum hose and tee) to evenly feed both rotors."

just do one gallon per rotor. one rotor at a time.

I did this an had a 5psi jump in my compression. still holding strong.

I believe these are the 2 nipples on the side of the UIM before it connects to the LIM. One is used as a boost source for your gauge.

id go outside and take a pic, but its like -30 here. BURR.

yea, did that stay? like the jump in compression? or did it taper off and go back to the previous compression #'s?

nope, it's still the same. hasn't dropped yet.

wow that's impressive. How many KM on your build?

so I tee the two nipples on the UIM? There's no problem running the car without the blowoff valve connected and revving up to 4k.

no problem

rev the shit out of the car, having a buddy there to help you is always nice too

or you can rev it VIA the throttle body like i did. wear gloves though.

I'd recommend revving the motor to about 3000-3500 rpm.

You might also keep an eye on your downpipe and make sure it's not getting anything too hot.

Why would it? just curious.

Water into the combustion chamber should cool down the EGT's. And its not that long of a process either.

-----> https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...threadid=42318

I just wanted to know how often you guys "steam clean" your motors. I plan on doing that this weekend and I just wanted to know the mileage intervals on cleaning it.

Great Info

Thanks!

interesting thread... in to keep an eye on it

I use Seafoam http://www.seafoamsales.com/motorTuneUpConsumer.htm then follow it up with water. I do it around once a year.

Dan

Now that I think about it my motor is about due for some steam cleaning.

Years ago when I was part-owner of Gotham we had a customer deployed to Iraq and we were storing his FD. All the months of starting his car to move it outside and shut it down caused a side seal to stick (90k original motor) and the steam cleaning caused the problem to clear up :)

Hey Boosted94:

When you´ll do it,

why don´t you take some pictures and make a video.

Then you could make a little easy to understand how-to for everyone!

REgards
Marc

Excellent, a new flight of maintenance to perform. I was getting bored.

you too, knock on wood :)

i have done this for years on my own and customers cars but only recently did i relize that your shaving some life off your housings by washing down the oil coating and metal on metal is in more contact. anless you run premix i probably would not recommend. i steamed a block before a rebuild and eveything was bone dry no oil or anything when i tore it down so just keep it in mind:)

Would you then suggest running a premix, drive around for miles, then steamclean?

or run a premix after?

Thanks!

Before and after winter, i do the same thing.


as an aside:
I've seen "plans" for a semi-permanent device that would do something similar to this. A small hard plastic container (the plans recommended a bottle from photo-chemicals) some vacuum line, a valve, and an aquarium bubble stone. Air is sucked through the tubing through the bubble stone (which is submerged in the water in the container) and then through another vacuum line (with the valve on it) in to the engine. None of the containers i could easily lay hands on would hold up to the vacuum.

I just "Steam Cleaned" mine today... used one gallon of distilled water through the two UIM nipples that's T'd off using a vaccum hose. It didn't take but 5-7 mins to go through the whole gallon

I didn't notice anything really significant other than it revs a lot more smoother through the powerband and revs a little quicker.... It also idles a tad smoother as well.... I also added a can of Seafoam (gas tank) afterwards and drove it around... Although I think I should've added the Seafoam first...

Did a gallon for each rotor today. Did not notice any improvement. Couldnt hurt I guess. G

Why would they have vacuum on them? Wouldn't they have to be vented to allow the water to be drawn into the engine?

Dave

ill second that

They have to hold vacuum because the air stone is supposed to bubble the water with air drawn in through the tube from ambient air. This allegedly produces water vapor that is then drawn in to the engine. Look here for "plans" and write up.

I was trying to gather some information about steam cleaning, and I dug up that old topic

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ht=steam+clean

As I can see it's dated 2004... What this guy says is pretty scary, I was wondering has this been proven wrong up until now?

In regards to this guys post - if it is even possible, the amount of water you would have to dump into the intake tract to "hydrolock" the motor would be huge and impossible to achieve by mimicking the methods as described in this thread. Also, he mentions using a windex type bottle to spray water into the intake tract so it can vaporize -- this would not work period, you would be better off driving around in Texas during summer on a humid day than to use a windex bottle -- you need to use enough water that it can turn to steam inside the combustion chamber versus turning to steam as it is entering the combustion chamber.

In regards to his argument that the remaining carbon deposits left behind will act as a form of sand paper and cause premature wear and grooves in the sidewalls -- I can not deny or support this with any personal evidence but IMO, this seems like a bogus assumption.

I did the steam cleaning procedure on my engine a while back and it increased the compression on the front and rear rotors by at least 10 psi - so from a personal experience stand point, it worked wonders for me.

If I already have water meth injection on my car should I still do a steam clean at clost to 10K miles? Thanks!

No. There's probably no need.

Well I did it today and bloody hell.... I must've gained almost 12 in the rear and 15 in the front... didn't turn the car off for 3 min after.. killed it.. and then started it up and let her idle for about 10 min and turned it off. Going to do an oil chance if I get a chance by wed, then i'll take it out and see if I can notice the difference.... But it already rev's a whole lot smoother..

Also I didn't seem to see anything Glowing Red hot... But I couldn't believe how much compression I picked up... I had to do each housing twice because I was so shocked...

Yea remember to change your oil some time soon after you do the steam cleaning method. The reason I say this is because when I did this some time ago I changed my oil and there was some water in my oil which I noticed when I drained it to a container. As for me I really don’t like water in my oil. Has any one else noticed water in your oil when you changed it after doing this?

Ok I see Azcamel posted about water in his oil also in this thread. https://www.rx7club.com/general-rotary-tech-support-11/water-instead-atf-decarboning-42318/page4/

Yea I'll most likely be doing it tomorrow. I'll start it today just to make sure all the waters out again...but won't drive it till I get a full oil change...

I just changed my oil yesterday... ill wait till its around time again before I try this steam cleaning. I am about to park the 7 again to bang out the body. and after that a tune. so its a perfect time. will post compression numbers before + after.

Cool cool..... my compression was 97 in the rear and 94 in the front before the steam clean. After my steam clean both were well over 115... i'll do another check in about a month or so just to see if it's stayed the same. but as of right now I couldn't be happier.

another note, my motor is streetported, non premixed, and around 8k on the new engine. would do the compression test tomorrow, but its a huge PITA. almost got my DD done today =D

if my engine blows up, i guess well all have our answer.

I would love to see actual before and after compression numbers from people to accurately judge just how effective this is.

Anyone going to DGRR is welcome to try this, I'm bringing the compression tester, you bring the water :lol:

I predict that no one will be able to top the results that have already been reported.

did an oil change this morning as planned. Oil smelt like Gas as usual...but there wasn't much water in it that I could see as it would be seperated in droplets im guessing. There was a little bit of water on the underside of my oil filler cap and on my dip stick but thats about it. ALl I know is I took her for a drive today through the canyon and the car ran gorgeously. Much smoother than before...

I think it depends on how your car is tuned...mileage..set-up etc. But like I said..I had to do the test twice on each housing because I didn't believe the jump in psi.

The 'before to after' increase of compression that your reporting would have nothing to do with the "tune", "set-up" or after driving a few miles in between compression tests.

I'm a believer in water injection. I've done it myself a few times over the years...just never with your remarkable results. And with the installation of AI, I don't anticipate a need to do it the "old fashion way" anymore. My feeling is it's also marginally riskier to do an "all at once" water ingestion vs. AI... and you don't have the other benefits.

as long as I dont kill it or lose compression