Powerhouse Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Hey there Moparians....I heard from an "old-timer"(I hate that term)...that if you put Bon Ami in the carb throat while revving the engine...it'll polish the walls...is this a joke or does it actually work? He said it works and he has done it before...just an old trick. Should I try it???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmopar Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Never heard that and I would not do it. I have heard of using dishwashing power to clean out the cooling system when I had a model T it was suggested by the "old-Timers" Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Heard it never done it. You put an air filter on the intake to keep small abrasive particles out of an engine prevent wear, and increase longevity. Why then, would you remove the same device and pour the same abrasive particles deliberately into the same engine? IS it polishing or premature wear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young Ed Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 I've heard that in 55 the first small block chevs had trouble with the rings seating so they did this to get the cylinder walls a little rough so the rings would break in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 This trick is used to seat new rings only. But I have never done it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob westphal Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 I have done this to seat stubborn chrome rings. I quit using chrome rings for this very factor. The cast iron rings never have this problem. I especially like the Perfect Circl Insta-seal rings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FMSPEED49 Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Worked well for seating new chrome rings, btw , i have done it. I also dump atf in my carb, and have been known to pour water in there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_amos Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Yup... While I've never done it I have heard of it. As to yhe 55 Chevrolet, I have heard that was something that was recommended to seat rings. Even remember an old guy telling me that he was a dealer mechanic back then and that he had done it as instructed. Guess I can see where it might work but doing things right up front sure sees to be a better way to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62rebelP23 Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 well, in Chevie's case doing it right up front would have meant delaying the smallblock by two more years. they just couldn't afford to wait that long to get their V8 into the sales rooms. remember, for the longest time Chevie's stovebolt six didn't even have an oil pump. couple haste with dealership warranty pressure and no tech will want to tear an engine down for free. it worked, it was easy, and it was under "controlled conditions" so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobT-47P15 Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 I've poured all sortsa things down a carb in the past....Marvel Mystery Oil, STP (that about chokes the engine and makes a bunch of smoke), carb cleaners and other assorted stuff. But never Bon Ami or any powder. Can't say as any thing helped much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grey beard Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Over many years of wrenching, I have learned to never condemn a motor or a low hole just from a compression reading, BEFORE I then pour a cup or two of water througfh the carb at high idle speed. This alone will help to clean and remove exxcess carbon like no "mechanic in a can" remedy sold by your local snake oil salesmen. It is truly incredible what comes out a tail pipe when this is done. I have learned to use a trigger spray bottle for the water application - works betrter than just pouring it in, cause that tends to kill the poor critters on the spot. Be prepared for lots of smoke - AND a different reading on your comrpression tester for the low holes. JMHO I also agree with Merle - abrasives are the LADT thing I want ingested into my own engine. As Don pointed out, the Bon Ami trick was a bandaid fix for poorly designed or unseated moly rings. Please do not try thins on your happy, healthy engine. Cummins Diesel says just one taplespoon of dust injgested into a turbocharged engine can ruin the cylinder walls. Think about that before you head to the grocery store for this stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
central52 Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Wow, spraying water into the carb is good? Tell me more. How often should it be done, if engine is already running fine? Is this a recommended procedure to do every so often. How many people out there have done this? Curious. Ed P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Wow, spraying water into the carb is good? Tell me more. How often should it be done, if engine is already running fine? Is this a recommended procedure to do every so often. How many people out there have done this? Curious. Ed P. I have done this several times. As grey beard mentioned a mist bottle works best. This will steam clean the compression chambers of your engine. It will remove carbon build-up and sometimes reduce pinging or spark knock as the carbon build-up creates hot spots that ignite the air fuel mixture before the spark plug fires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FMSPEED49 Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Spray water gently (less always better than more) at over 1000 rpm,motor at operating temp, just do not do this on a car with a cataletic convertor, unless you want to buy a new converter. Be very carefull, you can and will blow your motor to pieces, water does not compress. ATF is a safer solution, same results (atf is compressable, and combustible), yet will blow white smoke out the tail pipe so heavily that the local fire department will be called. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FMSPEED49 Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Also, you must change your oil after running the car around the block 2 or 3 times after you do this, and then 50 miles after ,if it is the first time you have done this. The only other thing I can say, If you have never seen this done, or have never done it,and don't have someone near who has, I WOULD NOT DO IT. IF YOU DO IT WRONG, you WILL be pulling pieces of piston out of your oil pan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 (atf is compressable, ATF is compressable? I dont think so. I dont know of any liquid substance on this earth that is compressable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhouse Posted March 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 WOW! I heard from the same guy who told me about the bon ami trick that he had a water injection thing on his old 37 ply. He said it worked great! I'm not going to put any abrasive in my carb...didn't sound good to me...why would we need air cleaners? ANyway...so this water trick for a carbon job...is it gonna bust up my engine? And why would you need to change the oil???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FMSPEED49 Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 ATF is compressable? I dont think so. I dont know of any liquid substance on this earth that is compressable. Make that "combustable" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62rebelP23 Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 the performance community has been playing with water injection for years. first it was the pennypinchers trying to get one more mpg, then it was surmised that it did something to improve combustion or the like, but water injection has been around for years in different guises and for different reasons. and not that i'd do it myself, but i seldom see any air cleaners on drag cars with $50-70k engines. yeah, i know they're only running for a few seconds, but they do an awful LOT of air moving in those seconds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodney Bullock Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 The bon-ami was a fix for the 55 chevy(chevy's first v8) The motor was buring oil. The water in the carb(spray bottle injected) works well for removing carbon. Water can steam clean the inside of a cylinder. If you have ever had a blown head gasket look at where the head gasket leaked that clylinder is clean as a whisle. I like to use seafoam to clean the chambers it produces alot of smoke hoiwever when it clears the car runs fantatic:D I have done this with sucess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhouse Posted March 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Sea foam??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billwillard Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Sure hope it works good because I have been at the ocean all night. Do you know how hard sea foam is to bottle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg g Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 snake oil?? http://www.webbikeworld.com/sea-foam/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Normspeed Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Sea Foam.... A gift from outer space? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerhouse Posted March 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 I looked up seafoam...Interesting...I wonder what's in there.... I heard it's made out of people.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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