using rubbing alcohol for decarbonization?

[jamesn]

i am doing a upper cylinder decarbon ization on my sisters 99 escort with 157k miles on it. i used 4 bottles of 50% rubbing alcohol to do it. i dont think that it would hurt anything and that it might offer extra cleaning action over plain old water. whadda ya think? am i just crazy?

 

[Shelby]

It's highly flamable so burns w/o adding any additional lubrication. Regular cars don't run on alcohol for a reason. Not a bad idea to use it but I would add something like MMO to add some protection. I highly doubt 4 bottles would hurt anything though.

 

[Volvohead]

If this is in a running engine, that's just nuts.

 

[jamesn]

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If this is in a running engine, that's just nuts.

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what makes you say that?

 

[Pablo]

Probably won't hurt a thing. I'm not sure how much cleaning it will do, vs. straight water.

I have used pure (99%) IPA in some of my homebrew octane busters. Can be acrid during combustion.

I say change your oil afterward as I would with any UC blast job (without knowing that this ________ gets past your rings, but playing it safe). And maybe run some MMO in your fuel while doing this.

 

[jamesn]

well, the alcohol content was only 50% in the stuff i used. rather then the 70% stuff. i tried mixing B12 chemtool into it but it would not stay in solution. no big suprise. i did run a quart of plain water through it on the highway. once i got through with all of it, the engine ran a little smoother and did not want to die out at lights with the vacuum leak from the vacuum line i had open. all in all i think that i did a good thing to the motor.

 

[Volvohead]

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If this is in a running engine, that's just nuts.

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what makes you say that?

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I misspoke. I thought you were adding this to a crankcase. No problems in a tank of gas, provided the ratio is kept sane. Isopropyl is a common fuel stabilizer component.

 

[jamesn]

i would never put it in the oil i let it run for an hour after i got back from the treatment on the highway run. that should have cooked all of the water out of the oil that got past the rings. i am doing a piston crown soak right now with B12 chemtool and LC20. i will let it soak for 2 days and vacuum it out.