I know this was really stupid but here goes. I removed the carb on one of my trucks the other day and left the hood open. I ran to get some parts and before I could get back a rain storm had blown through. It was pretty heavy windy rain. I'm afraid some rain may have blown into my carb manifold. I had a engine lift plate bolted onto the manifold but there are a few holes in the plate. How concerned should I be about moisture or water dripping into the manifold and is there a solution to get water out? Is there a product I should pour or spray in there before I put the carb back on and crank the engine? I know I will get some positive input and some smart *** input. All is appreciated. Thanks!
Pull the lift plate off and see if there is water underneath...pull the plugs and spray some WD40 in the cylinders and crank it over a few times with the plugs out.....should be fine..
The only stupid question is the one you didn't ask. Pulling the plugs and spinning it over also applies to fuel injection motors that have set a long time or whenever you have changed fuel injectors or seals. Hydro-locking a motor is no fun.
- maybe minimal, if any - there are water injectors on the market for carb motors that claim provides better mileage
That is a mild spray while the motor is running. I would probably do what has been suggested only use a little oil in the cylinders and not WD40, but I don't so things like everyone else does.
I think it would have to be a monsoon to cause worries about a lot of water getting past a lift plate.
******....we all get into habits of using certain stuff....I like WD because it's easy to spray and seems to do what it's supposed to do...I'm more worried about hydrolocking it in the off chance alot of water made it into a cylinder....but don't think much did in this case. Better to be safe than sorry...
I would do the Wd 40 (after all it is named WATER DISPLACEMENT) and turn it over with the plugs out. I would do this ASAP, before it starts to flash rust!
That was my point, I didn't say that WD was wrong just not the way that I do it. I actually keep an oil can in the shop, a squirt in each cylinder isn't a problem for me. My go to for stuck stuff is Liquid Wrench. The wife always uses Coca Cola. If you got a wet distributer and there is no compressed air available, there are only two ways to dry it out, WD40 or Alcohol. When I am running an open hood car (or one with a side mounted distributer)WD is part of my tool kit, pop the cap give it a squirt and its happy motoring.
I have seen a guy hydro-lock a motor by putting too much oil in a cylinder, of course they put the plug back in.......kids
I doubt much water would get past the lift plate, but as several suggested, just remove the lift plate and plugs. Put a little squirt of WD-40 or similar and crank over. Without plugs no fear of hydrolocking. Leave the lift plate off and any water on the intake or intake port surfaces will evaporate out.
I saw a guy down in the Ozarks once just vacuum one out. He had enough water in it that you could see it on the floor of the plenum, he stuck a wet and dry vac in there and sealed it off with rags and turned it on. He said if there was water in a cylinder that the vac would **** it out. After a bit he handed me a quart of oil and said, here dump some of this down it when I turn it over. Not how I would have dine it but it worked for him. Disclaimer: This is not a suggestion just a story from the life and times of the ******.
if you use wd40 and it has a removable plastic hose be careful you don't shoot that red hose in the cylinder. Then you'll have a bigger problem.
Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. That is a relief for sure. I should be getting her cranked up today.
Good news… I sprayed some WD in each plug hole and cranked it a couple times, replaced the plugs and one quick backfire and she cranked right up. You were right the holes in the lift plate were so small that very little rain if any got down into the motor. Thanks again guys
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