Anyone ever used the Jon Muir method to decoke their engine?

[Justin & Muttley]

I need to decoke the engine in the bug and wondered if anyone has ever used the 'pour a quart of diesel down the carb' method as outlined in Jon Muirs book 'Keeping Your VW Alive'?

The idea is that you get the engine fully warmed up and then slowly pour the diesel down the carb (keeping the revs up as you do it). There'll be loads of smoke but it's supposed to clean all the crud/carbon out.

Alternatives are Redex (again, straight down the carb) or water :shock: :shock: I've read that if you connect some water to the vacuum hose it does the same thing although I'm bit sceptical about this method for obvious reasons!!

Another way is to take the car on a long high-speed run - but as it's been unreliable I'm a bit loath to do this as it will more than likely end up with a call to the RAC and a long wait at the side of the motorway!!

Any thoughts or comments before I try one of these methods out?

 

[Harlequin]

I used the redex treatment on my old mk1 transit, from memory it was about a teacup full on a fast tickover & the cloud of smoke could probably be seen from space :lol:

 

[K@rlos]

I've always been taught college and work that putting diesel in petrol engines will kill them to death but I have no idea how much an American quart is :| Can't go wrong with Red-ex tbh but as said it will smoke like fook :lol:

Karl

 

[Trikky2]

To be honest I cant say I have dismantled an old engine that showed signs of needing a decoke in many years. (Except ones where they were so worn they were burning oil). I might be wrong but I put it down to the better quality petrol and its additives.

 

[dubs and classics]

To be honest, I cant really see how the diesel trick would remove carbon deposits, And I certainly would not recommend the water trick!

Does the muir book offer an explanation of how the diesel trick is supposed to work?

Why do you think your engine needs a decoke by the way?

As you suggest, a good high speed run is by far the best way to lean off the mixture for a bit if your getting sooty exhausts from short runs on choke.

 

[greggholmes]

the only thing the Muir book is good for is a door stop

read this
http://www.flat4.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5279&start=0


'for all the newbies out there, John Muir was an obvious
admirer of Henry Ford and, based on his book, far more familiar with
early Fords than Volkswagens, citing repair procedures that worked
quite well on the Model T but were horribly wrong for a VW, such as
removing nuts axle & gland nuts with a cold chisel, setting fire to
brake shoes & clutch disks, and a few hundred more. If you own an
antique Volkswagen it deserves the benefit of information found in its
factory service manuals.

-Bob Hoover"

http://www.autoboardz.com/Oil-bath-air-cleanerftopic-223917-days0-orderasc-15.html

http://groups.google.com/group/rec....cooled+author:Veeduber&qt_g=Search+this+group

http://bobhooversblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/vw-heat-risers-education.html

"I know St. Muir sez to use oxy-assisted burnout but take it from me, never use oxygen-blast. You'll melt the aluminum jacket that bonds the manifold to the heat riser long before you burn away the deposits inside the heat riser. (This is another example of the many destructive errors in the Muir book.) "

Educate

 

[Justin & Muttley]

Thanks for the replies guys - I'll avoid the deisel and water options (I'd ruled out the water anyway) and try the redex.

The car is only ever used on slow short runs (45mph max and 5-10 miles) and seems to be very sooty even though the carb has been refurbed and doesn't appear to be running rich - I want to give it a clean out to make sure everything is as fresh inside as it is outside the engine!

Will try the redex then take it for a revvy run if I'm feeling brave :lol: