Car Terminology: What Do You Mean By “Flooding the Engine”?

Let me start this post by saying that this practice is not recommended.

While it’s normal for most drivers to “step on the gas” or depress the accelerator a bit when starting their vehicles, it’s not normal to do this repeatedly or to hold the accelerator down completely. We often depress the gas pedal to send some fuel into the system. But if you do this repeatedly or for long periods of time, then too much fuel enters your engine system (more than what is needed and definitely a lot more than what’s recommended), resulting in you accidentally flooding your engine—although to be more precise, it’s actually your carburetor that gets flooded. When this happens, you’ve got a bit of a problem.

The best solution to this problem is to give your vehicle a little time. Prop up your hood and wait for a few minutes before you attempt to start your car again. This time, be mindful of how much fuel you’re sending to your engine system. In short, don’t depress the pedal too much or too often.

If this doesn’t work, then you may need to actually open your vehicle’s carburetor and you will need to use some WD-40 or ether-based spray to dry up the excess fuel before you can start your vehicle again. WD-40 and ether sprays are highly flammable, so use them with caution. And please don’t leave your vehicle running and don’t smoke while you use these flammable products. If while doing this you find out that your carburetor is no longer in good working condition, then do replace your carburetor with a high quality replacement part.

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