How to Deal with a Flooded Engine?

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When the engine is flooded, you can remove the spark plugs, unplug the ignition coil connectors, start the engine to let it idle, expel the excess fuel, dry the spark plugs, and then reinstall them. Engine flooding is a man-made phenomenon that mostly occurs in carburetor engines. During winter starts, people often tend to press the accelerator pedal a couple more times to increase the amount of gasoline in the cylinders, making it easier for the car to start in low temperatures. However, when there is too much gasoline in the cylinders, it blocks the normal ignition of the spark plugs, causing the engine to fail to start or experience knocking, which is known as flooding. The solution is to remove the spark plugs and clean them thoroughly. If there is excessive residual fuel in the cylinders, it should be siphoned out. Engine flooding is a common issue for single-cylinder diesel engines during winter starts. Flooding, also referred to as 'drowned,' means the engine cannot start normally due to excessively low winter temperatures, preventing the engine from reaching the required compression ratio for ignition, and thus the diesel fuel cannot burn properly. The solution is to avoid adding fuel and instead let the engine idle to warm up, expelling the excess fuel from the cylinders.