# Engine Values **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** engines\ **Created:** [December 15, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381 "2014-12-15T20:36:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ksteed94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@ksteed94](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ksteed94)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381/1 "2014-12-15T20:36:47Z")
This is a weird question but, How do you guys think the engine valves on a engine that is freshly rebuilt will react to shredded paper towel soaked in fuel flowing through the heads into the cylinder? I do want to say this paper towel is shredded so thin that if it was mixed in mashed potatoes you wouldn’t notice it in taste. Granted you can see it though. Paper towel went through the valve this weekend and the car flooded. Once we cleaned most of it out the car was able to crank and it ran rough until all the paper towel and fuel was out of the system. I don’t think this will have any effect on anything. The engine isn’t knocking or have any sudden noises or smoking. No overheating or anything. I do have to check the oil pressure but, oil is getting to the top of the engine because I removed the oil cap to make sure. Long story short: I want to know, what do you all think the effect would be if any? ---
**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381/2 "2014-12-15T21:06:23Z")
My guess is it all burned up and went out the exhaust. While it;s not a suggested activity, I doubt you hurt anything. ---
**Author:** ![rocketman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@rocketman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rocketman)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381/3 "2014-12-15T21:07:53Z")
No effect, drive on. Rocketman ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381/4 "2014-12-15T21:27:26Z")
Remind me not to eat the mashed potato’s at your Christmas dinner. I agree with @Rocketman and stay away from groups of ,Tie dyed, love children, dancing around my car and throwing flower petals everywhere. or confetti. Yosemite ---
**Author:** ![wesw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wesw/32/2713_2.png) [@wesw](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wesw)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381/5 "2014-12-15T21:49:39Z")
that depends, if it was a Bounty you might be in trouble… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381/6 "2014-12-15T22:04:40Z")
Will it get caught in the cat ? or did it burn to ash in the combustion ? hmmm. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381/7 "2014-12-15T22:12:59Z")
How much paper towel are we talking about? It’s probably coated some of the catalytic converter honeycomb. It’s burned residue might have coated a few items too, like the spark plug electrodes or the valve seats, but it sounds like you lucked out. Have you looked at the spark plugs? ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381/8 "2014-12-15T23:57:53Z")
I doubt the paper going through “valves” has an effect on the engine “values.” You know you can edit your title so future browsers will find your real issue. ---
**Author:** ![ksteed94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@ksteed94](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ksteed94)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381/9 "2014-12-16T00:11:30Z")
@ken green I think it would get caught by the cat if so that’s fine. If it clogs it I can get a high flow cat to got along with the flowmaster that is already installed. @the same mountainbike about 6 but, we took the throttle body off and cranked it a couple of times and majority of it blew out. @insightful Thanks, sorry about that. I’m glad you all was able to understand the question. @Yosemite Haha, funny man. let the games begin… ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381/10 "2014-12-16T00:34:27Z")
Six paper towels??? Wow. No wonder it stalled! I’ll bet that what didn’t come out is now crispy-coating on the cat converter honeycomb. You might have coated the upstream oxygen sensor too, so don’t be surprised if you have some fuel metering issues. I’d still want to pull the plugs for a look-see. ---
**Author:** ![ksteed94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@ksteed94](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ksteed94)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/engine-values/88381/11 "2014-12-16T02:44:46Z")
@the same mountainbike will check as soon as possible and keep the CarTalk community informed.