A4 Intake Manifold burn out cleaning question

[sdean7855]

Just one question: someone commented that it's a good idea to monitor the temperature while doing this with one of the pistol remote reading non-contact infrared thermometer. Of which I happen to have one. What temperature range should I be looking to stay within, what is a do not exceed? My unit reads up to 320C.

 

[oilhammer]

I just hot tank them, or something like Castrol Super Clean. Have not had to do one in so long, still have three precleaned ones sitting here, LOL.

 

[touaregv10tdi]

I think as long as you don't cool it immediately, let it sit to cool on its own, there is no problem doing a burn.
I did mine three weeks ago.

 

[JDSwan87]

Don't do what I did and melt it... it sure makes some pretty colors once it starts melting!

 

[jmodge]

350f is the temp to pull and replace seats and guides in an aluminum head. Did that with a Shovelhead head heated in an oven. I used a torch with a light intermittent stream of compressed air to clean my ALH intake. Just work patiently

 

[UhOh]

Do yourself a favor and pay to have it hot-tanked. Cleaning these things is a big pain. Unless you can run a scope down the runners you won't know for sure if you're cleaned out totally: after cleaning with oven cleaner (also did some heating, but that just didn't work well for me) I rattled bolts and coins (dimes work well) in order to help dislodge any lingering crap.

 

[Mongler98]

you can hot tank yourself for about $15-20, less if you have a large bucket on hand. get a lint clothing dryer line cleaning brush, there perfect and long and get in the runners. you can do this yourself for nearly nothing and do a much better version of the "burn out. that being said, you cant go to hot with it, i have done 3 burn outs and its a huge mess but lots of fun. I also once put a pd150 into a BBQ and forgot about it, it got so hot, it melted the BBQ sheet metal because i had the lid down and the burners on, YEA that was dumbdumb

 

[touaregv10tdi]

intake

common mistake people make is to keep the torch in the manifold. You use the torch only to ignite the soot. The air from the compressor accelerates the burn much like if you blow an amber. Once the soot is ignited turn off the torch.

 

[UhOh]

I've only done two intakes, so my experiences are limited. But for me, in retrospect, I'd have been better off handing them over to a local shop to clean. It takes time and it's messy. There's entertainment value for some, but for me I didn't find it entertaining enough to have warranted my time.

 

[sdean7855]

Thanks to all...this pretty much covers the bases....

 

[otm646]

Don't burn it out. Hot tank it or use a power washer.

 

[csstevej]

I did mine for the entertainment value��

 

[UhOh]

I did mine for the entertainment value��

It really can be entertaining! I got a little bit of a show, but nothing like I'd seen others having in their posts on YouTube.

 

[turbocharged798]

Burning it out is the easiest quickest way to clean an intake if you know when too hot is too hot...

 

[Franko6]

I burn them out because I can have it off and back in place in less than 1/2 hr. There is no 'glow' from hot aluminum. If it gets too hot, the metal just falls out. If you get a 'sweet smell' in the air, STOP! let it cool.

Agreed, getting the torch only to light the soot and blow air to burn it out, but even just the heat from the burning soot can melt an intake.

If you aren't sure of the amount of heat you can apply, go for about 3 minutes, then let it cool down. Don't be in a rush to destruction.