To clean intake manifold?

[clyde]

Searched, results nada!

I cleaned one intake, took a long time. Soaked it in solvent, scraped what was accessible, bottle brushed the rest. Repeated, repeated.

Gotta be a better way!

Bright ideas?

Recommendations?

 

[Canadian_Grizzly]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oet4qWeZuYA

Some concern with warping the intake with above method. Other methods are frayed cable length on drill, oven cleaner, machine shop personally I prefer elbow grease and car wash.

Good luck,

 

[where2]

For the aluminum manifold itself, I used a combination of Acetone and Mineral Spirits along with elbow grease. Fortunately, my intake wasn't as plugged up as 90% of the photos posted on this site show. It did make a filthy wash tin, and attempts at filtering the solids and suspended particles out of the wash fluid were mostly unsuccessful.

 

[Powder Hound]

DO NOT USE OVEN CLEANER!! Oven cleaners use lye, which also eats aluminum and aluminum alloys. Really. Don't. Just don't. The best thing that could happen is that you would only end up with pits in the manifold and the hydrogen gas that evolves doesn't ignite.

 

[jgerni]

I've used the torch with compressed air method several times with no issues...quick and easy. I use a wet towel to help keep the manifold cool.

 

[wincharger]

my local machine shop will bead blast it for $25

 

[B.Lee]

The best stuff to use is a degreaser called Purple Power- Autozone, and Walmart carry it. I bought 4-5 gallons of this stuff , soaked the intake in it overnight and was pretty much spotless after I brushed it out a little the next morning.

Before I tried the PP, I tried pure gasoline, and diesel- and those for some reason would barely touch that gunk.

 

[B.Lee]

Another tip-
I placed a nitrile glove stuffed with a couple of dry cotton rags into the main intake port. This is with the open end of glove towards you. Then I wet the rags a little in order to expand them enough to make a water tight seal. Then I flipped the intake upside down and poured the degreaser in the 4 small ports and let it soak. Change degreaser out every couple hours and itll get it pretty clean in a few hours with some scrubbing.


As far as the torch method- not only do you have to worry about warping the intake, you have to worry about hard chunks of carbon forming and staying in the intake, coming loose xx,xxxx miles later and ruining the motor.

 

[AndyBees]

Another tip-
I placed a nitrile glove stuffed with a couple of dry cotton rags into the main intake port. This is with the open end of glove towards you. Then I wet the rags a little in order to expand them enough to make a water tight seal. Then I flipped the intake upside down and poured the degreaser in the 4 small ports and let it soak. Change degreaser out every couple hours and itll get it pretty clean in a few hours with some scrubbing.


As far as the torch method- not only do you have to worry about warping the intake, you have to worry about hard chunks of carbon forming and staying in the intake, coming loose xx,xxxx miles later and ruining the motor.

I like your idea of using a glove to seal the "intake" end of the Intake.

I made a plate from a piece of aluminum to bolt on. That works really great.

The ideal situation is to have an extra Intake so you can let the one being cleaned soak on the inside for several days.

"Awesome" sold in Dollar Tree, Big Lots (occassionally), Dollar Stores (occassionally, etc., works as good as the expensive stuff.

After doing the soak for about two days, I pour out the crud and add another full strength bottle of Awesome (Just a $). Then, I finish up with a pressure washer ....works great!

I've done the burn-out. Yeah, it works but I wouldn't do another one using that method!

 

[TonyJetta]

Back in October, I cleaned mine...although, it really wasn't bad enough to warrant a cleaning. Gotta love ULSD!

I let it soak overnight in 'Purple Power' degreaser. Then, Let it dry for a couple hours. Then, use an appropriate sized engine cleaning (bottle) brush. The dried debris easily came out with the brush.

Tony

 

[flee]

After initial soaking in RUG the best stuff was Simple Green!

 

[john.jackson9213]

Take your manifold to a local do it yourself car wash. Use the power spray wand to blast out the crud in the manifold. About 10 minuts of soap and high pressure water will get rid of 99% of the gunk inside the manifold. Then let it dry, put it back on and you will be fine.

 

[Yblocker]

I used the local sand/media blaster guy too. It does cost $25 to $40, but saves the cost of the cleaner, and the time to brush and soak and brush and soak and brush and soak....

Comes out like new.

 

[jayrsingh]

I am picking up my 02 jetta tdi from florida next week, its about 1100 miles to NY will this help clean the intake and other things as well, bc i read somewhere a nice long road trip can do that? or would it make it worst?

thanks

 

[AndyBees]

jayrsingh, obviously you don't know what's inside a dirty/clogged/plugged TDI intake. If it is loaded with oily/soothy crud, you could drive it back and forth cross-country many times with no affect.

Pressure washing at a local car wash leaves a sooty oily mess for the customers who follow. I'm not sure if I'd do that.

I've used my 1500 PSI and my uncle's 2500 PSI pressure washers. Yes, they work good on all those surfaces that get a direct hit. Use an automotive tool mirror and light to inspect. You will be surprised at the amount of curd left behind where the pressure washer doesn't hit directly! .............stuff could "chunk" off later and .......well, use your imagination as to what that might do to your engine!

Burn-out or chemical clean is the only way to remove the curd down to the metal!

 

[jayrsingh]

hey thanks I appreciate the scenario you gave me, I will have to open up the manifold and see what mess is in there, it has 197000 miles on it, but new rebuilt engine. I am going to change the engine and tranny oil, replace MAF, Air/Fuel Filter..I think thats it, do you recommend anything I might be missing before the trip? Also, the seller told me theres a biol diesel fuel station couple miles away, is it safe for me to fill up the tank and then refuel after empty in some other state most likely would be regular diesel, or should I fill 80/20 mixture before I leave Florida. I think the Biodiesel station may be 100 % not sure yet.
Thanks again.

 

[clyde]

…You will be surprised at the amount of curd left behind where the pressure washer doesn't hit directly! .............stuff could "chunk" off later and .......well, use your imagination as to what that might do to your engine!
Burn-out or chemical clean is the only way to remove the curd down to the metal!

"Little Miss Muffet, sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey…"

You can make money betting she didn't eat crud—or that curds, a byproduct of churning cream to make butter, are likely to be found in a diesel intake manifold.

 

[Abacus]

Uh-oh, the spelling police are awake again.

This isn't an English BBS and everyone here got the message. Thanks for playing though.

 

[paramedick]

Burn out works fine. We do them ten at a time without issue. Just dip in bucket of water after completion. Pressure blast removes the remaining ash.

Simple green, purple power, awesome discolors and etches aluminum intakes. Some folks find this objectional. It really is ugly.

I've heard reports that soaking in B100 cleans them slick as a whistle. Someone else would have to confirm that.