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Before/after valve cleaning pics

Zach L

VR junkie
Location
Austin, TX
Zach L I really wished I was back in Texas brotha! I'd have to have you do both services on my coche. It's got the herp for sure.

You has to hit F1 next year bro. Can I crash?:paddle:

Yeah I'm stoked about having F1 here! My old roommates and I would watch EVERY race live and have beers from the country of the race... even it was 7 in morning lol.

If you can get a ticket, my place is open. Should be able to knock out those valves as well... I'm a bit faster at them now.
 

Zach L

VR junkie
Location
Austin, TX
I think I'll take pics on the next one I do as well just to have another example of before/after. :D
 

ddash97

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
San Antonio, TX
happen to know of anybody in san antonio who has done it before? i'm gonna do a HPDE at harris hill road in November and wanted to, at the very least, inspect my valves.

thanks
 

Zach L

VR junkie
Location
Austin, TX
happen to know of anybody in san antonio who has done it before? i'm gonna do a HPDE at harris hill road in November and wanted to, at the very least, inspect my valves.

thanks

There's actually a member here on these boards from Ohio that's driving into Austin today... while he's in town this weekend I'll be cleaning the valves on his GTI he drove down in and installing an exhaust-routed PCV. The PCV solution is so he doesn't have to deal with recirculating crankcase gases dirtying up the valves again.

I'll send you a PM with some thoughts.
 

V-DubbinLOW

Stanced
Location
So-Cal
Car(s)
Some low hoe
Too bad your not in CALI
 

Simmsled

Parking Garage > Tree
Location
Indianapolis
Car(s)
its not special.
Zach, I don't suppose you would consider putting "FSI" in your first post? It would be a stellar addition to your write-up.

nice work.
 

Zach L

VR junkie
Location
Austin, TX
Zach, I don't suppose you would consider putting "FSI" in your first post? It would be a stellar addition to your write-up.

nice work.

Carbon buildup like this isn't specific to FSI. It happens on any direct injected engine whether FSI, TSI, Audi RS 4, Ford, Buick, Porsche, whatever.

If this were a how-to or DIY I'd absolutely agree with you, but the only purpose of this post is to show 1) how awful carbon buildup can be when you don't have fuel consistently washing an engine's valves, and 2) that it is possible to fix the problem with some elbow grease.

I finally took pics of the PCV Solution I mention in the OP. That will be FSI specific.
 

Dybz

Banned
Location
Chicago, IL
Car(s)
'09 GTI
i have a BSH recirc catch can setup right now. my two "in" lines have a bit of oil residue, but the line going back into the intake is spotless... guess my TSI will be ok on the carbon buildup front?
 

Zach L

VR junkie
Location
Austin, TX
I'm wondering if a small wire wheel on a dremel and some B-12 Chemtool would make the cleaning quicker?

B12 is what I use. Thought about using such a tool (and still considering), but the pic below shows clearly some areas where it wouldn't work well, especially up by the valve guide. I have some more pics I need to post from a recent cleaning.

Another PITA aspect is getting the stuff out of the port once you remove it from the valves... a suction device similar to what the dentist uses would be perfect!

 

fast450

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Taunton MA
Car(s)
06 MKV GTI
B12 is what I use. Thought about using such a tool (and still considering), but the pic below shows clearly some areas where it wouldn't work well, especially up by the valve guide. I have some more pics I need to post from a recent cleaning.

Another PITA aspect is getting the stuff out of the port once you remove it from the valves... a suction device similar to what the dentist uses would be perfect!


I'm going to do this probably next weekend. I need to order the M10 bit. I'm going to mess around in the machine shop tonight, and see if i can make something to attach a vacuum to. Would a 3/8 tip work well to get into the small spots that you had trouble getting into? I was thinking of taking a 3/8 piece of stock and drilling a .250 hole and cutting a slash on the end. Take that and find a way to adapt it to my shop vac, and wham you got a dentist like vacuum.
 

Zach L

VR junkie
Location
Austin, TX
If your name is "FordGuy" and you just sent me a PM, I cannnot respond. You are so new, you are in a probationary period. Here is what I was going to send back to you:

FordGuy said:
Hi, I have been lurking here for awhile reading everything I can about my misfire and with 118k on the car I just bought a few weeks ago, changed out the plugs, coils, oil, did the seafoam, and cleaned the MAF, I still get the #1 cylinder misfire on cold starts, and at high RPM (Usually passing in 3rd). I am aware the high RPM issue could be a bad injector, but the bottom line is, it won't hurt to clean the gunk out.

So, can I ask, what part of Austin you are in, and if you are still offering the $300 cleaning?

Sorry, I stopped doing the cleanings some time ago in order to focus more time on work.

The majority of valve build up comes from the PCV gases being piped into the intake tract to be ran through the engine and burnt up, except much of it sticks to the valves. Best thing to do is install a modified PCV system to prevent further valve build up ...either a recirculating catch can setup, or an exhaust-routed PCV, which is the ideal option. There will be very minimal valve build up on the valves no matter what you do, because of oil dripping from valve guides, but a modified PCV will stop the vast majority of it.

Most of what you can do is focus on keeping injectors as clean as possible. I use a bottle of injector cleaner every third tank. The best on the market is Techron. Not the regular Chevron injector cleaner; it must be the Techron which is propriety from Chevron and is patented. I also switched to using Chevron/Texaco gas since both add Techron to their premuim gas.

Use of these fuel products and an the exhaust-routed PCV has kept my car running smoothly more than 70,000 miles since my last cleaning. Car just passed 150,000 miles and is running well.

If you have a 2006-2008.5 engine, make sure to change your cam follower every 40,000 miles (if stock engine) and use a high-quality European full synthetic oil. These oils meet more strict requirements than what the US says can be a "full" synthetic. Motul, Liqui Moly, Total, Eneos, Pentosin, etc. are all good. Ester oils are even better, such as Motul 300v and all Redline oils. These higher quality oils will aid in making the cam follower last longer, as well as making less oil in PCV gases due to their lower volatility properties.

So those are the big four things you can do and your engine should be good for 300k miles or more. Keep your injectors clean, modify your PCV, change cam follower every 40k miles, and run good oils. Good luck.
 
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