Ford EcoBoost Carbon Buildup Issue Solved Via Walnut Blasting

[dtech]

All anyone has to do is look at Brandons @dondonbabyraptor pics of his when he had it done. If I were going to keep my Ranger long term I would be doing this every 40K for so just for piece of mind. It's only going to prevent future problems and more costly expenses down the road. Saying it's not something to worry about is like saying "I'm not going to change my oil because my truck still runs fine".

and what costly expenses might that be - other than walnut blasting should it ever be needed, there are millions of vehicles with gdi engines and not all that many have issues with intake valve impingement. I'm not saying it doesn't and can't happen but can you give any stats (not pics of crud on valves) how many engines as a % require repairs from intake valve carbon buildup.

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[dondonbabyraptor]

and what costly expenses might that be - other than walnut blasting should it ever be needed, there are millions of vehicles with gdi engines and not all that many have issues with intake valve impingement. I'm not saying it doesn't and can't happen but can you give any stats (not pics of crud on valves) how many engines as a % require repairs from intake valve carbon buildup.

It affects performance that I can say for sure. That's all I have stats for and I have seen volkswagon/bmw recommend media blasting for the gdis every 25k miles. Maybe it won't matter down the road, it's the same thing with the catch can debate. Maybe it will, but until we have more data we can have our beliefs in the limited data we do have. I am sure other GDI forums will have more information but at this moment I can't look deep into it.

 

[AzScorpion]

and what costly expenses might that be - other than walnut blasting should it ever be needed, there are millions of vehicles with gdi engines and not all that many have issues with intake valve impingement. I'm not saying it doesn't and can't happen but can you give any stats (not pics of crud on valves) how many engines as a % require repairs from intake valve carbon buildup.

I'm no expert and I'm not going to scour the internet looking. But here's one that came up so you can believe what you want and hopefully nothing happens.

https://team.valvoline.com/diy/truth-behind-carbon-buildup

“These deposits can form quickly, within 20,000 to 25,000 miles and can cause issues related to fuel economy and performance because the intake valve can’t close properly,” he said.

Also, chunks of those deposits can break off and fall into the cylinder where they can jam the piston rings. This can lead the engine to burn oil that sneaks past these obstructed rings. Because most modern cars use very little oil, drivers are no longer in the habit of regularly checking engine oil levels. Warholic warned that an engine with jammed piston rings could deplete its oil supply before its next oil change, causing engine failure.

 

[JeffWoodall]

You didn't even bother to read the thread.

page 7 I have pictures posted on my own intake valves at 36k miles. I also use only 91 chevron. Granted I had an ethanol mix for 3-6 months but not for the majority of the 2 years+ I have been driving the truck. Truck was feeling sluggish in my usual WOT performance so I figured I would do walnut blast for science and see if theres any benefit. Also had some slight rough startups in the morning with different sounds I was not used to.

Overall, truck is responding better. Engine is roaring with better airflow and WOT feels just that much stronger and the surges feel better. Hit a 5.1 second 0-60 again after its been around 5.3+. Brake boosting I lose grip harder than before and I have better tires now too. This all from my butt dino tho still gonna do it every 30-40k miles though.

Thanks for the info...this isn't a simple issue and I read so many things, it's hard to discern what is important and what isn't. I do know, this Fordtechmakuloco guy knows his stuff. I think I will run higher octane just to help out and use the Chevron Techron every month. I already change my oil every 4-5K miles and will continue doing so. I use Mobil 1 fully synthetic. I had a bad experience with Ecoboost already on my F150, so I am gun shy to begin with.

 

[dtech]

I'm no expert and I'm not going to scour the internet looking. But here's one that came up so you can believe what you want and hopefully nothing happens.

https://team.valvoline.com/diy/truth-behind-carbon-buildup

sure and pistons and piston rings themselves CAN and do occasionally fail as do other engine components, turbos can fail and put pieces into the intake stream, without any meaningful statics about crud breaking off and screwing up the pistons rings to me it's just FUD and someone intent on working their own agenda.

 

[AzScorpion]

sure and pistons and piston rings themselves CAN and do occasionally fail as do other engine components, turbos can fail and put pieces into the intake stream, without any meaningful statics about crud breaking off and screwing up the pistons rings to me it's just FUD and someone intent on working their own agenda.

Well I guess you're the expert here and all the articles out there are wrong. Regular maintenance should be done so there isn't expensive repairs later on.

https://autocareaids.com/how-to-fix-carbon-build-up-in-engine/

Furthermore, carbon buildup can cause pressure to rise inside the cylinders and lead to piston failure, lost power, lost fuel efficiency and ultimately a breakdown of your car because it’s unable to produce enough force for acceleration or deceleration respectively.

https://carphrases.com/causes-for-carbon-buildup-on-valves/

A jammed valve. Because of high buildups, no matter where they are, the valve could jam leading the engine to basically operate with one cylinder less. There is also a possibility that the valve will hit the piston, which will lead to very expensive repairs.

https://baautocare.com/2015/03/05/c...ild-up-direct-injection-engines-mini-coopers/

The important thing to remember is that regular servicing can help to prevent or catch some of these issues earlier, before you end up with a huge repair bill.

https://www.alexsautohaus.com/carbon-build-up-and-cold-start-misfires-on-2-0t-tsi/

Generally, if you are paying attention to your vehicle you will address poor running conditions before they get this far. Of course, there are rare exceptions when a piece of carbon breaks off and gets stuck before any noticeable symptoms occur. Although a carbon cleaning as part of a normal maintenance plan mitigates this possibility. The key takeaway here is to maintain and address issues early to save on the high cost of performing a cylinder head job.

 

[RedlandRanger]

Also, wondering if using premium gas (91 or 93 octane) will make a difference in the time frame that this apparent valve coking is going to occur.

93 octane won't make any difference. The gas never hits the valves which is what causes the problem. As others have said, it does not seem to be a huge issue on these engines. Some people would argue a catch can will help with the problem - others say it does nothing. I've seen no hard proof either way.

 

[dtech]

I'd consider this article to be more realistic about the scope of the problem, although they are making a mild pitch about their engine cleaning products - which most experts say aren't much good in cleaning off intake valves, that being contrary to the claims that manufacturers of the solvents make, just as Valvoline works their own agenda on oils for GDI engines. Early GDI engines from makes like BMW and Audi drew a lot of publicity with their intake issues, but last I heard BMW is only recommending walnut blasting at 80k miles - BMWs are notorious for high maintenance costs , so that recommendation doesn't surprise me.

https://blog.napacanada.com/en/direct-injection-and-carbon-build-up-facts-and-fiction/

SHOULD I AVOID THESE ENGINES?

Before you swear off DI vehicles, remember that all engines are vulnerable to carbon build-up. While DI engines may be more susceptible to this, the negative effects are not widespread. What’s more, not all DI engines have the same rate of carbon build-up. If you have concerns prior to buying a car, we recommend that you research the particular model before making a final decision.
Check out our selection of engine cleaning products on napacanada.com, or trust one of our 600 NAPA AUTOPRO shops for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on direct injection and carbon build-up, chat with an expert at your local NAPA Auto Parts store.

Also an article from engine builder that talks about gdi problems in a more realistic manner , mention Ford engines. It's a bit dated from 2017 , GDI technology has improved from early days with things like higher PSI injection and as Phil has noted Ford uses what appears to be a reasonably effective oil condensor in the PCV system. But some of the stuff about heat buildup in the valves I'm skeptical about, intakes run cooler and unless the valve seating is totally foobar it still is going to make contact with the head and transfer heat.

https://www.enginebuildermag.com/20...e-direct-injection-issues-facts-fictions-gdi/

 

[dtech]

93 octane won't make any difference. The gas never hits the valves which is what causes the problem. As others have said, it does not seem to be a huge issue on these engines. Some people would argue a catch can will help with the problem - others say it does nothing. I've seen no hard proof either way.

some will opine that top tier by nature of the higher detergent level will help mitigate carbon deposits in the cc itself - the octane level brings to mind the opinions oft discussed on here regards the benefits of running higher octane including the one about it being a turbo .

 

[RedlandRanger]

some will opine that top tier by nature of the higher detergent level will help mitigate carbon deposits in the cc itself - the octane level brings to mind the opinions oft discussed on here regards the benefits of running higher octane including the one about it being a turbo .

I don't know how you can honestly argue that detergents would wash the intake valve when the detergent is never above the intake valve (the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber). The detergents will clean the combustion chamber and I suppose you could argue it might have some cleaning effect on the EXHAUST valve, but certainly not on the intake.

It is my understanding that the buildup that is referenced here is on the intake valve, not the exhaust valve and as such, I cannot possibly see how someone could honestly argue top tier or premium gas could make any difference. The intake never sees the gas at all.

 

[dtech]

I don't know how you can honestly argue that detergents would wash the intake valve when the detergent is never above the intake valve (the fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber). The detergents will clean the combustion chamber and I suppose you could argue it might have some cleaning effect on the EXHAUST valve, but certainly not on the intake.

It is my understanding that the buildup that is referenced here is on the intake valve, not the exhaust valve and as such, I cannot possibly see how someone could honestly argue top tier or premium gas could make any difference. The intake never sees the gas at all.

agree - that's why I referenced the possible detergent impact in the CC - the link I posted from NAPA shows a badly carbonized cylinder head - something that can and does occur in engines besides GDI. I love the extreme carbonization pics that these sites post to drive their point home and market their solutions.

 

[RedlandRanger]

agree - that's why I referenced the possible detergent impact in the CC - the link I posted from NAPA shows a badly carbonized cylinder head - something that can and does occur in engines besides GDI. I love the extreme carbonization pics that these sites post to drive their point home and market their solutions.

I sure hope no one is contemplating walnut blasting their combustion chamber....

 

[Ranger Lariat]

Does anyone else think it's (almost?) insane, criminal, sad, ridiculous, (insert your own here) _______, to have to, or think you might have to, do this to an engine with 30, 40, 50, or even 100k miles on it, and do it "every 30-40k"?

I'm thinking "class action" if it were. This is 2023, should we expect to have to be this "aggressive" with maintenance on a vehicle with less than say...100k, let alone 20 or 30k as some feel is needed?

I like 95, well... ok 85% of everything about my 2022 Ford LARIAT / TREMOR 501A package truck, you know, except for the "deletes" Ford did to it, and I have less deleted than it seems some with the 501A did. (really? REALLY?, Ford pulled the LED headlights from some of these builds?) Just yesterday my hood struts arrived the ones I bought, and I snapped them onto the "balls" that Ford left, yet deleted the struts. Of course Ford / Ford Dealer added up everything they deleted and subtracted it from the cost - NOT.

Yesterday my Ranger turned 1yr old (and, because it is not my only vehicle has less than 3k, yes, 3k mi). Every time I "press the button" (yes, mine actually has a push to start) I sort of hold my breath that some error won't pop up on the display. So far so good I guess I should say?

 

[dtech]

Does anyone else think it's (almost?) insane, criminal, sad, ridiculous, (insert your own here) _______, to have to, or think you might have to, do this to an engine with 30, 40, 50, or even 100k miles on it, and do it "every 30-40k"?

I don't think I have to and hopefully will never might have to - which is sort of why I made several posts on the subject matter. Millions of vehicles with GDI engines and all I'm asking for is someone to provide some statistics about what % actually need their intakes blasted or have had engines destroyed by carbon buildup, Christ my wife drives a crappy Hyundai with GDI and the engine runs fine after 10 yrs. Out of sight, out of mind works better for me than 10k Youtube posts showing pics of crud covered intake valves. If the problem is that pervasive I'd think you'd see Walnut Blasting franchises popping up like tranny repair, tire or collision shops.

Also if you have not you could read the thread on 10r80 tranny failure and how it sets off a panic that the 10r80 is a defective tranny that is destined to fail.

Just say no to putting a tailgate damper on your Ranger and you'll be fine.

 

[Dr_Strangelove]

The VW 2.0 TSI is pretty famous for getting misfires "eventually" due to buildup. Over in their world the group knowledge is you can get it done preventatively every 60,000 miles or wait for misfires. I made it nearly to 100,000 miles before I got misfires on mine. No longer have the vehicle - 2009 A4.

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