Intake valve carbon cleaner

[Muffin1]

Anyone use this for cleaning carbon from the intake valves? I'm aware of the walnut blasting procedure but with only 12,400 miles to date and not wanting to remove the top of the motor i was thinking this might be a sort of preventive maintenance cleaning for whatever may have started. I'm ready to change the oil so i want to do it before the change.
https://www.stp.com/product/pro-series-intake-valve-cleaner/

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[quangdog]

I've heard good things about CRC's similar product, and that's what I'm planning to use at the 30k mile mark on my truck. Not sure you really need to worry about it at only 12.4k miles.... but if you happen to have a way to inspect the valves before and after the cleaning, please do share pictures etc here. I'd love to see what your valves look like.

I'm planning to use my borescope to try to see the valves when I do my cleaning at the next oil change.

Here's the stuff from CRC, if you are curious: https://www.crcindustries.com/products/gdi-ivd-174-intake-valve-cleaner-11-wt-oz.html

 

[SigOris]

SeaFoam has a similar product but I like the STP one as it’s a one man show ?

https://seafoamworks.com/product/sea-foam-spray-intake-valve-top-engine-cleaner/

 

[Dgc333]

I've heard good things about CRC's similar product, and that's what I'm planning to use at the 30k mile mark on my truck. Not sure you really need to worry about it at only 12.4k miles.... but if you happen to have a way to inspect the valves before and after the cleaning, please do share pictures etc here. I'd love to see what your valves look like.

I'm planning to use my borescope to try to see the valves when I do my cleaning at the next oil change.

Here's the stuff from CRC, if you are curious: https://www.crcindustries.com/products/gdi-ivd-174-intake-valve-cleaner-11-wt-oz.html

I used the CRC DGI Top End cleaner about every other oil change on my Focus SEL, Focus ST, and two Ecoboost Mustangs. Never had an issue with the way the engines ran but also never went in there with a bore scope to see how clean the valves were.

FWIW, a friend of mine had a 14 Focus ST. It never saw anything but 87 Octane gas and what ever dino oil the corner service station used. He traded it in a couple of months ago with just shy of 130,000 miles on it and it was still running as good as the day he bought it new.

 

[thellamafarm]

Nothing you dump in the tank is going to touch intake valves on a D.I. engine

 

[fortywater12]

Nothing you dump in the tank is going to touch intake valves on a D.I. engine

Nothing shared in this thread is a tank additive, they are products sprayed into the intake when the vehicle is running.

 

[Dgc333]

Nothing you dump in the tank is going to touch intake valves on a D.I. engine

The CRC GDI top end cleaner is sprayed into the intake manifold while the engine is running. The Seafoam equivalent has an S shaped wand that you snake past the rubber coupling on the throttle body. The CRC came with a straight one. I would just disconnect a vacuum line on the I take manifold and spray it in there.

 

[SigOris]

Nothing you dump in the tank is going to touch intake valves on a D.I. engine

These spray in just after the aircleaner

check the product web sites for the videos

 

[machinist85]

I remember reading where Ford did some test cleaning intakes valves with cleaner sprayed into the intake. It caused the exhaust gas temperature to increase and damaged the seals in turbos causing them to leak oil. On the non turbo engines it worked fine.

 

[MountainGoat]

I remember reading where Ford did some test cleaning intakes valves with cleaner sprayed into the intake. It caused the exhaust gas temperature to increase and damaged the seals in turbos causing them to leak oil. On the non turbo engines it worked fine.

I've heard stories of Seafoam causing issues on old Rangers too. I had bought it for my high mileage 1999 and after a bit a research decided to leave it on the shelf.

 

[JasonTremor]

I believe Ford advises against using these types of cleaners due to potential for turbo and exhaust catalyst damage. Happened quite a bit on the early 1st gen 3.5 ecoboost engines in the F150. Do your research and be confident in your approach.

 

[Wytchdctr]

I'm gonna try and run it until my 2nd plug change before I walnut blast the valves. The stories of turbo damage seem credible and makes the spray stuff too much of a risk IMO.

 

[Trigganometry]

There are other threads on here about just this. I would not advise it with turbos. It’s asking for trouble. Be cheaper to walnut shell blast than it would replacing turbo or catalytic or both!

 

[Muffin1]

Thanks all for the thoughts and responses, I also researched about the turbo although these products claim it’s safe, ahh who to believe idk.
I’m going to get a borescope camera to look at the valves to see how much carbon has built up, although with the low miles I can’t believe it’s cacked on heavily where pieces could go undissolved by the chemical.

 

[Sariandan]

Aside from risk of damage... getting that cold side intercooler pipe off and on the throttle body is a pain in the ass.

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