A Much Easier Way For Carbon Cleaning

[IISAINTS]

As we all have been cleaning carbon out of our engines the traditional way, taking off the intake and scrubbing, I have a different way of cleaning carbon out of the engine that is much much easier, less time consuming and just as good. Being a technician for both VW and Audi I can say this is a good way to clean carbon out that's approved by both Audi and VW. I have done the service many times and seen it work very well every time. Its very simple, requires no tools, and takes about 20-35 minutes depending on how bad the carbon is or if your somebody like me and repeat the cleaning process twice to make sure you cleaned it well.

To start things off, you first need to disconnect the breather hose going from your intake to your PCV system on the PCV side and move it around so its more easily accessible like so



Next you need to get a small clear hose about 2 feet long with a small tube to run through a tapered rubber grommet (or how ever else you would like to attach it) Im sure you can either put one together for under $15 or find one at a store somewhere. I just used the one at my work that another tech put together.



After that you need a can of engine cleaner, seafoam or whatever you would like to use, I used what we use on customer cars for this service since I had some laying around. Most likely if you were thinking about cleaning carbon you already have some or you were about to get some. I found that this stuff works great!



Now that you have your cleaner and attachment line ready connect the two together and then connect the line to the PCV line like so





For the cleaning process make sure your engine is already at operating temp and off. This part will require two people or a crafty way of holding your engine at 2500 RPM the whole time. I also recommend that you make sure you have access to VAGCOM or a scanner of some sort to clear faults as this will most likely throw several faults for misfires and possibly throw a check engine light.

As the engine is idling at 2500 RPM grab your can of cleaner and give it a spray just enough to fill the line running to the engine from the can every 3-5 seconds. A good rule of thumb is just to watch the line, once the engine pulls all the contents out of the line, give it another spray and fill the line back up. Be sure not to spray too much as too much cleaner can choke your engine out and stall it. Depending on how much carbon you have in your engine it may take two cans, or more if its really that bad.

As you run through the service your going to see your car spewing out black smoke out the exhaust, that is all the carbon its cleaning/burning out. When I performed the service on my car I used two cans and it was nothing but black smoke the whole time. You would have thought I owned a diesel truck with all the black smoke! You will know when your done cleaning as the smoke will become less and less until its nothing at all.

So once your done, if you have quick hands you can reconnect the PCV line back up without having to turn the engine off, but you can turn it off if you want. Once your line is hooked back up, clear the faults and take your car for a nice spirited drive for about 10 minutes and push whatever is left in the motor out. After that you are all done!

Its a quick and easy way to clean carbon out of your engine without having to pull the intake and scrub for however long. Now unfortunately I do not have any pictures at the moment of before and afters of the valves but I will try to get some ASAP for you guys. I can assure you though, this works great! I have used it on customer cars many times with lots of carbon on the valves and it cleaned them right up every time!

For all of you that read this and or perform it, ENJOY!

[McNeil]

Has anyone else tried this?

[mtroxel]

I'm interested too, though I'd like to see "after" pictures of the valves when its done.

[thenofjboy]

^ x2

[Sanjman]

you can also put seafoam in a spray bottle and pump it through the same line or the IAT sensor. I prefer the IAT sensor because I feel you get a more even spray to all valves. still not as clean as cleaning by hand...

[McNeil]

Used Seafoam through the IAT for the first time tonight. Also put some in my gas tank and crankcase. Worked like a charm.

[mtroxel]

Worked like a charm.

How do you know it worked?

[mr larry]

There's no way this method cleans all of the carbon off as well as a manual clean or walnut blast, though it certainly will make things better. I also use the IAT port since it is smack dab in the middle of the manifold.

I would like to rig up a way to inject it through the IAT and PCV ports at the same time (maybe even the capped off port at the rear of the manifold). PCV port injection does make some sense however since the blowby re-circulation enters this way.

[billyhoyle]

There's no way this method cleans all of the carbon off as well as a manual clean or walnut blast, though it certainly will make things better. I also use the IAT port since it is smack dab in the middle of the manifold.

I would like to rig up a way to inject it through the IAT and PCV ports at the same time (maybe even the capped off port at the rear of the manifold). PCV port injection does make some sense however since the blowby re-circulation enters this way.

So what you're saying is you can inject seafoam/whatever cleaning agent through this blocked off port?

[billyhoyle]

Question answered: here's an old thread by Mr. Schickadance that explains the whole process...with pictures! He's using the IAT port, but same deal.

[mr larry]

Question answered: here's an old thread by Mr. Schickadance that explains the whole process...with pictures! He's using the IAT port, but same deal.

Did you miss posting a link? Would like to see it.

There are three ports available on the manifold. In your picture the PCV port is capped off with the BSH cap. The rear port that I'm talking about is capped on the BPG engines (your picture has a hose connected). An ideal Seafoam treatment would be injection through the three ports simutaneously (IAT, PCV, rear), ideally in aerosol form, for nice even exposure (or as much as we're going to get) to the intake valves.

It's been found that most of the hard carbon buildup on the intake valves is due to valve overlap in conjunction with direct injection (no raw fuel washing over and cleaning the valves). The PCV system contributes - but not to the extent of the valve overlap/direct inject - which is why people with catch cans still get buildup.

The best solution, so far, is manual cleaning every 50k or so miles and then Seafoam or similar treatments every 5-10k to minimize buildup.

[billyhoyle]

Yes, yes I did forget the link. Thanks for the info!

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...foam-on-a-B7A4

[mec]

This won't clean anywhere nearly as good as a good ol manual carbon cleaning.

[jimrobbington]

I can 100% believe that Audi/VW promotes this as a thorough method and trains their techs accordingly.

That being said, without visual proof of this being anywhere near as effective as the manual methods, no one is going to believe this works. We have been saying it doesn't for ages.

I have proof that the old fashioned way works

[jimrobbington]

I also highly doubt it would clean these things

[feeley80]

So... how would someone go about procuring the tubing and rubber grommet required to build this little adapter machine, or could someone purchase it from you or your friend?
Just asking because I have been looking for the stuff to make it and I can't find the little metal pipe of the rubber part.
Thanks.

[snappytom]

So... how would someone go about procuring the tubing and rubber grommet required to build this little adapter machine, or could someone purchase it from you or your friend?
Just asking because I have been looking for the stuff to make it and I can't find the little metal pipe of the rubber part.
Thanks.

The rubber grommet and piping looks like something you could find at a place that sells chemistry and lab supplies. I want to do this service and the first step is to locate the parts. If I find something similar I will post the info.