I found the ultimate solution for GDI Carbon Deposits and BuildUp

[VdellaV]

Hello Everyone

 

After a few months of research and practical tests, I'm happy to announce that I found the chemical solution to remove Intake carbon deposits on Direct Injection engines.

 

Im pretty sure many of you already knew this, but as I researched the topic, I didn't find any widespread info detailing what im presenting in this video.

 

I had been using CRC GDI Intake Valve Cleaner for some time, and have had very good results, but I haven't found it in part stores anymore (I Live in Mexico), so this pushed me to investigate what the active ingredient on that product is: PolyEtherAmines (PEAs for short).

 

I also found that you can find PEAs and similar carbon murdering detergents in most Fuel Injector Cleaner Additives.

 

** Its important to note that using a gasoline additive won't help in Direct Injection Engines, since the injector is inside of the cylinder/chamber **

 

So I got the idea of using Fuel Injector Cleaner Directly into the intake of the engine, like if it was seafoam, to get the PEAs directly to the carbon in the intake Runners and Valves.

 

I have been using this method to clean the engine in my 2015 Silverado, which is a GDI L83 Gen V 5.3, and have retained the Fuel Economy and Performance like the truck was new.

 

Im also running a Crankcase Scavenging System to vent all the PCV gasses to the exhaust to avoid any source of Carbon Soot going my intake, but that's a story for another day.

 

Ill leave a more detailed TL:DR version in the video below. If you find it to be helpful please give It a big thumbs up and share. I greatly appreciate subscriptions to my YouTube Channel !

 

 

[truckguy82]

Its nice that you found the active ingredient, but what your doing is worthless without valve pictures.

 

also pouring the fluid in is the worst idea ever. How exactly is that going to get to the valves in the back? The reason we use aerosol cans is because it mists the solution so that the intake path can carry it. Just pouring a liquid into the intake might clean the front two cylinders, and thats it. Good chance of hydrolocking also if you pour too much in.

[VdellaV]

Just now, truckguy82 said:

Its nice that you found the active ingredient, but what your doing is worthless without valve pictures.

 

also pouring the fluid in is the worst idea ever. How exactly is that going to get to the valves in the back? The reason we use aerosol cans is because it mists the solution so that the intake path can carry it. Just pouring a liquid into the intake might clean the front two cylinders, and thats it. Good chance of hydrolocking also if you pour too much in.

 

When poured into the throttle, the vacuum inside the manifold mists the liquid, since at Lower pressures, liquids tend to have a much lower boiling point.

 

The flow of air into the chamber makes the cleaner/air mix pass through the Intake valve stem previous from going in.

 

Im planning to remove my Intake Manifold at 50k miles to share the results and see exactly how effective this method has been

[VdellaV]

Here is the Follow Up Video:

 

 

 

[flyingfool]

i would remove the catalytic convertoers before attempting this, and  I suggest going to homedepot and buying a weed sprayer and use that to inject cleaners into the manifold for even distribution

[VdellaV]

6 minutes ago, flyingfool said:

i would remove the catalytic convertoers before attempting this, and  I suggest going to homedepot and buying a weed sprayer and use that to inject cleaners into the manifold for even distribution

I dont think there would be a problem with the cats, but im running longtubes and catless exhaust I wouldn't know.

 

the sprayer is a great idea also, specially for smaller engines, thank you!

[flyingfool]

I like your youtube channel. look forward to more of your videos!

[VdellaV]

Just now, flyingfool said:

I like your youtube channel. look forward to more of your videos!

Thank you, support on my YouTube is dearly appreciated !!

[ftwhite]

Yes, PEA is a good cleaner. Maybe try putting the PEA in a spray bottle instead of pouring?
Also, even though adding injector cleaner to DI engines doesn't clean the valves, it is wrong to imply or say it therefore doesn't work. Carbon and deposits build up in more than one place.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[VdellaV]

9 minutes ago, ftwhite said:

Yes, PEA is a good cleaner. Maybe try putting the PEA in a spray bottle instead of pouring?
Also, even though adding injector cleaner to DI engines doesn't clean the valves, it is wrong to imply or say it therefore doesn't work. Carbon and deposits build up in more than one place.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 

Exactly, using injector cleaner as intended in the gas tank will clean the injectors themselves and also deposits on pistons, what I meant by that is that it won't remove the intake deposits.

 

The cleaners state on the bottles that they also clean intake valves and that can be misleading to people that are not familiar with the mechanics of engines.

 

I just pour it on the manifold because I believe the flow and vacuum is sufficient to mist it into the runners. Sprayers will most likely be the best option on smaller engines. Next time I will be spraying the cleaners, tho!

[SS502]

I’m not going to dispute, knock or debate the use of chemical cleaners. My only concerns are these:

If you have carbon deposits already attached to the valves and you introduce these cleaners into the system...what are the chances they dislodge a chunk of hardened carbon and it gets into the cylinder?

If by chance that chunk of carbon doesn’t score the cylinder wall and makes it out the exhaust, will that superheated chunk get lodged into the catalytic converter and cause damage?

Wouldn’t a catch can prevent this build-up in the first place or at the very least greatly reduce it?

What about the time intervals between cleanings, you’re allowing all the dirty air flow through your system until it’s bad enough to warrant the cleaning.

If you believe that the GDI engines do, in fact suffer from carbon build-up, wouldn’t a catch can being utilized full time be part of a good preventative maintenance plan?

If you do these chemical cleanings from day one I’m sure they are effective but who can dictate the cleaning intervals? With a can you’re “cleaning” your system every single time you start it by not allowing the garbage into the intake in the first place.

The catch can will NOT catch every bit of harmful contaminates so the cleaners are probably a good practice but again at what intervals? I’m gonna go with 20K but I’m also going to buy a borescope and look to see if there is even a build-up present. If there is, I will post pictures and probably join the anti-catch can crowd.

Just curious why those who don’t believe in catch cans would even consider this. I will run the can and still do a chemical cleaner every 20K miles. Seems like a good number of miles between chemical cleaning and if the can is stopping most of the garbage, the cleaning should be pretty much a compliment to the can. It’s all part of a preventative maintenance plan.

 

 

[VdellaV]

1 minute ago, SS502 said:

I’m not going to dispute, knock or debate the use of chemical cleaners. My only concerns are these:

 

1.- If you have carbon deposits already attached to the valves and you introduce these cleaners into the system...what are the chances they dislodge a chunk of hardened carbon and it gets into the cylinder?

 

2.- If by chance that chunk of carbon doesn’t score the cylinder wall and makes it out the exhaust, will that superheated chunk get lodged into the catalytic converter and cause damage?

 

3.- Wouldn’t a catch can prevent this build-up in the first place or at the very least greatly reduce it?

 

4.- What about the time intervals between cleanings, you’re allowing all the dirty air flow through your system until it’s bad enough to warrant the cleaning.

 

5.- If you believe that the GDI engines do, in fact suffer from carbon build-up, wouldn’t a catch can being utilized full time be part of a good preventative maintenance plan?

 

6.- If you do these chemical cleanings from day one I’m sure they are effective but who can dictate the cleaning intervals? With a can you’re “cleaning” your system every single time you start it by not allowing the garbage into the intake in the first place.

 

7.-The catch can will NOT catch every bit of harmful contaminates so the cleaners are probably a good practice but again at what intervals? I’m gonna go with 20K but I’m also going to buy a borescope and look to see if there is even a build-up present. If there is, I will post pictures and probably join the anti-catch can crowd.

 

8.-Just curious why those who don’t believe in catch cans would even consider this. I will run the can and still do a chemical cleaner every 20K miles. Seems like a good number of miles between chemical cleaning and if the can is stopping most of the garbage, the cleaning should be pretty much a compliment to the can. It’s all part of a preventative maintenance plan.

 

 

These are all great questions, thank you!

 

First of all, I want to state that im not an expert, but I do have a lot of experience with Vw TFSI and TSI engines and I like to research a lot, so my answers are my own opinions and educated guesses based solely on my experience.

 

1.- This is something that concerns me too, that is why I started doing the cleaning on my truck and cars from day one. I would like to try this on an old clogged engine and see what happens, but I dont think it would be too much of a risk.

 

2.-Again, this is a great question. My guess is that the most likely problem would be that the chunk prevented the valve from closing correctly or messing any of the valve seats.

 

3.- No, in my tests and experience, catch cans, even the most expensive ones, are not even close to trapping all of the PCV vapors, yes they catch a lot of it, but I would be surprised to find a can that would even come close to being 30% efficient at operating temperature. The problem is that the Catch can will distillate the vapors only when cold, but as it gets Hot, vapors just go right trough. and get into the manifold anyway.

 

4.- I do my cleanings every 6k miles with my Oil Change. Its important to note that my setup doesn't recirculate PCV Vapors back to the manifold, I have a catch can inline with a Moroso separator as part of an Evacuation System that dumps 100% of my PCV gasses directly to the vacuum of my exhaust with a Venturi. I would like to show it if you're interested, I thought it through and built it myself.

 

5 and 6 .- Again, only putting catch cans is not 100% efficient, as stated on answer 3.. Also at wide open throttle (no vacuum in manifold) the PCV gasses bypass directly into your intake tubing from the hoses on the frontal part your valve covers, so the catch can at WOT doesn't even have any flow through it.

 

7.-  I am planning to remove my manifold at 50k miles to see what is what directly, stay tuned!

 

8.- Im not anti catch can, but again, in my experience, they become pretty much useless once they heat up to operating temperature, so I dont see a point on using them if its only a half measure. I dont like half measures.

 

 

 

[SS502]

I stated that the can doesn’t catch it all. As for WOT, yes the vapors are run through either a CSS or as in my setup, a second smaller can specifically for the valve cover gasses. Regardless, no matter what method you choose, it’s important to try and minimize the build-up. I feel that with my dual can setup in conjunction with 20K mile chemical cleaning, AFM disabled, regular oil changes and running the recommended 91-93 octane gas from a top tier provider (as in quality detergents) my engine should be happy for a long time ??

[VdellaV]

1 minute ago, SS502 said:

I stated that the can doesn’t catch it all. As for WOT, yes the vapors are run through either a CSS or as in my setup, a second smaller can specifically for the valve cover gasses. Regardless, no matter what method you choose, it’s important to try and minimize the build-up. I feel that with my dual can setup in conjunction with 20K mile chemical cleaning, AFM disabled, regular oil changes and running the recommended 91-93 octane gas from a top tier provider (as in quality detergents) my engine should be happy for a long time ??

 

I am really curious to see the results you will get, removing the intake manifold on our trucks is not hard at all.

 

Ill be uploading my results when I get to 50k miles.

 

I also run 92 octane and no AFM

[ftwhite]

I'd like to see how you rigged up the dirty side and output of your PCV. Sounds interesting. 

But, then I have to ask, if none of your PCV is flowing back into the intake, what are you trying to clean up after with the throttle body PEA induction?

Nice work by the way explaining how and why you are doing stuff and experimenting. Too many people just want answers they can declare to be absolute truths.