ToMMyGuN
Go Kart Champion
Valve Cleaning DIY - MK6 GTI (applicable to all TSI engines, probably FSI engines, and other Direct Injection motors with carbon build up on the intake valves)
Here is what my valves looked like after 16.5k miles:
(NOTE: there is no need to do this at 16.5k miles. I had a stuck injector, and cleaned the valves because I had access to them due to my stuck injector problem. This should be checked somewhere between 36k and 72k miles, and cleaned thereafter based on your specific car's buildup levels)
The zeroth step (assuming you have already removed the intake manifold) is to ensure the valves are closed before you start dosing them with cleaning compounds. Turn the serpentine belt by hand near the alternator to manually advance the cams to close the valves.
Here are the supplies you will need:
Carburetor Cleaner (I used BerryMan B-12 Chemtool from O'Rielly's)
C.L.R. (yes, the infomercial stuff, home depot has it in spades)
Paper towels (from a forest)
A pick (optional, I used a bent nail and a vice grip)
Pipe Cleaners (optional, I didn't really need them, but if your buildup is really caked on they would be handy. Get them at home depot in the plumbing section, by the pipe fittings)
6"-ish long, .125"-ish diameter rod (I used a long bolt)
A giant hammer (for backup)
Step 1: Fill the closed valve cavity with the carb cleaner. make sure the entire stem is under the liquid level:
Step 2: Wait 10 Minutes. While waiting, soak your intake port flaps in a tub of carb cleaner. Let them soak for 10 minutes too.
Step 3: After 10 minutes, Roll up 2 paper towels and soak up the Carb cleaner with the paper towel roll (make sure you get both valve cavities in each cylinder):
Step 4: The valves will now look kind of soupy inside (like moist carbon goop):
Add the C.L.R. to the valve cavities, and make sure you fill it full again so the entire valve stem is under the liquid level.
Step 5: While waiting the 10 min C.L.R. period out, take the intake flaps out of the carb cleaner tub and polish them with a paper towel soaked in carb cleaner. They will clean up beautifully:
Step 6: After 10 minutes, use the same technique to soak up the C.L.R. as you used on the carb cleaner in step 3.
Step 7: Once the cavities no longer have liquid C.L.R. in them, tear small (~2" x 5") strips of paper towel and fold them into small squares. Spray both sides of the folded squares with carb cleaner and push them down the valve cavity with your finger. Only put one at a time in the valve cavity.
Step 8: Using the long, skinny rod, push the paper towel fold around inside the valve cavity, scrubbing the carbony goop off the valve/cavity:
When the paper towel fold gets full of carbon soup, fish it out (a pick can come in handy). They will be full of black goop:
Step 9: Repeat steps 7 and 8 until the valves look shiny. Repeat step 8 one last time with a clean towel (no carb cleaner sprayed on). All said and done, your valves will look peachy, and you will gain 20hp, 10mpg, and 3" on your... throttle body pipe:
Here is what my valves looked like after 16.5k miles:
(NOTE: there is no need to do this at 16.5k miles. I had a stuck injector, and cleaned the valves because I had access to them due to my stuck injector problem. This should be checked somewhere between 36k and 72k miles, and cleaned thereafter based on your specific car's buildup levels)
The zeroth step (assuming you have already removed the intake manifold) is to ensure the valves are closed before you start dosing them with cleaning compounds. Turn the serpentine belt by hand near the alternator to manually advance the cams to close the valves.
Here are the supplies you will need:
Carburetor Cleaner (I used BerryMan B-12 Chemtool from O'Rielly's)
C.L.R. (yes, the infomercial stuff, home depot has it in spades)
Paper towels (from a forest)
A pick (optional, I used a bent nail and a vice grip)
Pipe Cleaners (optional, I didn't really need them, but if your buildup is really caked on they would be handy. Get them at home depot in the plumbing section, by the pipe fittings)
6"-ish long, .125"-ish diameter rod (I used a long bolt)
A giant hammer (for backup)
Step 1: Fill the closed valve cavity with the carb cleaner. make sure the entire stem is under the liquid level:
Step 2: Wait 10 Minutes. While waiting, soak your intake port flaps in a tub of carb cleaner. Let them soak for 10 minutes too.
Step 3: After 10 minutes, Roll up 2 paper towels and soak up the Carb cleaner with the paper towel roll (make sure you get both valve cavities in each cylinder):
Step 4: The valves will now look kind of soupy inside (like moist carbon goop):
Add the C.L.R. to the valve cavities, and make sure you fill it full again so the entire valve stem is under the liquid level.
Step 5: While waiting the 10 min C.L.R. period out, take the intake flaps out of the carb cleaner tub and polish them with a paper towel soaked in carb cleaner. They will clean up beautifully:
Step 6: After 10 minutes, use the same technique to soak up the C.L.R. as you used on the carb cleaner in step 3.
Step 7: Once the cavities no longer have liquid C.L.R. in them, tear small (~2" x 5") strips of paper towel and fold them into small squares. Spray both sides of the folded squares with carb cleaner and push them down the valve cavity with your finger. Only put one at a time in the valve cavity.
Step 8: Using the long, skinny rod, push the paper towel fold around inside the valve cavity, scrubbing the carbony goop off the valve/cavity:
When the paper towel fold gets full of carbon soup, fish it out (a pick can come in handy). They will be full of black goop:
Step 9: Repeat steps 7 and 8 until the valves look shiny. Repeat step 8 one last time with a clean towel (no carb cleaner sprayed on). All said and done, your valves will look peachy, and you will gain 20hp, 10mpg, and 3" on your... throttle body pipe:
