Cleaning carbon build up

[john a]

Guys my TFSI has done in the region of 65k miles and I suspect there will be a fair amount of carbon build up in the inlet.
Is the only way to clean it properly to remove the parts and do the job manually or are there any products that mean it can all be cleaned in situ?

Are there any recommended techs to do the job?

[GrayMK5GTI]

IIRC Wynns do an inlet cleaner (its about £7 on ebay) "Direct injection 3" or something. Just spray it in the PCV hole on the inlet manifold.

[martziniuk]

Im afraid any products would be a waste of time, that stuff is like tar. I tried scraping it off with a wooden pic and carb cleaner but it's really hard to shift and I gave up in the end.
Here's the worst one of mine at 113k

[s3dubbin]

Do not waste any money on cleaners. I learned from that mistake. Had my head rebuilt 6wks ago, it was horrendous. Nice and clean inside now and running a catch can. Cheers, Stevie.

[GrayMK5GTI]

You will always get some build up (even with a catch can) as oil will get past the turbo seals and make its way onto the valves.

Some people (even VW techs) have recommended doing an "Italian Tune-up" - worth doing a google search as to how to do it. Basically keep your engine revs above 4k for 15mins or so, the extra heat & speed of the valve movement helps to shift some of the carbon

Graeme

[john a]

I've tried the Italian tune up, I don't think the car had been run on premium fuel before I bought it so 58,000 miles of petrol with no cleaners or additives (probably).

I'm wondering if it's worth finding somebody reputable and trusted to take it all apart and clean it up.

[GrayMK5GTI]

Won't matter what fuel it has been run on as the TFSI is direc injection so fuel additives won't even go near the valves. . .

[martziniuk]

Won't matter what fuel it has been run on as the TFSI is direc injection so fuel additives won't even go near the valves. . .

.... But it will keep the pistons clean.

[wilmott1980]

I have used the used the wynns product on the girlfriends 2.0 fsi as it had a rough idle due to lots of carbon build up. It worked a treat. Audi had a technical bulliten out where they they tried the wynns, snow foam ( American product) and some others to try and clear the carbon problem on their 1.6 fsi engines, an the wynns direct injection 3 ( which is a 2 part product) came out to be the most effective. The only problem I had was the car left a loverly stain on my drive from all the crap that came out the exhaust.

[GrayMK5GTI]

I have used the used the wynns product on the girlfriends 2.0 fsi as it had a rough idle due to lots of carbon build up. It worked a treat. Audi had a technical bulliten out where they they tried the wynns, snow foam ( American product) and some others to try and clear the carbon problem on their 1.6 fsi engines, an the wynns direct injection 3 ( which is a 2 part product) came out to be the most effective. The only problem I had was the car left a loverly stain on my drive from all the crap that came out the exhaust.

For the sake of £7 it's definitely worth a go then 

[wilmott1980]

I paid about £12 for the twin pack on eBay. It includes the spray for the engine and a fuel additive to help clean the injectors.

[john a]

Thanks guys, lots of things on here I didn't know/realise so will definitely be of use.
Will have a look at the inlet cleaner, my only concern is (as with any cleaner), where does the shat that gets dislodge end up going or is the idea that it just gets burnt away in combustion?

And StevieDubbin what happened to your head through the use of cleaners?
Ta

[GrayMK5GTI]

It gets burned in the engine   

You may notice a bit more soot on the tail pipes after. . .

[vRSAlex]

I fully cleaned and rebuild by head around 10k ago and its already getting quite caked up again.  Been running a catch can for over 20k so that doesn't help at all.

Took around 5 mins on each valve to get them clean.  Old trick of putting the valves in a pillar drill and using brake cleaner soaked scotchbrite.

Pic of my tray once I cleaned the rest of the head out:

[Tfsi_Mike]

Was you shaving while rebuilding the head Alex? (Bottom right of pic  )