Intake valve cleaning - anyone actually tried this method?

[OSB]

I think there is a plan coming together here!

[karl210]

Cool, if weather holds I will probably do it mon/tues. Is it best to use redex or something else?

[OSB]

Well I'm going to try the mineral/white spirit method as per the Youtube clip. Prob use a squeezy bottle instead of the pump up thing shown.
White spirit is cheap!

[Trekmeister]

What about this then!

[Jaywoo-GTI]

Redex and a football pump adapter worked fine for me.

[OSB]

So, this morning I had time to do the clean as per the video. I had intended to get a before and after emissions test from my friendly MOT tester. Sadly the before test was not accurate and when I went back for the after test, it had stopped altogether. Oh well!
I had made a suitable plug to fit in the Inlet Manifold Air Temp Sensor hole. A suitable length of tube fitted snuggly into this and was connected to a container for the spirit - old bleach bottle - fairly rigid plastic.
The engine was started and run up to 1500rpm. I was not expecting the amount of vacuum at that point!!! the 1/2pint of white spirit was drawn out of the bottle in about 5 - 10 seconds. The bottle then collapsed flat. I had intended to take 30 secs or so over the fluid going in, so giving it more time to dissolve/clean up the deposits.
However, lots of white smoke and a bit of a misfire showed it was doing something!
After removing the cleaning system and reconnecting the IMATS I went for a drive. Bit of misfire and smoke for first 1/4 mile which cleared. Warmed the engine up and redlined  it a couple of times plus some revs up the A3 (low gear).
First impression was that the car was revving a bit more freely and smoother. The idle feels smoother too.

Not the 'test with measurable results' I had been hoping for. The white spirit was fed in much quicker than intended and no emissions test to verify results.

Worth doing? I think yes, if just for the smoother feel. I will check the MPG over the next week or so and see how the car feels back in the real world.

Cost? A few minutes turning the IMATS plug from a short length of nylon rod. A length of pipe - £1. Empty bleach bottle. !/2 pint white spirit - 50p. 10mins of time to do the 'clean' once I had everything together. I will work out a way of controlling the flow of liquid and preventing the bottle collapsing and repeat the test later this year.

[OSB]

Cool, if weather holds I will probably do it mon/tues. Is it best to use redex or something else?

Did you manage to do your clean?
Any results?

[karl210]

bloody battery on the laptop died so had no vcds but got a new one now, il see what i can bodge up today. I went on a 5 hour drive the other day over the tops giving it a good blast and it must of cleaned some crap out because the idle is so smooth now

[karl210]

ok, ive found a suitable pipe and a restricter so it doesnt suck it all through at once and went out to get some white spirit and do a run logging certain things to compare to after, but the road is too wet and its just spinning up in 3rd and theres no point in doing a half assed effort. I might aswell wait untill its dry, get a before run, do the clean and then do an after run, only thing is my car is going into vw tommorrow for a few days so fingers crossed its dry'ish tommorow morning.
So let the engine warm up, hold 1500rpm
suck 500ml of white spirit up
shut engine off for 30 mins to soak up
start engine and give it a good rev to clear it out
does this sound about right?

[edd666999]

why white spirit?

[karl210]

thats what people seem to be using

[OSB]

why white spirit?

The video on Youtube talks about mineral spirit, which is white spirit in the UK.

[OSB]

ok, ive found a suitable pipe and a restricter so it doesnt suck it all through at once and went out to get some white spirit and do a run logging certain things to compare to after, but the road is too wet and its just spinning up in 3rd and theres no point in doing a half assed effort. I might aswell wait untill its dry, get a before run, do the clean and then do an after run, only thing is my car is going into vw tommorrow for a few days so fingers crossed its dry'ish tommorow morning.
So let the engine warm up, hold 1500rpm
suck 500ml of white spirit up
shut engine off for 30 mins to soak up
start engine and give it a good rev to clear it out
does this sound about right?

Sounds good to me. I didn't let it soak but I think that's a good idea. I also did the 'clean' from cold. The thinking being that if the valves were hot, the white sprit would just evaporate as soon as it hit them.
Good luck tomorrow!

[karl210]

Good thinking, i think i will do it cold then do it again warm mabie? ive got 750ml so can use half each time. Cheers, hope it doesnt nacker my milltek sports cat too much 

[OSB]

Go for it!

Apparently, although white sprit burns with a bit of white smoke, it does not affect cats - even Miltec ones!