6 replies to this topic

[bmarshall1]

How clean is 'clean enough' and is this something I need to do on a regular basis.  Also, does a 'not perfect' manifold degrade performance or is it more of a passage open/passage blocked type of item.

 

I took the upper portion off and looked inside, it'd a little dirty with carbon and gas/oil or whatever the gunk is.  The passages seem a little coked up but not too bad.  As long as I am this deep into it I will take the lower off and finish the job but wondering is this a necessary maintenance item.

 

How often do you all clean yours and what's your technique?

 

Thanks for the replies.

 

Bruce

[bmarshall1]

Anyone...?

 

Bueller....Bueller....

[SaulSpeedwell]

This is probably worth what you paid for it, but once upon a time, I painstakingly cleaned the entire intake manifold, throttle body, everything ahead of the throttle body, gasket matched everything as best I legally could, deflashed the parting lines on the plastic snorkel/accordion thing ... went to the dyno .... and .... drum roll .....

 

....made exactly the same T/HP as before!

[wheel]

Clean it, just don't paint it.  ;-)

 

wheel

[bmarshall1]

For those following here are the results...  frankly, like Saul stated, I think I wasted a day and $35 in solvents.  I used 2 cans if throttle body cleaner, most of a can of Seafoam and GM Top Engine Cleaner (good stuff).  And once they were clean on the inside, about 1/4 bottle of wheel cleaner to get rid of the leftovers.  It wasn't terrible on the inside and I can say based upon looks, there will be no gains and there was little to no obstruction,  I would probably not do this again.  I looked down into the piston tops and noticed some carbon deposits so I may do the Seafoam or water method to clean the pistons w/o removing the head (I know, little bits of water at a time).

 

Anything I have missed?

 

Next step, injector flow/clean/balance

[Bench Racer]

 

Anything I have missed?

 

 

Maybe???

 

Clean it, just don't paint it.  ;-)

 

wheel

 

Wheel, two can play this game^. You and dirt both know what happens when rules slide. We'd have Spec Miata Chick cars that would whip the normal AS car. 

[wheel]

There is no such thing as a "normal" ASedan car.  Driving an AS car would kill a normal man.

 

wheel