Cost for cleaning intake valves?

[KevinC]

Mk7 version of EA888 supposedly much better than previous versions at resisting carbon build-up. Just give her a good Italian tuneup every few thousand miles, and drive happy.

 

[Chad13762]

FWIW - I did a DIY carbon cleaning on our R56 (Mini Cooper S), using walnut shells, a cheap hopper type sand blaster bin, and a slightly modified shop-vac nozzle to catch most of the shells. If you're handy, and already have a compressor and shop-vac, it can be done pretty cheap. It got the worst of the buildup, but there were a few areas that needed work with a pick.

The car ran better afterward, but not hugely better. Mostly, it was worth it for piece of mind.

 

[Mk7Will]

They are a lot better on the newer gen engines, all the replacement motors ive done and bad injectors ive replaced, I haven't seen one that I needed to recommend a cleaning.

 

[BxGTI]

FWIW - I did a DIY carbon cleaning on our R56 (Mini Cooper S), using walnut shells, a cheap hopper type sand blaster bin, and a slightly modified shop-vac nozzle to catch most of the shells. If you're handy, and already have a compressor and shop-vac, it can be done pretty cheap. It got the worst of the buildup, but there were a few areas that needed work with a pick.

The car ran better afterward, but not hugely better. Mostly, it was worth it for piece of mind.

I remember seeing a few DIY's on Minis when I was on that forum, thank God that I never had to do it since I had an R53 but I tore that car apart lol what a pain in the rear to work on those cars, heck of a lot of fun though


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[PLF8593]

I had a Stage 1 MKV before this car so I know how bad the problem was. I put up with it for about 40,000 miles. The only thing that helped was updating to the newer version higher-rated fuel regulator but that only helped hard starting.

Refresh my memory - do MK6's have the problem?

Yes, just not quite as bad as the MK5.

I'm very glad to hear that the common sentiment that our Gen 3 PCV system has truly proven to be a much more effective design is actually true. People have been saying it since the car came out, but now that we're 3 years into its run in the american market, our pool is big enough to draw some decently succinct conclusions.

 

[PLF8593]

Mk7 version of EA888 supposedly much better than previous versions at resisting carbon build-up. Just give her a good Italian tuneup every few thousand miles, and drive happy.

Italian tuneups don't do shit. And, if they ~were~ to do "Shit," one would have to do an italian tuneup every couple hundred miles to noticeably reduce/minimize buildup.

 

[MSchott]

Italian tuneups don't do shit. And, if they ~were~ to do "Shit," one would have to do an italian tuneup every couple hundred miles to noticeably reduce/minimize buildup.

But it sure the heck is fun to do .

 

[Litespeedgti]

I run top tier Shell V Power 93 at every fillip if possible and I pour the Volkswagen VAG fuel system cleaner in my tank periodically.I only have 37,000 miles and I guess I'm possibly preventing injector and or intake valve junking up.Probably being proactive.

 

[KevinC]

Italian tuneups don't do shit. And, if they ~were~ to do "Shit," one would have to do an italian tuneup every couple hundred miles to noticeably reduce/minimize buildup.

Source for this wisdom?

 

[2slowvw]

Italian tuneups don't do shit. And, if they ~were~ to do "Shit," one would have to do an italian tuneup every couple hundred miles to noticeably reduce/minimize buildup.

I beg to differ. They may not do much in all cars but they have definitely helped in past cars that I have had, especially with higher mileage. This was actually written in a VW patent.

"An additional approach for reducing the formation of carbon deposits on the intake valves is to increase the intake valve temperature, at least temporarily, since, surprisingly, it was found that any carbon deposits possibly present are removed at temperatures above 380° C. To this end, the intake valve unit, which comprises, among other components, the intake valves and the valve stem guide, is designed with means that hinder heat dissipation in such a way that increased surface temperatures of more than 380° C. develop at least in the area of the neck of the intake valves in at least one predetermined region of the load characteristic diagram of the internal combustion engine. The intake valve temperature is above 380° C. in the shaded region 112 b of the characteristic diagram. At these temperatures, carbon deposits on the intake valves are removed. This region of the characteristic diagram occurs, for example, at speeds over 3,000 rpm, and in that speed range extends essentially to full load. Even if the internal combustion engine is not operated most of the time in the region during normal driving operation of a motor vehicle, nevertheless, carbon deposits that could adversely affect the operation of the internal combustion engine cannot build up, since their removal occurs very quickly. For example, operation of the internal combustion engine in this region for a period of, for example, 20 min., is sufficient to remove even a thick layer of carbon deposits. In other words, a routine expressway trip cleans the intake valves sufficiently. "

https://www.google.com/patents/US6866031?printsec=description&dq=valve+coating+carbon+VW

Original Assignee Volkswagen, Ag

 

[Zacr811]

Only way to reduce carbon build up is meth injection. It wont clean existing build up but will prevent it.

 

[Mk7user]

I beg to differ. They may not do much in all cars but they have definitely helped in past cars that I have had, especially with higher mileage. This was actually written in a VW patent.

"An additional approach for reducing the formation of carbon deposits on the intake valves is to increase the intake valve temperature, at least temporarily, since, surprisingly, it was found that any carbon deposits possibly present are removed at temperatures above 380° C. To this end, the intake valve unit, which comprises, among other components, the intake valves and the valve stem guide, is designed with means that hinder heat dissipation in such a way that increased surface temperatures of more than 380° C. develop at least in the area of the neck of the intake valves in at least one predetermined region of the load characteristic diagram of the internal combustion engine. The intake valve temperature is above 380° C. in the shaded region 112 b of the characteristic diagram. At these temperatures, carbon deposits on the intake valves are removed. This region of the characteristic diagram occurs, for example, at speeds over 3,000 rpm, and in that speed range extends essentially to full load. Even if the internal combustion engine is not operated most of the time in the region during normal driving operation of a motor vehicle, nevertheless, carbon deposits that could adversely affect the operation of the internal combustion engine cannot build up, since their removal occurs very quickly. For example, operation of the internal combustion engine in this region for a period of, for example, 20 min., is sufficient to remove even a thick layer of carbon deposits. In other words, a routine expressway trip cleans the intake valves sufficiently. "

https://www.google.com/patents/US6866031?printsec=description&dq=valve+coating+carbon+VW

Original Assignee Volkswagen, Ag

Surprise to know that in certain interior areas of the engine - it can get up to 716+°.

Great sourcing!

 

[thaseint]

I beg to differ. They may not do much in all cars but they have definitely helped in past cars that I have had, especially with higher mileage. This was actually written in a VW patent.

"An additional approach for reducing the formation of carbon deposits on the intake valves is to increase the intake valve temperature, at least temporarily, since, surprisingly, it was found that any carbon deposits possibly present are removed at temperatures above 380° C. To this end, the intake valve unit, which comprises, among other components, the intake valves and the valve stem guide, is designed with means that hinder heat dissipation in such a way that increased surface temperatures of more than 380° C. develop at least in the area of the neck of the intake valves in at least one predetermined region of the load characteristic diagram of the internal combustion engine. The intake valve temperature is above 380° C. in the shaded region 112 b of the characteristic diagram. At these temperatures, carbon deposits on the intake valves are removed. This region of the characteristic diagram occurs, for example, at speeds over 3,000 rpm, and in that speed range extends essentially to full load. Even if the internal combustion engine is not operated most of the time in the region during normal driving operation of a motor vehicle, nevertheless, carbon deposits that could adversely affect the operation of the internal combustion engine cannot build up, since their removal occurs very quickly. For example, operation of the internal combustion engine in this region for a period of, for example, 20 min., is sufficient to remove even a thick layer of carbon deposits. In other words, a routine expressway trip cleans the intake valves sufficiently. "

https://www.google.com/patents/US6866031?printsec=description&dq=valve+coating+carbon+VW

Original Assignee Volkswagen, Ag

Remember reading this before I bought my GTI. This was actually one of my biggest concerns with the GTI. As silly as it sounds it does make a lot of sense.

BMW and Mazda have used an oil separation system on their turbocharged engines (like a catch can that separates out the oil and air and puts them back into the system in their respective places). Though in the case of BMW it still sounds like carbon build up is an issue. Still unsure about how Honda is dealing with the problem but their non-turbo DI engines seem to be holding up well against carbon build up over the long run.

I'd be interested to see if the multi point injection system used in the Euro MK7 will reduce the problem...would imagine it would completely solve the issue since the intake valves would be seeing some of the detergents. Such a shame that modifying our injection system to Euro spec would be an expensive/involved task.

 

[2slowvw]

I would say that ROW cars have a better chance of not having carbon buildup problems. Maybe I will put a score on my valves, take some pictures/video of a before hand, if bad try the above experiment and take another picture afterwards and see if there is a difference.

 

[greggles]

MW and Mazda have used an oil separation system on their turbocharged engines (like a catch can that separates out the oil and air and puts them back into the system in their respective places).

The MK7 has a two step oil separation system. It's why catch cans are useless on the car, the car already has a catch can. The only time catch cans show any buildup on the car, is if it bypasses or replaces the factory system, so everything just gets straight dumped in a can.