Dirty intake manifold - How to clean? Topic is solved

[Sveedy]

Use some kittie litter to catch the run off, and then let dry and toss out. I use saw dust, but then I have a never ending supply of that stuff.

[FireFox31]

Cleaning the inside of the manifold is a nightmare. I sprayed it with oven cleaner and scrubbed with a 1" diameter cylindrical brush. Then I wrapped the brush in a shop rag, got it wet, and ran that through each port to remove the cleaner. It's barely working. Now there's oven cleaner and wet oil sludge deep in the manifold and can't get it out. The cleaner will harm aluminum so I must remove it, and who knows what it will do to my engine if I can't clean it out.

I'm stuck at a Makerspace 30 mins from home with hours of work just to reassemble the car, let alone clean up this disaster. I've been at this for 16 hours over two days and I'm not allowed to be here this long. I simply can't complete any car repair job in less than 10 times longer than anyone else. I should probably stop trying.

[RickHaleParker]

Cleaning the inside of the manifold is a nightmare. I sprayed it with oven cleaner and scrubbed with a 1" diameter cylindrical brush. Then I wrapped the brush in a shop rag, got it wet, and ran that through each port to remove the cleaner. It's barely working. Now there's oven cleaner and wet oil sludge deep in the manifold and can't get it out.

Did you let the oven cleaner sit and soak as the directions on the can say?
Wet Oil sludge means it is working.
You can switch your panic button off.

Oven cleaner may pit and discolor aluminum. However, it does not penetrate into the metal or remain on the surface after the recommended rinsing instructions have been followed. Oven cleaner is water soluble and will wash off, Just use a water hose to flush it out. The inside cosmetics is a non-issue. Flow restrictions are an issue.

Drain cleaning brushes or Oil gallery brushes are good for scrubbing the insides. A rag just pushes stuff around compacts it without breaking it up.

[FireFox31]

Thanks. I will try to spray the inside with a hose, but I must minimize the water I use. I have to catch any contaminated water and store it for months until the annual hazardous waste pickup. I managed to get a rag down each port to remove the bulk of the sludge, hopefully reducing the water cleanup.

Ultimately, the best way to clean an intake manifold is by using a machine shop solvent bath. Let them deal with the chemicals. I'll have to plan the logistics and remove the intake manifold again for that job. Seems worth it to remove all the oil in there.

[FireFox31]

How do I remove the plastic fuel injector fume rail from the intake manifold (black horizontal piece with holes in the pic)? One post said it "pops right off", but all the moderate pulling and prying I tried didn't budge it. I assume that I need this off before sending the manifold to the solvent bath. Thanks.

[Sveedy]

Mine doesn't have that piece added, but I'd think that when you remove your intake it should become obvious how that piece comes off. If it's not attached with a nut, bolt or clip then it just pulls off like the fuel rail.
As a side note, I ran Seafoam through my system and I was surprised as to how clean my intake was when I recently removed it. Previously it had been pretty black with buildups but now I could see shiny metal. Not perfect but really good comparatively.

[FireFox31]

Thanks, using Seafoam might be easier than removing the intake again. Do you remember which type of Seafoam that you used?

I just talked to two automotive machine shops. One said they had an ultrasonic cleaner and a jet wash, while the other had a chemical soak and glass bead blasting. Has anyone tried ultrasonic cleaning to remove oil deposits from parts?

[Sveedy]

I'm sure either of those procedures would work. And would yield better results. But the question is how clean do you really need it vs the labor involved. I think the Seafoam made it plenty clean. It's not like you're eating off it. As long as the air isn't picking crap up that was stuck in there and sucking it in, then all is fine.
Here is a pic of mine after I recently removed it. Not perfect but I think ok.
The Seafoam I used was the new one with the hose attached to the can that you run through the vacuum port, as I remember. I think that gives a more measured amount, as opposed to the original in a can that you carefully poured in the brake booster vacuum line.

[FireFox31]

Looks like the Seafoam cleaned the loose, wet buildup from the interior of yours. Thanks for the tip.

And how did you get that exterior so clean? My entire engine is dry and white, not shiny and silver like that.

[RickHaleParker]

My entire engine is dry and white, not shiny and silver like that.

There is a reason they are called White blocks. They can from the factory painted White.