Intake manifold off with pics of intake valves

[gonefishing]

First I have to explain why I removed the intake manifold on my Sierra. I've had a RX catch can installed for about 6 months now. I decided the other day I was going to try to clean up the hose installation for the catch can. I purchased some expandable braided sleeving and shrink fit tubing in an effort to make the hoses look a little more factory. While trying to remove the hose that goes from the catch can to the intake manifold I broke the plastic elbow off the comes out of the intake manifold. Needless to say I was extremely [censored] that I did this as I should know better then to pull on a hose like that. After doing some research at the dealer, this elbow that comes out of the intake manifold is not a replaceable item. It's basically part of the intake manifold. I thought about trying to repair the elbow but didn't like that idea. I wanted it done right and the only way I knew how to fix it was to replace the entire manifold. Cost me about $160 shipped for a new one.

Replacing the intake manifold didn't look too bad. Of course this theory got shot down as I started to remove the cover that goes over the intake manifold. This cover really doesn't service much purpose other then to provide holes for various plastic snap-in fittings that hold an electrical harness down. These connectors are barbed so they go in easily but don't come out with out a fight. The worst ones were behind the intake that are against the firewall. Once I finally got everything out of the way I could then remove the intake manifold along with this cover.

I have about 30,000 miles on my truck when I did this. The catch can has been on for the last 9,000 miles and recently added the RX clean side separator after find oil in my intake tube (http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/168584-oil-in-intake-tubeanyone-else-check-theirs/)

I tried to take the best pics I could of the intake valves but it's tricky to get good lighting. They all appeared to have the same amount of carbon build up on them. I didn't think there would be this much on them. Assuming the catch can prevents majority of the crankcase vapors from getting back into the motor, these deposits formed within the first 20,000 miles. I would be interested to see what these motors with no catch can looks like after 100,000 miles.

FYI this motor is direct injected.

 

[Astro14]

Wow...

At 170,000 miles, the intake ports and valves on both of my Volvos were spotless...they looked brand new. (Manifold was off to do a flame trap replacement...it's a Volvo thing...)

What a contrast!

 

[dishdude]

You would expect the exhaust valves to look this way, what's wrong with the intakes getting in on the carbon action too?

 

[Chris142]

Since its direct injected theres nothing but air going through the valves so theres no cleaning.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
Wow...

At 170,000 miles, the intake ports and valves on both of my Volvos were spotless...they looked brand new. (Manifold was off to do a flame trap replacement...it's a Volvo thing...)

What a contrast!


+1 on the wow. I wonder what it would look like untouched when it reached the miles you logged.

 

[cptbarkey]

awful.

 

[Fordtrucktexan]

Goodness

 

[Brons2]

Hey, that's not nearly as bad as some of the VW FSI/TSI motors that folks have posted on here. Seen some masses of gunk on the stems almost as big as the valve itself.

 

[Oil Changer]

I'm sorry for your troubles but you brought all of this on yourself. Don't you think GM did teardowns during R&D? I'm not defending anything, just sayin'. Classic case of fixing what ain't broken.

 

[Olas]

+1 for carbs and road draft tubes

 

[TiredTrucker]

This is the reason I put on a PCV oil catch can setup on my 2013 Silverado before the odometer hit 1100 miles. That things captures about 1 oz of oil and crud out o the PCV line every 1000 miles. My last oil change, the engine "used" 8 oz of oil in just under 7000 miles. In that time frame, the catch can captured roughly 6 oz of it. So the engine only "used" 2 oz of oil. Maybe the catch can was not necessary, but I sleep better at night with it on the motor. Irregardless of assurances from GM R&D and wanna be engineers.

 

[philipp10]

so is it your theory that the 6 oz of oil you did catch would have made the carbon worse? I wonder just what the effect would be. Maybe your making it worse by catching this oil. Secondly, seems to me that GM would have added some type of baffle that could impact this oil out if it was such a big deal. As far as the amount of carbon, it does look bad at such low miles. Will it continue to grow? What can be done? I have a DI motor also.

 

[spasm3]

I don't understand why thy don't design the intake so that you can have one injector mounted and let the computer run it during the warm up phase or occasionally so the the intakes get washed with fuel now and then. Design the intake to be wet flowable as well as dry.

 

[Merkava_4]

Originally Posted By: gonefishing
FYI this motor is direct injected.


Yes I can tell!!

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: philipp10
Will it continue to grow? What can be done? I have a DI motor also.


I don't know. When i bought the elantra we made sure to get mpfi, thats why we did not buy the sonata.

If i had a di engine i think i would spray the intake with b-12 cleaner and turn the engine over a few times when its cold. I don't know if this would do any good but i would do it every few weeks.

 

[dustyroads]

I guess I'm a little surprised by the amount of build-up at such low mileage but probably shouldn't be. Very cool to get a peek at that early stage.

Sorry for your aggravation, but sure appreciate the quality pics! Thanks

 

[Cujet]

It's believed that a top quality synthetic oil helps prevent these deposits inside the intake and on the intake valves. Less varnish formation.

I used a 5mm fiber optic Borescope to view the intake valves on our Ecoboost powered F150. They were considerably cleaner than your intake valves, at 70,000 miles. I use Mobil 1. And, of course, it's a completely different engine and manufacturer.

 

[badtlc]

Don't expect the catch can to prevent anything. While it does catch some, more than enough vapors still get through to produce deposits. Steady diets high RPMs to burn off the deposits is about all you can do.

 

[philipp10]

What about some type of aftermarket system that the car owner could add that would "T" into the PCV line and periodically spray a cleaner thru the system. I suppose it would be best if done on a cold engine and left to sit over-night. Or maybe done the night before an oil change to wash the gunk out.

 

[badtlc]

Originally Posted By: philipp10
What about some type of aftermarket system that the car owner could add that would "T" into the PCV line and periodically spray a cleaner thru the system. I suppose it would be best if done on a cold engine and left to sit over-night. Or maybe done the night before an oil change to wash the gunk out.


The deposits on the valves are very hard. Misting cleaners isn't enough. People have tried very strong cleaners using a seafoam type application method to no avail. if there are some soft deposits those get cleaned but that hard buildup on the valves doesn't budge. Gotta burn it off or manually scrub using harsh cleaners.