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What chemical to use to clean manifold gunk

S

seanyb505

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Simpsonville, SC
I just picked up a 99 manifold but it is full of buildup along the insides of the runners, and the outside too. What is the best chemical/method to clean this out? Thanks - Sean
 
If the manifold is off the vehicle, Castrol Super Clean will take it off in a heartbeat.
 
yes it is not on the vehicle, I dont want to put it on only to have all this crap go through my engine. What is the best place to pick some of th stuff up? thanks
 
Autozone has it in the smaller spray bottle. Walmart has it in gallons.
 
They also make a carb dip. It comes in a gallon can. Works great.
 
5-90 said:
Super Clean should be available at a hardware store or a parts house....
Click to expand...
Are you sure? How about in California? I haven't been able to find Super Clean here in SoCal. Maybe I am not looking hard enough, but a lot of super duper chemicals are no-no in California.:confused:
 
Oven cleaner cleaned mine right up. You want it really clean especiallly if you port match it and grind down the injector bosses. I cleaned mine quick and then ported it and that black gook collected all the metal shavings. I let the oven cleaner soak and it took it all out. I can't wait till the header comes in so I can see if this chunk of aluminum helps.
 
twoksl2 said:
sandblaster will work pretty good for most of it to.
Click to expand...
not such a hot idea on an intake manifold :eyes:

I probably go after it with some carb cleaner or brake cleaner
 
Maz said:
Are you sure? How about in California? I haven't been able to find Super Clean here in SoCal. Maybe I am not looking hard enough, but a lot of super duper chemicals are no-no in California.:confused:
Click to expand...

Super Clean is a sort of hopped-up version of Simple Green, and shouldn't be too hard to find (I know about the CalEPA restrictions on anything useful. I'm amazed I can still find naptha, turpentine, or denatured alcohol anymore...)

You can also use Simple Green - you'll just need more of it. And, oven cleaner can also work well (as mentioned earlier,) just spray it in and let the part sit out in the sun for a half-hour or so. Rinse thoroughly.
 
5-90 said:
Super Clean is a sort of hopped-up version of Simple Green, and shouldn't be too hard to find (I know about the CalEPA restrictions on anything useful. I'm amazed I can still find naptha, turpentine, or denatured alcohol anymore...)

You can also use Simple Green - you'll just need more of it. And, oven cleaner can also work well (as mentioned earlier,) just spray it in and let the part sit out in the sun for a half-hour or so. Rinse thoroughly.
Click to expand...

Thanks 5-90.
I use Simple Green most of the time. As for oven cleaner, I have used it in the past, when I had to. But, it is some nasty stuff; very hard on paint, rubber, and discolors aluminum.

Cheers .. Maz
 
Maz said:
Thanks 5-90.
I use Simple Green most of the time. As for oven cleaner, I have used it in the past, when I had to. But, it is some nasty stuff; very hard on paint, rubber, and discolors aluminum.

Cheers .. Maz
Click to expand...

Yeah - but I figured you wouldn't mind if the inside of the manifold got discoloured, right? And, if the outside gets stained, you can always paint the thing.:rof:

Even if you don't own guns, you'd still do well to invest in a sectional cleaning rod (especially one that can take shotgun brushes, or can be adapted to them...) and a decent selection of bronze brushes from, say, 9m/m or .38 calibre on up. They can come in all sorts of handy for cleaning various bits that are just otherwise a pain (and while I only use a toothbrush for about three months before it gets "retired," I don't throw it away until it's out of bristles. They work well for detail cleaning, and Nylon is impervious to most solvents...)
 
5-90 said:
Yeah - but I figured you wouldn't mind if the inside of the manifold got discoloured, right? And, if the outside gets stained, you can always paint the thing.:rof:
Click to expand...

You are correct. I just wanted to make sure that someone, after reading about using oven cleaner on here, didn't just spray oven cleaner all over other things for degreasing without some 'heads up.'
 
Carb Cleaner will cut through carbon and oil deposits pretty easily.
 
I would go with carb cleaner, or the gallon size carb cleaner. I have cleaned intakes in the stuff, it works really well considering most intakes are not a straight shot from the intake flange to the head. I find a larger container and pour the cleaner it and let the manifold sit for about a day, then scrub as much carbon out. I wish they didn't have such rough casting from the factory, its just more room for carbon build. Sand blasting would work fine as long as the intakes torn down bare and you really make sure to get every little media particle out.
 
I usually use Chemtool carb and choke cleaner, just spray it on and watch the gunk melt away, i get it at autozone for somethin like $3 for an aerosol can! May take a few spray downs but it usually works pretty good!
 
Wouldn't ya know today I was using a bronze brush, a tooth brush and some carb cleaner on the head I'm working on.
 
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