Solution: dirty valves and decarboning your engine.

[sdpatt]

I read this topic with interest, but am surprised to hear of the magnitude of the carbon buildup on the valves. The 49-state 3.0L without the EGR may not be as affected. In the 5 (soon to be 6) services where I have had the intake off my engine, I have never seen the accumulation of carbon on the valves, only a soft coating on the intake ports that was not cleansed by the fuel spray from the injectors.

That last point is what I wanted to share. I have seen evidence that the use of name brand gasolines (Shell, Chevron, Exxon, etc.) has continued to keep the internals of my engine quite clean. Every surface that the fuel touches appears clean to the metal. The remaining accumulations in the intake ports are easily wiped off with an intake cleaner and a shop cloth during the valve gap adjustment service. Use good fuel.

 

[itwonder]

I read this topic with interest, but am surprised to hear of the magnitude of the carbon buildup on the valves. The 49-state 3.0L without the EGR may not be as affected. In the 5 (soon to be 6) services where I have had the intake off my engine, I have never seen the accumulation of carbon on the valves, only a soft coating

Maybe the more frequent attention helps. I'm having the first look at mine in 185K, I'm sure servicing dealer never paid it any mind. My SHO is a non-egr car. We've run name brand 92 octane fuel for the most part, usually BP/Amoco, Exxon, or Shell.

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

Scott: I agree fuel is the key. Note that I have a california egr car (or rather it used to be ) I did manage to get a picture of my valve which shows the soft gel like nature of the buildup. It was crusty before.

This is better than it was before I added atf to the fuel. Understand this is a 110k egr car that I have only had for 5k. My last car was not an egr car, but was driven alot on short trips. The valves had alot of carbon on the top of the valves, like plaque. Your 340k sho gets a good deal of highway miles to clean out the gunk. The convention trip will clean this thing out good.

 

[Shoaz]

The convention trip will clean this thing out good.

I'd recommend some of the Redline Fuel System Cleaner for the trip. It won't dork up the octane/volatility like ATF will, and since you'll be filling up repeatedly it'll probably make quick work of anything downstream from the injectors (which includes the valve tops).

 

[GreenShoOwner]

It sounded wrong to me (down right scary). The car started fine, and didnt burn a cloud of smoke.

What did it sound like? And did it sound like that for the whole 3/4 tank?

Thanks!

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

What did it sound like? And did it sound like that for the whole 3/4 tank?

Thanks!

The phrase refered to the "idea" of putting the atf in the tank. That idea sounded scary. The engine sounded fine.

 

[Rockledge]

ATF is a light weight oil to start with. Same as the other OTC upper cylinder lubes available.

Right. Which is why it's probably better to stick with something that's actually made for cleaning the upper engine internals and lubing the fuel pump. My SHO really seems to like the Lucas stuff.

I used to do the "ATF-in-the-crankcase" trick to every used car I ever bought. But now that I've discovered Auto-Rx, I no longer see any need to use ATF like that, either.

 

[LJRuddy]

This is an "old school" trick for decarboning the engine, it seems to work and has been around for years. However, I would not suggest doing it at all in a FI car nor while on the track with a NA car. The added ATF greatly lowers the effective octane rating of fuel.

when i bought a junkyard SHO engine, it had sat for about 2 years without being ran. So when i manually rotated the engine with the heads off (had the heads being worked on... Stuck valve) One or more of the pistons had built up a small amount of surface rust preventing them from rotating. So my grandpa poured each cylinder full of ATF and let it sit overnight. The next day, we blew the remaining ATF out with an air hose and turned it over by hand... It turned like new!

Id definitely try ATF in the tank and oil sometime.

 

[SHOZ123]

Right. Which is why it's probably better to stick with something that's actually made for cleaning the upper engine internals and lubing the fuel pump. My SHO really seems to like the Lucas stuff.

I used to do the "ATF-in-the-crankcase" trick to every used car I ever bought. But now that I've discovered Auto-Rx, I no longer see any need to use ATF like that, either.

I'm a firm believer in the Auto-RX too. Just bought three bottles at their cheapest ever Fathers day special a couple of weeks ago. But it won't do much for lubrication like ATF will . The best engine cleaner and "power restorer" there is for sure though.

 

[GreenShoOwner]

The phrase refered to the "idea" of putting the atf in the tank. That idea sounded scary. The engine sounded fine.

OK, thank you!

 

[n8rsk8r]

So what is the results? Yes to ATF in fuel or not?! Not knocking you F22, just asking, maybe put a poll up?? I will try it on the S10 this weekend.... maybe.

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

Just completed my tank of atf enriched fuel....no problems, no knocking, no smoking no problems. I say go for it.

 

[n8rsk8r]

Just completed my tank of atf enriched fuel....no problems, no knocking, no smoking no problems. I say go for it.

I will do! Hey how much to what? 1 quart to the tank? Yeah I think that is right. When the sho is running again, I will drop some in her too.

 

[tominos]

so where can we get more info on running atf in the engine to clean it out? will this help the engine run smoother? i have an old mazda i could try it on.

 

[SHOZ123]

Might try searching or posting over at the Bob oil guy site


http://theoildrop.server101.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?Cat=0

 

[n8rsk8r]

I don't know if I believe Bob the Oil guy. He did the Lucas Oil research, but I think his experiment is faulty. Sure anyone can make "mayonnaise" out of oil if they hook it to an electric beater. There is nothing in there about how an engine truly works (heat and speeds/variations) . my $.02

 

[keny_kimmel]

I went ahead and did it. People in the GI Joes parking lot looked at me funny and I just said, "Yeah, it's a modded Taurus with a big two-stroke diesel in it." I burned through an entire tank this weekend and I can honestly say that after it burned out all that crap and that I'm now into my straight-gas tank I have not seen any black carbon crapola on my tailpipes.

NOW, I know that yes, there could have been stuff from the oil, BUT everything stopped collecting on the exhaust tip since I put this last tank in. It feels smoother, and did not burn as much fuel in the 60+ miles I put on it on the free way.

 

[F-22 Raptor SHO]

I went ahead and did it. People in the GI Joes parking lot looked at me funny and I just said, "Yeah, it's a modded Taurus with a big two-stroke diesel in it." I burned through an entire tank this weekend and I can honestly say that after it burned out all that crap and that I'm now into my straight-gas tank I have not seen any black carbon crapola on my tailpipes.

NOW, I know that yes, there could have been stuff from the oil, BUT everything stopped collecting on the exhaust tip since I put this last tank in. It feels smoother, and did not burn as much fuel in the 60+ miles I put on it on the free way.

we have a winah!

 

[gmorrell]

I'd recommend some of the Redline Fuel System Cleaner for the trip. It won't dork up the octane/volatility like ATF will, and since you'll be filling up repeatedly it'll probably make quick work of anything downstream from the injectors (which includes the valve tops).

I've always been a big promoter of Redline SI-1 injector cleaner. I started using it in the early '90's on my SHO when I noticed some intake valve deposits. Continuous usage at their recommended dosage completely cleaned the valves of deposits in <10K miles.

One bottle treats 100 gallons of fuel, you can dump in a whole bottle for a quick cleanup. I use it religiously in all the cars, track and daily drivers; they all have no deposits and several have gone beyond 100K miles with no need for injector cleanings. SI-1 is getting difficult to find at retail, so I buy it by the case from Racer Wholesale, less expensive to boot.

I've known about using ATF since the 1970's, it has a high concentration of detergents, which is why it effects a quick cleanup. Probably doesn't hurt anything, but I wouldn't run it continuously in either the fuel or the crankcase.

Gary M.

 

[keny_kimmel]

The best way to keep the stuff of the uper cylinder is to run good gas an every oil change just put in a bottle of good reputable injector cleaner/fuel treatment.