Really gummed up intake, under the intake manifold. Advice?

[csp]

For heavy, grimy deposits I remove as much grit/grime as I can with a putty knife/other scraping tools followed by your choice of degreaser and a spray at the car wash.

Simple green is probably the least reactive with aluminum. Be careful with Super Clean/Purple Power as it will etch aluminum if you leave it on too long. Oven cleaner is a great degreaser (it's caustic lye in a spray can), but you can't leave it on aluminum for more than a few minutes.

I would clean the barbs off that nick with a file and leave it alone beyond that. It's not a pressurized seal and not a perfect seal from the factory to begin with.

 

[Rock_Rat]

Thanks.

How should I clean the valve covers? A bucket with soap and water? They are covered in grime on the outside, but I want the gasket channel to be clean as well.

New problem; it's always something. I scored the side of the PCV grommet hole, as I was removing the PCV grommet. Yeah, I'm an idiot. Anyways. What should I do about it? Can I put some FIPG in there as I install the new grommet? JP Weld - probably a bad idea.

Dang those are dirty! Brake clean as well or paint thinner (AKA parts cleaaner). Soap and water won't touch them. Don't bead blast either!

Honestly I wouldn't worry about the scored PCV hole in the valve cover. The new one will seal it up just fine. NO FIPG or JB Weld.

EDIT:Yea and what [MENTION=107811]csp[/MENTION] said is good too.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Cool. Thanks guys.
Update... I took my valve covers into the driveway and hit them with a power sprayer to get the bulk of the grime and grit off. I will take a brush and some Simple Green to them to get them all sparkly clean. I also pried the spark plug seals out using a small screwdriver. I put a couple nicks in some of the holes around them, but I'm not too worried.

 

[Rock_Rat]

Cool. Thanks guys.
Update... I took my valve covers into the driveway and hit them with a power sprayer to get the bulk of the grime and grit off. I will take a brush and some Simple Green to them to get them all sparkly clean. I also pried the spark plug seals out using a small screwdriver. I put a couple nicks in some of the holes around them, but I'm not too worried.

No problem there. Use OEM tube seals. I bought NAPA once and you could feel the difference. Cheap rubber and you could tell it was a cheap aftermarket tube seal. I immediately returned them. They don't cost much, even from a dealer.

Do you remember how they came off? If not you'll be asking the same question I've seen before..."Which way do these go in?" Hopefully you've taken a ton of photos and downloaded them on your computer.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

No problem there. Use OEM tube seals. I bought NAPA once and you could feel the difference. Cheap rubber and you could tell it was a cheap aftermarket tube seal. I immediately returned them. They don't cost much, even from a dealer.

Do you remember how they came off? If not you'll be asking the same question I've seen before..."Which way do these go in?" Hopefully you've taken a ton of photos and downloaded them on your computer.

I remember how they came out, but the replacements are shaped differently. The ones in the kit I got are Beck Arnley. I'm guessing that the rounded side faces the valves?

 

[mtbtim]

I remember how they came out, but the replacements are shaped differently. The ones in the kit I got are Beck Arnley. I'm guessing that the rounded side faces the valves?

I'd take the advice [MENTION=116467]Rock_Rat[/MENTION] gave you. I wouldn't use aftermarket Spark Plug Tube Seals. In case others are reading your thread and are curious about the removal and installation of the tube seals, go to 13:28 play time on [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and my video. We cover the tube seal removal and replacement.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N5fAXAuGozI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Rock_Rat]

I'd take the advice [MENTION=116467]Rock_Rat[/MENTION] gave you. I wouldn't use aftermarket Spark Plug Tube Seals. In case others are reading your thread and are curious about the removal and installation of the tube seals, go to 13:28 play time on [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and my video. We cover the tube seal removal and replacement.

Nice of you guys to take the time and put this video together. I don't think you needed to actually bend your tabs on the valve cover. I was able to leave mine untouched and unscarred. But yea, definitely OEM! Keep up the good work!

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

I'd take the advice [MENTION=116467]Rock_Rat[/MENTION] gave you. I wouldn't use aftermarket Spark Plug Tube Seals. In case others are reading your thread and are curious about the removal and installation of the tube seals, go to 13:28 play time on [MENTION=102606]infamousRNR[/MENTION] and my video. We cover the tube seal removal and replacement.

I bought a set of seals from Beck Arnley. I'm not going to now buy all the OEM parts instead. I will work through it with what I have.

 

[Rock_Rat]

I bought a set of seals from Beck Arnley. I'm not going to now buy all the OEM parts instead. I will work through it with what I have.

Yup, won't hurt a thing. No need to break your tabs off on your valve cover.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Here's where I'm at. The parts have arrived - intake manifold gaskets, throttle body gasket, and a replacement half-moon. It was not clear to me whether the intake manifold could be easily removed with the valve covers in place, so I am taking the manifold off while I have it exposed. In the picture below, I have just removed the bolts for the fuel rails and pulled them off the injectors. Next step is to remove the bolts holding the intake manifold and figure out how to move the fuel rails out of the way as I get the manifold off the engine.

Typing out loud here, it looks like the fuel rail bolts are torqued to 71 in/lbs and the intake manifold bolts are 13 ft/lbs.

 

[mtbtim]

Please post photos and let us know how you got the intake manifold out past the fuel rails. Just thinking maybe I'll be taking mine off one day too.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Please post photos and let us know how you got the intake manifold out past the fuel rails. Just thinking maybe I'll be taking mine off one day too.

Sure, happy to. I should be doing that later today.

 

[infamousRNR]

Nice of you guys to take the time and put this video together. I don't think you needed to actually bend your tabs on the valve cover. I was able to leave mine untouched and unscarred. But yea, definitely OEM! Keep up the good work!

You might not need to bend up your tabs, however if you follow the Toyota service manuals instructions, it does say to do this. If you can get them out without bending the tabs great! If not, just bend the tabs a little. We didn't scar mine at all.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Please post photos and let us know how you got the intake manifold out past the fuel rails. Just thinking maybe I'll be taking mine off one day too.

Hey Tim. Here is a little description of what I went through to get the intake manifold off. I hope it helps
Removing the Intake Manifold

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Ok guys, what now? I bought a gallon of Purple Power. I will mix it with water and use it to clean the intake manifold, but there's more... The intake ports look even worse. They are caked with grunge! Take a look at the photos. Is there a way to clean them without tearing further into the engine? What should I do to clean them, or should I leave them as is? I'm worried that I could be knocking junk into the cylinders (onto the valves). What about leaving them as is and using Sea Foam to make some progress?

My thought was to soak paper towels in brake cleaner, and wipe them down in order to keep the junk from falling deeper and onto the valves. What if a little bit of the pieces do fall onto the valves? It'll go into the cylinder and be burned, right? I also have throttle body cleaner, which seems like pretty caustic stuff.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

Can anyone help with ideas on how to clean this without letting pieces of debris get onto the valves?

 

[mtbtim]

Maybe just multiple applications of Sea Foam via the throttle body once the engine is back together. I don't know if I would want to risk breaking free any big chunks that would get stuck somewhere that wasn't good for the engine. Sea Foam cleans carbon deposits on the tops of pistons, maybe it would do something for all that buildup you got. And, maybe all the buildup won't do anything major to hurt the performance of the engine. The engine does have quite a few miles so I wouldn't do anything unproven that could make matters worse and lessen the life you got left in that engine.

 

[csp]

The 3M cleaner I mentioned on pg. 1 would have made a serious dent on all of it without removing any parts.

 

[ShooterMcGavin]

I agree with you, I think that is probably the safest bet. I'm just concerned that the Seafoam needs high heat to work properly, and it might not get hot enough at the intake ports to make it effective. Still, your idea is good.

I'm also considering stuffing a paper towel deep into each intake port and then using Purple Power on another paper towel to wipe as much sludge off as I can. Then, when I take the inner paper towel out, it should bring any fallen debris. Maybe?

Here's my progress...
Before:


After: (after more than an hour of applying a diluted mixture of Purple Power and water, and scrubbing with a tooth brush)

 

[mtbtim]

Wow, you got your intake manifold pretty clean. You know, instead of using paper towels to block any sludge or chucks going down further into the engine, how about cutting up one or two thick car washing sponges as a backing. A piece of sponge can be crammed in and also be absorbent to catch any purple power run-off. You might have to stop a couple times to wring out the sponges, but it may be a better blocker than paper towels. If there's any chucks on the tops of the sponges, maybe you could use a shop vac with a narrow adapter to suck out any debris before removing the sponges.