Cleaning aluminium inlet manifold

[domrr]

Greetings all,

I have an aluminium cast intake manifold for a Pug 205 GTi.

The inside of the manifold is caked in carbon and oil deposits and access is not what you might call easy!

The net offers various opinions such as carb cleaner, oven cleaner (?) and soaking in petrol.  

Does anyone have a conclusive answer on how to do this - without damaging the aluminium?

I have a decent pressure washer and hand held steamer at my disposal if these can be used?

Thanks in advance 

[Ritchie]

The first route I'd take is a good dose of paraffin / Gunk or suchlike and a good scrub up with a brush, maybe a stiff bottle brush inside the runners. You could always soak it overnight in a bucket / box.
Then a good blast out with the pressure washer and soap.
After that you could always chuck it in the dishwasher when the wifes not looking.

[domrr]

Ha! The dishwasher keeps coming back as an option.

Sadly I want to be able to drive the car once put back together and SWMBO would ensure I was in plaster should I choose the DW option.

Thanks Ritchie

[Ritchie]

Nov 27, 2019 11:54:13 GMT domrr said:

Ha! The dishwasher keeps coming back as an option.

Sadly I want to be able to drive the car once put back together and SWMBO would ensure I was in plaster should I choose the DW option.

Thanks Ritchie

Just do it when she's out, she'll never know.

I've done it loads of times, on the burnt of pot setting remember.

It didn't go so well when I tried to dry the paint on an RGV250 end can in the tumble dryer on the end of a brush shaft though.

[swampy442]

I got a manifold vapour blasted, came back like new

[Ritchie]

^^^^ Sensible option.

[melle]

Gunk is pretty good, but it stinks as hell.

[tristanh]

Oven cleaner, or see is there anyone around with an engine re-con place that would throw it into their hot tank washer.

[93fxdl]

Ttfn Glenn

[slater]

One vote for fire. One vote for all of the above.

[duggers]

Oven cleaner can eat the alloy. Pressure wash it after some engine cleaner action and then soak in a bucket of BIO washing powder and water overnight.
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Then stick in a heavy soil wash in the dishwasher when she's out for the day.

[domrr]

Thanks all!

I really want to try the fire method...but! Perhaps I'll have to source a spare manifold for fun and games!

Will post some pics when I've had a chance to get stuck in.

And maybe sneak in to work for a cheeky borrow of their dishwasher!

[madmog]

Nov 28, 2019 21:56:43 GMT duggers said:

Oven cleaner can eat the alloy. Pressure wash it after some engine cleaner action and then soak in a bucket of BIO washing powder and water overnight.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Then stick in a heavy soil wash in the dishwasher when she's out for the day.

I stuck a greasy manifold in the dishwasher and it cleaned up a treat BUT when I tried the same with a heavily carboned one the white trays in the dishwasher and other painted parts turned a murky grey and never recovered.