[carve]

I have an 07 335i with 78k. Running a JB+. It feels less sprightly than in its youth and I think it needs the intake valves cleaned.

Walnut blast is the best bet, but expensive. I was wondering if anyone has tried cleaning the valves by letting some kind of fuel system cleaner into the intake. It could be done seafoam style through the vac line (and a VERY small orifice or capillary tube to only let a little in), or perhaps you could mix it with water and methanol and inject it with some kind of temporary spray system, like a garden spray tank, and go on a hard drive and manually spray some in under high load.

I'm also curious about installing a methanol system (it's dry and can get warm where I live) and adding fuel system cleaner to the methanol tank.

Anyway try this? Risky. Is it even possible to clean the valves over time with something like this, or would it just help to keep already clean valves clean?

[mxchris727]

Just spraying chemicals will not help at all. You need to go in with brushes or a walnut blast.

[madmantwo]

I cleaned mine once by soaking and scrubbing the valves with seafoam and Chemtool B12 and gun-cleaning brushes. Was messy, took forever, and I paid someone to walnut blast them the next time it needed to be done. But it did work ok

[MysticRob]

I can imagine this type of spray regimen working on slightly gummed up valves if done constantly, but with so many contaminant possibilities (PCV, turbo seals, etc) over so many miles, your best bet is to walnut blast every 30k miles or so. Once your valves get to a certain point there's no good liquid solution to remove it all, just compressed air and blasting media.

[Jklad]

Originally Posted by madmantwo

I cleaned mine once by soaking and scrubbing the valves with seafoam and Chemtool B12 and gun-cleaning brushes. Was messy, took forever, and I paid someone to walnut blast them the next time it needed to be done. But it did work ok

I did that too my first time and it was a PIA. I'm happy to pay $400 for someone else to do it.

[catcher22]

won't really work.

[dreyo27]

I used it when i was doing walnut blasting. I blasted. Then soaked it for 30min in that. Then wire brushed it. Then blasted it again.

It does help with carbon, but only when its submerged in that for 30 min.

[NoQuarter]

Do you have an outdoor grill or smoker you cook on?

Take some cleaner and spray on the gunkiest part of the inside if the grill and watch it magically disolve and become perfectly clean! ... Probably not.

[STR8-6IX]

you'll be best off just getting a walnut blast.

[PhxN54]

If you're near Phoenix, AZ, I can do a walnut cleaning and hook you up on a good price.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

You can clean the valves by "hand" so to speak with chemicals and a brush. It's a pain to do, messy and not fun.

That being said, if you have the time and means it can work.

The walnut blast is a much more efficient method of cleaning and gets them near 100% clean in comparison.