My Dirty, Dirty Intake (Pic Heavy)

[gringo]

Originally Posted by Coleroad

The proof is not just oil in the can. It is how clean do the intake valves stay. Why does everyone want to dance around that? Obviously I don't have a oil induction problem. My intake is not covered with oil. Why the resistance to take valve pictures with the can installed? I'm not saying the catch can doesn't work. I am saying show the difference it does, or doesn't make as far as carbon buildup. Alice says the valves are perfectly clean after 40,000 miles. If that was the case for me I would have taken pictures, because I would want everyone to know how great it is.

I have an Elite catch can with clean separator on mine and I still can not get a clear answer to how effective the new 2 exit port E2x can is compared to the original 1 exit port can. Now, I'm being told in this thread that it is only 35% effective compared to the 95% effectiveness of the new 2 exit port can. 35%???

Elite does sells a FI upgrade kit which gives you an extra threaded port, fitting, hose and check valve to upgrade the original single exit port into a dual exit port can, but no one here has chimed in to offer any support or advice about it.

[Elite Engineering]

No dancing around any of it. First, there is no way to stop 100% of the coking partially due to the variable valve events GM uses to emulate the EGR valves function as these are no longer used. This opens the intake valves slightly after combustion so some of the burnt gasses back-fill into the area behind the intake valves. Then there is always a small amount of oil that enters the combustion chamber past the piston rings (very slight, but still some) and get past the valve seals as this lubricates the guides.


Now, the pictures are out there, you just have to look....but there are not a ton as very few actually install a proper effective system when brand new, and coking begins in the first few hundred miles and once there is a base, the amount of build-up increases at a more rapid rate. There are tons of other benefits to running one as we have covered in other threads, but for the intake coking alone we will address this.


Here of course is an example of the before and after cleaning done manually (only safe way):





This is a brand new LGX engine with only a few thousand miles and GM's latest changes...so still an issue:





This is a LLT with 28k miles on it, and the dealer Dexos syn blend oil ....NOT a full synthetic that builds far less:





Compared to a LFX (sorry don;t have same LLT with that low of miles to show, but no changes were made in the LLT and LFX PCV systems until 2014) with 32k miles that installed a E2 when only a few thousand miles were on it:





So, to give what your asking, we would have to have 2 identical brand new vehicles, run exactly the same to seat rings when new, and then run exact same oil and drive exact same way to show...and then there are still variables that come into play (how long the engine idled at stop lights, how many miles interstate, etc.) that are beyond control. But the impact is still dramatic.


Hop this helps!

[BadSport340]

How long does it usually take to get the intake manifold off to inspect the valves? I'm at 37k miles on my LFX with no catch can.

The valves are probably looking pretty gunked up and the car definitely feels slower than it did when I got it.

[Coleroad]

Originally Posted by BadSport340

How long does it usually take to get the intake manifold off to inspect the valves? I'm at 37k miles on my LFX with no catch can.

The valves are probably looking pretty gunked up and the car definitely feels slower than it did when I got it.

Fifteen minutes easy. 30 if you really take your time. A few extra minutes if you have the strut brace. The back bolt on the intake won't pull out until you pulled the intake up and forward. I held it up with a small clamp. Till I could pull it out. I didn't have to take my intake off completely. Just lifted it up enough to feed my endoscope in to look at the valves, but that was still almost all the work. I just didn't remove the strut brace, and lift the intake all the way off.

[Kenny Camaro]

The 28k LLT running the GM dexos blend cokes less than a full synthetic like Mobil 1? I thought Elite recommended running full synthetic and changing every 5k miles? Which creates less coking issues?

[gringo]

Originally Posted by Elite Engineering

No dancing around any of it. First, there is no way to stop 100% of the coking partially due to the variable valve events GM uses to emulate the EGR valves function as these are no longer used. This opens the intake valves slightly after combustion so some of the burnt gasses back-fill into the area behind the intake valves. Then there is always a small amount of oil that enters the combustion chamber past the piston rings (very slight, but still some) and get past the valve seals as this lubricates the guides.


Now, the pictures are out there, you just have to look....but there are not a ton as very few actually install a proper effective system when brand new, and coking begins in the first few hundred miles and once there is a base, the amount of build-up increases at a more rapid rate. There are tons of other benefits to running one as we have covered in other threads, but for the intake coking alone we will address this.


Here of course is an example of the before and after cleaning done manually (only safe way):





This is a brand new LGX engine with only a few thousand miles and GM's latest changes...so still an issue:





This is a LLT with 28k miles on it, and the dealer Dexos syn blend oil ....NOT a full synthetic that builds far less:





Compared to a LFX (sorry don;t have same LLT with that low of miles to show, but no changes were made in the LLT and LFX PCV systems until 2014) with 32k miles that installed a E2 when only a few thousand miles were on it:





So, to give what your asking, we would have to have 2 identical brand new vehicles, run exactly the same to seat rings when new, and then run exact same oil and drive exact same way to show...and then there are still variables that come into play (how long the engine idled at stop lights, how many miles interstate, etc.) that are beyond control. But the impact is still dramatic.


Hop this helps!

Since I'm ready to pull the trigger on the $80 FI upgrade kit, how do you add the extra port and check valve with vacuum hose to the original 2 exit port E2 N/A catch can?

I want to do this on mine since this seems to be the most effective solution to reducing coking of the valves in a direct injection application.

[DonM]

[blackswan]

Regarding the Seafoam treatments and others, why not remove intake manifold after warming up and then spray a little directly on valves?

[Kenny Camaro]

Just read through this post again. The whole sea foam and gun cleaner mechanical technique seems rather expensive,time consuming and ineffective. If you have an air compressor, go to harbor freight and buy coarse walnut blast media for 20-25 $ and a blast media gun for 20-25$, get the one with the wide draw tube so it can pull in the he coarse walnut blast media. And you will have a lifetime supply to clean your intake valves. In about 5 minutes per cylinder or so you will have nearly spotlessly clean intake valves. This is the only way to go in my opinion. In April I will be taking my intake off for an inspection and some lower intake manifold porting and will update my " walnut blasting my dirty intake valves" post.

[gringo]

So...if I have the original Elite E2 with one exit port and the Elite clean side separator, is that good enough to reduce coking to most minimal it can be?