How do I clean the carbon deposits inside the intake manifold?

I pulled out my intake manifold last week in order to get access to the thermal control valve for installing new silicon vacuum lines. (I also figured that a check up and cleaning of the VOD was in order anyway.) I would like to give the intake manifold a good cleaning and possibly even spray coat it with something to make it look nice and new. I think the exterior is easy enough to deal with, but my real question is how to handle the inside. I've noticed what looks like a very baked on layer of carbon deposits on the inside walls of the manifold ports to the cylinders. I guess my first question should be: Does it even matter? (Perhaps I should just leave it as-is.) If the consensus is to clean it while it is out of the car, then can anyone offer some suggestions on what might remove or help dissolve this stuff?

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Originally Posted by lsoasey

I pulled out my intake manifold last week in order to get access to the thermal control valve for installing new silicon vacuum lines. (I also figured that a check up and cleaning of the VOD was in order anyway.) I would like to give the intake manifold a good cleaning and possibly even spray coat it with something to make it look nice and new. I think the exterior is easy enough to deal with, but my real question is how to handle the inside. I've noticed what looks like a very baked on layer of carbon deposits on the inside walls of the manifold ports to the cylinders. I guess my first question should be: Does it even matter? (Perhaps I should just leave it as-is.) If the consensus is to clean it while it is out of the car, then can anyone offer some suggestions on what might remove or help dissolve this stuff?

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You can leave it if you want. It won't make much difference but to remove it you can try Gunk Engine Cleaner or as a cheaper alternative, oven cleaner. If it is thick you can mechanically remove (scrape) as much as you can first.

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Originally Posted by David T

You can leave it if you want. It won't make much difference but to remove it you can try Gunk Engine Cleaner or as a cheaper alternative, oven cleaner. If it is thick you can mechanically remove (scrape) as much as you can first.

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Thanks for the suggestions, David. I had found the tip of using an oven cleaner product from a couple other online sources (not DeLorean related), but I also found at least one warning about possible damage to the aluminum. I don't personally think damage to the metal surface is likely. Perhaps I'll try this method.

When I had mine off, I sent it to a radiator shop and they soaked it in their tank and it came out like new. Same process they use for cleaning out radiators. It was like $50, not too expensive. I didn't want to mess with cleaning it myself.

The DIY method for this if you do not have a hot tank is with this:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/17491945?w...565912&veh=sem

No where near as potent as the older solutions but it will brake up the deposits just the same. Simply plug off the ports and fill manifold to the top. Let sit over night and rinse.

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Originally Posted by DPI JOSH

The DIY method for this if you do not have a hot tank is with this:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/17491945?w...565912&veh=sem

No where near as potent as the older solutions but it will brake up the deposits just the same. Simply plug off the ports and fill manifold to the top. Let sit over night and rinse.

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Maybe this is something I should know already, but what do you use to plug up the ports?