1Z/AHU Intake Manifold Cleanse - few questions

[8v-of-fury]

I have a few questions regarding the removal and cleaning process of an AHU intake manifold. I don't want to go super crazy with this (like taking off other things and cleaning them up too) because it is mid-swap.. and touching anything else and breaking it further delay's my swap time! lol

So for the basics, the manifold comes off and needs cleaning as it is quite constricted in the intake neck. Catlin just did his, but he has the luxury of unbolting his EGR (ALH motor) whereas I do not. I cannot use the torch method, so what do I do? I had a suggestion of soaking it in diesel overnight, but I am worried it may attack the same rubber seals the heat will...

What should I do to best clean this out

Thanks guys

[8v-of-fury]

This is what I'm working with;

[R.O.R-2.0]

pd 150 intake!

[8v-of-fury]

So I'm sitting in my garage right now with my tdi on the engine stand.. I've got the intake off and the ports in the head are also really gummed up.. now this doesn't hugely concern me as it ran fine before I pulled it even with clogged intake. So doing the intae alone will really waken this beast up I'm sure.

I don't want to risk any of that crap falling in to the cylinders so ill leave it as is..

still need to know the best way to clean this manifold if heat won't work

Thanks guys!!

[theman53]

Torch and compressed air. I saw a youtube video of it and that is how I would do it needed.

If you could scrape or sand/abrade the stuff and use a shop vac to pull anything out that falls you could do the head too.

[8v-of-fury]

Yes Lucas, but with the mk3 AHU TDI intake;




See that port on the back side of the intake? Its got a the rubber EGR valve inside of it.. and the torch method will not act well with it Unlike the ALH and PD manifolds, the egr is integral to the AHU intake manifolds.

[8v-of-fury]

I've got it soaking in some organic cleaner (good for rubber seals and especially environment lol)

Also I don't see why deleting the EGR would have any CEL effect.. There isn't any sensors or anything to alert the computer that the EGR has been removed..

[Vincent Waldon]

The ECU measures engine airflow via the MAF, and when it doesn't see the additional airflow it expects with an open EGR it says "aha!!!!!!!!"

That's why you can't trick an ECU delete with a resistor or some such...the ECU is looking for a dynamic condition.

[8v-of-fury]

I SEE! Interesting.. Well as you said Vince, there is no point deleting it anyhow.. so a clean in some degreaser will do

[Vincent Waldon]

Yuppers... I think you'll find that soaking in degreaser works well.  You will probably have to poke it with a wooden stick a bit... some folks rig up a chunk of randomly bent coathanger on the power drill and run it around like a roto-rooter.

[CRSMP5]

rget to warm up the cleaner.. and dude.. gotta do head ports.. not doing them is like well not cleaning anything..

[superspringer]

Paint stripper (like nitromoors) and a pressure washer will do the trick in 10 mins!

[8v-of-fury]

If I do the head ports I gotta pull the cam.. and then i gotta get a new VC gasket, and then i gotta do other s***. I've never pulled a CAMshaft

[maxfax]

IF you can do the timing belt, you can pull the cam.. The belt would be the most involved part of the process..    You could also just do one cylinder at a time, spin 'er over till the valve is closed..

[8v-of-fury]

FRIGG.. How do you go about keeping time on the TDI's? Timing belt and tensioner are verified new (~3000kms on them) from a shop work-order under the seat of the parts car lol.

I like your other idea there Brett, spin the engine around till each valve is shut.. makes super sense.  How do i make sure i get all the stuff outta the intake port? What do you suggest i use to clean that? obviously no solvent.. a small wire wheel on one of those cool bendy drill/screw driver attachments? lol