I tried down the street and no one chimed in..


Do any of you guys ever walnut blast behind the valves with the head still on? My old car has 350k miles and has always had the fart sniffer working. (fed spec, but been living in california) I took a poke through the EGR hole with a long screwdriver and I pulled out a big chunk of MUCK like I've never seen. So I am planning on puling the intake for a look and thinking if it's all ****ted up, I'd load up the bead blaster with some nuts and clean it out. Thoughts?


And no, I'm not stupid enough to buy a 400 dollar vacuum.

https://youtu.be/svUiSNrTHkQ?si=c1fsPValSNkO65LR

The EGR’s vacuum valve may be shot. If you have a hand pump I would see if it still works

The SS tube is probably packed. I would just soak the tube in diesel or kerosene. If the intake is crudely too I would just soak it too. I think walnut shells mixed with tar-like goo is going to be a bigger mess. Just my thoughts

I removed my EGR and just got a non EGR intake and exhaust manifold to avoid the whole EGR deal. I understand your state’s emission rules may not allow this, however.

Member Greazzer spoke well, goo mixed with walnut hulls=A MESS. Spray intake
manifold with engine cleaner and wash out at self car wash.
On the head with the valves closed I used a plastic spoon, can grind to fit better, than spray carb cleaner, wiping out with a rag followed with cleaner and blowing out with compressor air.
Note; can now do some porting work on intake manifold and some on head.

I've got my EGR blanked off and I'll weld up the holes when it's off the car. The manifold, I can put through the ultrasonic cleaner. I'm in Texas and my county is no emissions testing. Strange my state isn't showing here. I'll have to fix that.

I can try the dissolving spray, but that stuff is pretty worthless in my experience. Goo or not, nothing is going to stick around with 130psi of air shot at it with an abrasive mixed in.

Anyone shooting walnut shells around here???

I walnut blasted the valves on my other car (a DI engine). It was fine...messy, just gotta make sure they are closed (and the open valve taped off). I have a 50gal compressor and a harbor freight media blaster...they also sell walnut shells at a pretty reasonable price.


The job is straightforward...my only advice is get a plastic sheet and isolate the workspace as much as you can. The walnut shells and carbon get into every nook and cranny, its a messy job.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Here are a couple shots of my OM642 EGR cleanup. Rather than walnut, I used soda blasting which worked well. I had to soak the intakes in parts cleaner then run a few rounds in a ultrasonic to get the sludge out, but it was beautiful afterward!

Intakes


Just make sure the valves are closed on the ports you are blasting! I soaked the valves in cleaner, then sucked out as much as I could with a extractor, this way I could be sure the valves were closed before hitting it with the soda. I ran a cheap-o shopvac near the holes, with plastic over everything except the hole I was blasting. Nice thing about soda is you just wash it all away and don't have shells all over the yard afterward.

Nice work folks! I can't see anything wrong with performing this. When I pull my intake, I'll be sure to post photos. After 352k miles, I bet it's gonna be epic!

In California, diesel cars from 1997 and earlier do not need a smog check.

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1984 300SD 300,000 miles--two tank WVO setup
2.88 diff & 500SEL anti-squat rear end

When I cleaned the intake valves on my '97 606 I used a spoon tipped spatula which worked well. I found most of the junk to be on the head around the valves and not on the valves themselves. With the intake manifold off it was an easy job.

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'97 E 300 D