umrdyldo

iTrader: (1)

I'm sure they are pretty bad like everyone elses.

I split my work between 2 days. 1st day was a couple hours of just removing the manifold.

Read the how to on removing manifold and the how to on doing this work. Double and triple check that you have all tools before starting.

It's an 8 to 12 hour job depending on how thorough you are. It's not hard and if you take lots of precaution and read through those threads for tips, it's just a slow process.

A second person helps a ton.

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

Like others have said Rissa, mine had 32,000 miles on them and i couldn't believe how bad they were. Cant wait to fire it up and see how it idles as it was starting to pull down a little on the stupid cat warmup cycle.

frdfandc

Going to have to look into this for my LNF HHR. Looks like a spring project since I'm sitting at 75k right now.

trainplane3

What if we get the PCV system and seafoam the car too? Will this clean it a little? I don't have the resources to blast my valves so that would be as close as I could get.

Powell Race Parts

iTrader: (3)

seafoam wont help. If you dont have resources, look for help. you live in pittsburgh talk to mongo rat. Hwe can help you I bet. You can buy a good head like new for 400 from him and get it put it on for another 400 with gaskets. you can buy an inlet manifold gasket for a few bucks, pull the IM yourself and scrape the valves by hand softening the carbon with GM solvent, a long and painful process with picks and scrapers but possible and its your labor.

the pcv upgrade is 395 you can install it yourself at the same time...

Powell Race Parts

iTrader: (3)

the car I cleaned two weeks ago is now running fine and all the codes have turned off and stayed away.
clean valves PCV uograde to keep them clean

q.e.d.

trainplane3

I actually never thought about asking Mongo. I already contacted a local place, FJ Performance, and they said they can't do it. Also a good friend that works at a dealer said he can't either. I know I gotta get this done, I just gotta find someone or someplace to do it.

I also mentioned the frame rails that you make to my dad. He wants to make a trip up there one day when we have time and let you set the car up with all kinds of fun stuff. If we did that, then you could do the valves too right? That wouldn't be for some time though.

Powell Race Parts

iTrader: (3)

for sure I can do it. its a fun job, like painting. Lots of prep, the actual work itself isnt that long,and lots of clean up.sway bars are cake to install, as are cabs, relatively providing you have a hoist. Come to think of it, I have a brand new LNF head complete with valves etc..

bmartz1991

iTrader: (35)

Sounds like a nice little vacation to me. Make the trip up across the border, get the valves cleaned, PVC upgrade installed and get some suspension goodies put on the car.

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

trainplane- i used seafoam to loosen the buildup, after i pulled the intake off. Like John said- you have to pull the intake either way. You will spend lots of time scraping it off this way. Fired up the car tonight and it idles smooth as silk now.

Powell Race Parts

iTrader: (3)

Props to u Nova, what did u use to scrape? I feel like I need to go raid the dentists office for tools for this, so please share, so I can go buy some more tools (lol) if you have found a good way to do it. I also find that the build up on the inlet ports is incredible. It really is a scandal all the automakers rushed out with this DI stuff and ignored the long term durability deal...

umrdyldo

iTrader: (1)

For reference I went to Harbor Freight and got a bunch of these. Worked great. Never broke.
6 Piece Pick Set

Powell Race Parts

iTrader: (3)

good find. looks long enough to do the job. dentists work lol

tomj77

iTrader: (2)

Princess auto in Winnipeg sells those for a few bucks.

krispy

I got myself a shitty borescope, may check out my 85k LNF this weekend if I can get the scope in the intake easily

cw383

iTrader: (6)

The Picks dont scratch the valves?

Powell Race Parts

iTrader: (3)

pics should not scratch the valves they are pretty darn hard and the pics are pretty darn cheap and soft
I prefer walnut media blasting but the pics will help you find some stuff you missed. I use special tips to get in the back of the valves, and these pics will confirm what is gone. You are using GM carbon cleaner or some similar stuff to soften the carbon I think. Nova did it this way just with pics

63 Nova SS

iTrader: (3)

i used about the same pics that were pictured plus i bought 1 made for cleaning teeth at walmart that was longer. Like i say, walnut blasting is the cats meow, but the other way also works, albeit very slowly. The carbon on the valves isn't super hard so all you need is something to soften it. Gumout would probably also work. I also ran a fibered small detail pad down the ports with my dremel tool with the extension to clean them up. I will try and post some before and after's. Now that i have powells separator installed im hoping i wont have to do it again.