So there is no need for walnut shit going everywhere? This is good news

The walnut blasting is still going to produce the best results. You can get good results with just cleaners, but expect to spend some more time per cylinder to get a result worth the effort.

The only benefit of walnut blasting is faster process. You can get just as clean with cleaners and picks.

I should have worded that better, but I'm running almost no sleep due to my little one. Like I said in one of my earlier post, I did the pick/cleaner/brush method and it turned out great, just took longer than blasting it would have.

cleaning up the walnut shells may take longer LOL. plus, I have a friend with me so we can tackle 2 cylinders at once.

It's really not that big of a mess if you blast for a bit then vacuum out, and while you're blasting hold the vacuum line near the intake runner you're blasting. Then after you get done you'll have a bit to vacuum around the engine bay depending on how well you taped everything off, and some on the floor that you'll keep finding for awhile

I'll run it by my buddy. his lift his garage hahaha. I was thinking shells because it cleans everywhere easy. just obnoxious prep work

So for those who soak overnight, do you soak 3 cylinders one night and then the 4th cylinder the next night? I thought you couldn't get all valves closed at the same time.

I don't know how else you do it. But that's a long ass time to have the car down.

I guess soak over night, soak up cleaner in morning out of 3 cylinders, rotate engine, start soaking other cylinder while cleaning other cylinders.

I have like 5 methods of transportation (see sig), so downtime isn't a big thing for me hahaha

Cleaner washing the oil film from the cylinder walls is a worry I'd have.

As far as i could tell the 3 cylinders have valves that are closed. If your valve seats are good, then the fluid should not leak into the cylinder.

If your valve seats are bad you would likely be seeing other issues.

If there is some gunk build up on the valve seat, which wouldn't take much for a solvent to work its way through. Just my own thinking, I used a little bit of solvent but mostly walnut blast because it is leaps and bounds faster than solvent.

yeah the solvent really wasn't as useful as the walnut blasting

I didn't soak overnight. No need to.

I also cranked engine over for a second for the last 2 valves to clean them. Very easy. Don't overthink it.

Your making me not dread this job as much. I thought it was gonna be awful

I did it the same way as no_ss, it's really not that bad once you get going.

the job itself is easy.

I lost my access to a lift. I had a hell of a time getting the lower charge pipe on and off but I'm sure that's just my lack of skill.

I need to clean my valves again, but dread it. For no reason really.

I'll probably just soak mine with BG 44K instead of screwing with walnut shells everywhere.

when we did my car and Ecaulks, I don't have a lift. However the Lower CP is a bitch to remove. I cut mine in half to make it easier to remove.

I just took removed my coupler from my throttle body, didn't remove the charge pipe at all, just plugged it with a rag. But I also don't know why you guys have such a hard time with the lower charge pipe. I didn't have a problem at all when I removed my stock and installed my new one. I didn't use a lift.

At about 95,300 miles now and time to clean the valves again. I'll repost original images in the thread since the links are no good.

When I first took on the valves at 72,818 miles. 53k had no air/oil separator and the rest was with Powell's version 2 (no PCV mod)
Attachment 62656

My lousy attempt at cleaning
Attachment 62657

What they look like after 23k more miles
Attachment 62658

My better attempt at cleaning
Attachment 62659

Haven't driven it yet. I'll put it back together tomorrow. I used carburetor cleaner this time with picks and cotton swabs. The carb cleaner melted the carbon off. I didn't let the ports soak extremely long, maybe 5 minutes each time. I soaked them at least 3-4 times. I'm happy I got them this clean, but I'm disturbed by how much oil has accumulated even with the air/oil separator. I got cylinder 4 misfires the other morning with high RPM high load. The spark plug looked great and I think this carbon was the reason. It was bad on that cylinder, too. I'll upgrade to Powell's newest version of the air/oil separator if it'll prevent this. It's saddening to have this as regular maintenance.

I hate to break it to you, but I had powell V3 (the one that modifies the PCV stuff) and it looked marginally better, but I had 10k less miles. And we're not alone.

I recently swapped an LDK into my car and decided against PCV changes. I'd rather run the stock pcv and clean after 30-40k than constantly worry about a complicated setup and leaks and filters etc etc. There's tons of GM cars out there with no solution for this, I think being proactive in cleaning is the only true solution (without getting into custom multi can setups). Simplicity > all else. Mine's a DD, I feel much better not worrying about it.

Also, GM Top Engine Cleaner works wonders, costs $17 on amazon, and you shouldn't use the whole can (I didn't when I cleaned mine at 113k miles). I rinse with carb cleaner but didn't feel comfortable cleaning with it around valve seals.

I am just going to plan to do this every 2 years. I'll get some of that GM cleaner for next time so I can safely submerge the entire valve. I didn't completely fill the ports with carb cleaner and the seals weren't submerged. I'd like to see a 5th injector solution, but that's going to be another costly approach.