Shadys 78k carbon buildup bonanza

[shadycrew31]

My car recently decided it was time for me to give her a good internal clean up via breaking the thermostat. Cleaning these should be fun...

[boomtime]

Is that chocolate in there?

[B8Addict]

My thermostat just went out on me at 58k miles and my SA let me know there was very little carbon buildup. Decided not to get it cleaned since it was $1000CAD and I would have noticed little to no difference he said. Looking forward to seeing what another 20k miles looks like.

[skiptowncat]

Mine looked pretty good at 90k when I changed the pcv.

[rtl5009]

That's just oil vapor condensing on the IC. Not carbon.

[shadycrew31]

Here's a better image. I believe that is carbon.

[BlownOne]

That residue comes off the I/c cores with brake kleen with just a good once over. Also, I believe it's oil, not carbon.

[shadycrew31]

Well I'm not going to argue what the scientific definition of carbon is. But I think we can all agree the sticky black V on the IC core is a large amount of buildup and needs to be cleaned. Thanks for the tip on using brake cleaner, I have tons of that stuff due to owning a rotary lol.

[fromario]

When I hear carbon build up, this is what I think of

http://mdmtechnik.co.uk/blog/rs4-4-2...m-technik-ltd/

[SportVier]

When I hear carbon build up, this is what I think of

http://mdmtechnik.co.uk/blog/rs4-4-2...m-technik-ltd/

Thanks for that. You just gave me a serious RS4-carbon-battle flashback!
"I'm hit! Jesus, I can't feel my intake valves! Medic!!"

[SwankP3RF3ct10n]

That's just oil vapor condensing on the IC. Not carbon.

This correct. The brown is oil vapor all over the cores. Clean it out by running 91% rubbing alcohol through the housing after you take the sensors all off. Just pour it in and slosh it around and pour out until everything looks clean again. Then just let it dry out before putting everything back together.

[fromario]

Thanks for that. You just gave me a serious RS4-carbon-battle flashback!
"I'm hit! Jesus, I can't feel my intake valves! Medic!!"

LOL!! My bad for the PTSD inducing flashback

[shadycrew31]

Ask an ye shall receive. Really hard to get a focused image in there, I'll be opening her later tonight updates will be up at that time.

[Mancha]

Didn't Audi offer a free cleaning for carbon buildup last year? I remember getting a letter stating something about it.

[shadycrew31]

Didn't Audi offer a free cleaning for carbon buildup last year? I remember getting a letter stating something about it.

Its not for the engine and only if you pop a CEL.

[jeffc31337]

Its not for the engine and only if you pop a CEL.

Ewww, that looks like it could use a good walnut blasting. Out of curiosity what type of driving do you generally do? I'm at 60k but I'm definitely the use case most at risk; lots of 7-10 mile commutes where the the engine is really only up to temp for a few minutes.(this is why I take every opportunity to blast it to get it warm :)

What is your driving style in general? I'm actually hoping to keep the S4 long term and thinking of replacing the crank pulley(with a stage 2 bonus) and getting a carbon clean done at some point.

[shadycrew31]

Ewww, that looks like it could use a good walnut blasting. Out of curiosity what type of driving do you generally do? I'm at 60k but I'm definitely the use case most at risk; lots of 7-10 mile commutes where the the engine is really only up to temp for a few minutes.(this is why I take every opportunity to blast it to get it warm :)

What is your driving style in general? I'm actually hoping to keep the S4 long term and thinking of replacing the crank pulley(with a stage 2 bonus) and getting a carbon clean done at some point.

I drive like a grandma with occasional WOT pulls. I work from home so I only drive the car twice a week at most, usually city occasional highway.

[BlownOne]

Ask an ye shall receive. Really hard to get a focused image in there, I'll be opening her later tonight updates will be up at that time.

Wow that's some serious buildup!

[dzasta]

Ask an ye shall receive. Really hard to get a focused image in there, I'll be opening her later tonight updates will be up at that time.

out of curiosity, what gas do you use? i wonder if there is actually an advantage of using gas like shell v-power exclusively to reduce carbon buildup...

[scottycs]

Direct injection.......

out of curiosity, what gas do you use? i wonder if there is actually an advantage of using gas like shell v-power exclusively to reduce carbon buildup...

[shadycrew31]

out of curiosity, what gas do you use? i wonder if there is actually an advantage of using gas like shell v-power exclusively to reduce carbon buildup...

Direct injection.......

I only run Mobil or shell premium, and have done so since i bought the car at 44k, also I run Mobil 1 0w-40 and change the oil every 5000 miles. Direct injection is the culprit, your intake valves will eventually look like this.

[SwankP3RF3ct10n]

I only run Mobil or shell premium, and have done so since i bought the car at 44k, also I run Mobil 1 0w-40 and change the oil every 5000 miles. Direct injection is the culprit, your intake valves will eventually look like this.

That and the shitty PCV system which dumps a ton of oil vapors on the intake valves. If there was a way to super clean the intake mixture of air/oil vapor that the engine was injecting, this wouldn't be such a big issue because only clean air would be hitting those intake valves, but alas, that's not the case.

[shadycrew31]

That and the shitty PCV system which dumps a ton of oil vapors on the intake valves. If there was a way to super clean the intake mixture of air/oil vapor that the engine was injecting, this wouldn't be such a big issue because only clean air would be hitting those intake valves, but alas, that's not the case.

Indeed, I tried trying to figure out our PCV system, but I was pretty high on gasoline fumes so all I did was lose a glove.

[FWP!]

I dealt with this on my RS4 for a few years. Gasoline really is the best way to clean it, but I'm disappointed to see how much the S4 is affected.

[SwankP3RF3ct10n]

Indeed, I tried trying to figure out our PCV system, but I was pretty high on gasoline fumes so all I did was lose a glove.

Fumes are pulled directly into the supercharger housing where the rotors are, so it's almost impossible to plumb something, unless you do it at the valve covers somewhere. I ran some CRC GDI IVD on mine yesterday and will do that every 2k miles for the next 10k in hopes of killing off some of the carbon buildup since the milage is up there in the 70k range. Maybe it'll do something, maybe it won't, but it's a simple process that doesn't take long and I don't really have to take anything apart to ingest the liquid. We'll see what happens.

[B8Addict]

Im assuming italian tuneup doesn't do anything to burn off carbon?

[RudyH]

That and the shitty PCV system which dumps a ton of oil vapors on the intake valves. If there was a way to super clean the intake mixture of air/oil vapor that the engine was injecting, this wouldn't be such a big issue because only clean air would be hitting those intake valves, but alas, that's not the case.

I have been paranoid about this all day too...especially since I had my car in for Audi's exhaust side cleanup. I have been burning oil too, and it feels like my gas mileage isn't as good as when I got it. Like usually my gas mileage is this bad in the winter time, not summer.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B8_S4...Emissions/PCV/

Looks like they have an oil seperator and PCV built into one? Under the supercharger. From what everyone is saying after replacing it with the new version from Audi after the TSB, everything is back to normal. Might clean up the carbon build up too. I am 90% sure my mechanic said I might want to replace it, but I can't remember if at the time I said sure when they replaced the thermostat and water pump...I know its like the one item under my warranty the item isn't covered on because it's considered emissions

Here might be a useful link...used tiny url cause audizine hates said site

https://goo.gl/hQXOc1

[mach_kernel]

Could you post a small DIY on how to actually do the cleaning? I'd like to do this to my car by latest this upcoming spring.

[shadycrew31]

Fumes are pulled directly into the supercharger housing where the rotors are, so it's almost impossible to plumb something, unless you do it at the valve covers somewhere. I ran some CRC GDI IVD on mine yesterday and will do that every 2k miles for the next 10k in hopes of killing off some of the carbon buildup since the milage is up there in the 70k range. Maybe it'll do something, maybe it won't, but it's a simple process that doesn't take long and I don't really have to take anything apart to ingest the liquid. We'll see what happens.

I was watching a video on that stuff, once all cleaned up I will use it going forward and see if it makes a difference when I crack it back open at 100k.

[shadycrew31]

Could you post a small DIY on how to actually do the cleaning? I'd like to do this to my car by latest this upcoming spring.

I actually took pictures of the entire breakdown to get you to the valves. Depending on how cleaning goes I will do a DIY on the actual cleaning. The end goal is to do a comprehensive DIY on thermostat replacement and valve cleaning since they really should be done at the same time.

[SwankP3RF3ct10n]

I have been paranoid about this all day too...especially since I had my car in for Audi's exhaust side cleanup. I have been burning oil too, and it feels like my gas mileage isn't as good as when I got it. Like usually my gas mileage is this bad in the winter time, not summer.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B8_S4...Emissions/PCV/

Looks like they have an oil seperator and PCV built into one? Under the supercharger. From what everyone is saying after replacing it with the new version from Audi after the TSB, everything is back to normal. Might clean up the carbon build up too. I am 90% sure my mechanic said I might want to replace it, but I can't remember if at the time I said sure when they replaced the thermostat and water pump...I know its like the one item under my warranty the item isn't covered on because it's considered emissions

Here might be a useful link...used tiny url cause audizine hates said site

https://goo.gl/hQXOc1

Had the PCV replaced at the time my thermostat went out about 10K ago. Didn't do shit. So for me it's either the Mobil 0-40 thinning out bad or the mechanic didn't change the PCV, which I doubt. I normally ask for the old part, but in this case I forgot to ask. Considering my previous car burned this same oil the same way, I'm gonna blame it on that.

[SwankP3RF3ct10n]

I was watching a video on that stuff, once all cleaned up I will use it going forward and see if it makes a difference when I crack it back open at 100k.

If you run it, it's hard not to get it to stall out with just one person if you follow their spray in 30 second bursts. I ended up locking the accelerator down to get 2k revs and then sprayed in quick 1 second bursts for 30 and then let the idle stabilize and then repeat. This kept the engine from revving down too much and all went fine. The rest of the instructions were followed.

[niner]

If you run it, it's hard not to get it to stall out with just one person if you follow their spray in 30 second bursts. I ended up locking the accelerator down to get 2k revs and then sprayed in quick 1 second bursts for 30 and then let the idle stabilize and then repeat. This kept the engine from revving down too much and all went fine. The rest of the instructions were followed.

Where do you spray the stuff to? At the TB?

[shadycrew31]

If you run it, it's hard not to get it to stall out with just one person if you follow their spray in 30 second bursts. I ended up locking the accelerator down to get 2k revs and then sprayed in quick 1 second bursts for 30 and then let the idle stabilize and then repeat. This kept the engine from revving down too much and all went fine. The rest of the instructions were followed.

I'm thinking you could run a vac line from the port on the intake to the drivers seat and spray away.

[jimrobbington]

Indeed, I tried trying to figure out our PCV system, but I was pretty high on gasoline fumes so all I did was lose a glove.

Hahaha

I actually took pictures of the entire breakdown to get you to the valves. Depending on how cleaning goes I will do a DIY on the actual cleaning. The end goal is to do a comprehensive DIY on thermostat replacement and valve cleaning since they really should be done at the same time.

When I did my 2.0T, I soaked the closed valves in BG ISC cleaner, melted the shit out of the buildup. Sucked the black goop out with a turkey baster and cleaned up as best I could with plastic picks, rags, and q-tips. Be careful though, that ISC cleaner melts plastic lol.






Now on the A4, it was possible (tricky, but possible) to get a breaker bar and a socket onto the center of the crank with 2 people. This way with the car in neutral you can turn the engine over to open the freshly cleaned valves and close the still dirty ones so that you can clean them.

It was literally the most work I've done to any car, but I saved a shit ton of money, and felt rewarded for the experience. I am not a mechanic, I don't really enjoy working on cars. If I can do it, anyone can. And this engine appears to be 100x easier to get into the valves, so really the job is 90% tedious cleaning. A lot more stuff has to be removed on the 2.0T, so I was doing thermostat as well.





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[jimrobbington]

Mine looked fairly bad, but yours definitely look worse. My milage was around 120k, REVO stage 2+ at the time. I noticed pretty much no difference in performance after cleaning them.

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[shadycrew31]

Mine looked fairly bad, but yours definitely look worse. My milage was around 120k, REVO stage 2+ at the time. I noticed pretty much no difference in performance after cleaning them.

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I am fairly certain my butt dyno will go up 30 WHP, but a real dyno wont show any gains :(.

Getting to the valves is slightly difficult, tons of parts can break if you aren't careful. I'm very mechanically inclined but most of my experience is with the RX-8, I've rebuilt or replaced every part on the that thing. The S4 is somewhat easier in that it has less knuckle busting edges.

[shadycrew31]

Quick update, the deposits are hard carbon, I thought they were the soft type which generally comes off with minimal effort. I've done three rounds of soaking with B12, from trial and error seems to be the best at dissolving the carbon besides BG44k. I may order some BG44k if another round doesn't do it. I didn't have time to post pics but will get some this afternoon. I should have purchased a media blaster but i'm too far down the rabbit hole now.

[miztahsparklez]

Quick update, the deposits are hard carbon, I thought they were the soft type which generally comes off with minimal effort. I've done three rounds of soaking with B12, from trial and error seems to be the best at dissolving the carbon besides BG44k. I may order some BG44k if another round doesn't do it. I didn't have time to post pics but will get some this afternoon. I should have purchased a media blaster but i'm too far down the rabbit hole now.

What about sea foam? It's pretty much like gasoline.


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[shadycrew31]

What about sea foam? It's pretty much like gasoline.


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Seafoam is useless