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View Full Version : Upper engine cleaner??



trx850
22-03-2011, 04:49 PM
Recently I inherited a 2004 Subaru Forester (2004, 2.5 sohc with 120,000km) when my dad passed away. Was running like an absolute dog- no power, really poor fuel consumption, didn't start first hit, etc. Thought it might be a poor job of timing belt getting one tooth out on one bank or something similar. Took it to the local subaru dealership to have things checked expecting to end up with a hefty bill. Pick the car up that afternoon- $190 charge- thought this was not too bad- service guy told me it had been ages since running the Subaru (specific to the make) foaming upper engine cleaner through it- recommended every 12500 for the boxer engine. Question os has anyone out there tried this product in the mitsu 3.5 V6. The transformation in the Forester has been astounding- massive improvement in performance, fuel economy and ease of starting- just a much happier engine- Tech guy said they had to repeat the process twice on the forester because the build up was so significant. Asked the tech guy about running it through the Magna- usual company line- "not recommended by the company so therefore could not suggest it as a good idea". It is a foaming product that apparently fills the entire intake manifold back to the throttle body to dissolve deposits- run the engine- massive clouds of smoke then clears. Any experience out there

HOOKUPOZ
22-03-2011, 04:53 PM
Wow $190... it costs about $15 a can and is an easy DIY. I used to own a Liberty as well as an Impreza and did it with every oil change.

Cheers Luke

trx850
22-03-2011, 05:11 PM
Yes- for just the upper engine cleaner job- very exy, but they carried out about a half day of other checks over the car including checking cam belt set up, fluid conditions in both diffs/ transfer case, full engine diagnostics on their subaru diagnostic computer- so was much more than just the upper engine cleaner. I am very critical of over charging in workshops and considering what they did and the net improvement on how it was I feel it was very cheap service indeed.

Madmagna
22-03-2011, 05:14 PM
I use this exact stuff all the time, combined with the injector clean is a wonderous thing

This stuff works and if done properly can make the intake system look like new inside, the on board injector clean cleans the injectors and piston tops, valves and ports, then this stuff finishes it all of nicely.

Nulon also make a similar product, smells exactly the same so prob same lol

MadMax
22-03-2011, 05:16 PM
Sounds good service for the money.

I'm a bit wary about dissolving grot in the intake and sending it down to the pistons and cylinder walls though, I'm more of a "pull it apart and give it a good scrub with petrol and a toothbrush" sort of home DIY person. lol But if it works, why not?

trx850
22-03-2011, 05:24 PM
Thanks for the seal of approval madmagna- if you use it it must be good stuff- might try it in the V6 awd- if I get even half the improvement out of the magna that I did out of the forester I will be a very happy chap.

jtraf
25-03-2011, 06:53 AM
So how dirty does the intake system really get in the v6 3.5's...

ticker70
28-03-2011, 06:24 PM
Hiya folks......probably a bit late in the piece, but i also use the same stuff, having previously owned 'subies'....so got some through a mate in the trade, it's actually made and marketed as 'Threebond', i buy it in Brisbane from Bursons auto parts. it is not on the shelf, but ask for it and they will have it behind the counter. Does a good job and worthwhile.......which reminds me, ......

Cheers,

Pug. :-)

b1benno
24-01-2014, 06:29 AM
Hi guys, I'm doing this on the weekend (using Threebond as part of a service)...
I assume the engine won't run if I pull the intake hose off, so which line should I spray into?
Cheers

ammerty
24-01-2014, 06:45 AM
Take the vacuum line off the inlet manifold just behind the throttle body facing the front of the car

b1benno
24-01-2014, 07:26 AM
Thanks for that.
Have you done it before? Can I expect much of a improvement in the Mitsu motor, or is it more a 'nice thing to do'? Last service I did (12 months ago) I cleaned the throttle body using carby cleaner only, it wasn't too bad then and I'm not sure what it's like now. It seems like it will be happy with a service and for me to finally fix the leaking rocker cover gaskets.....
It's got 144k (I'm overdue for 135k service), I'm doing:
- Oil flush
- Changing from Magnatec to HPR-10
- Oil filter
- Fuel filter
- Flushing coolant
- Cleaning air filter (K&N panel)
- 6 sparkplugs (3 NGK platinum, 3 NGK standard)
- F & R rocker cover gaskets & tube seals
- Brake pads

ammerty
24-01-2014, 09:54 AM
Thanks for that.
Have you done it before? Can I expect much of a improvement in the Mitsu motor, or is it more a 'nice thing to do'?

Yeah, I did mine last weekend. Prior to running the engine, you can also take the intake piping off at the throttle body and clean the throttle body and plate but put a rag over the passage that goes down to the ISC chamber or take the ISC motor out (the solvent messes with the ISC).
I found the product very worthwhile and I am already noticing a nicer idle and slightly better fuel economy.

Ziek
29-01-2014, 02:31 PM
For people who want to know a decent way to use Subaru upper engine clean.....to get the most out of this product, i found out from a head mechanic from nissan (Subaru dealer) when you get home (or place of using your newly bought can) remove your intake piping straight away, and open the butterfly of the throttle body and empty 3/4 of the can into the engine and shove a rag into the throttle body, then the unthinkable, and not per instructions on the can, walk away from the car for an hour. come back and put everything together. start the car and leave idle for a minute, then take off the brake hose to the pellanium while the car is running, then empty the rest of the can in. put the brake hose back on, and take your car for a good hard drive. depending on how dirty, you may have to repeat the process.

johnvirus_01
29-01-2014, 04:53 PM
For people who want to know a decent way to use Subaru upper engine clean.....to get the most out of this product, i found out from a head mechanic from nissan (Subaru dealer) when you get home (or place of using your newly bought can) remove your intake piping straight away, and open the butterfly of the throttle body and empty 3/4 of the can into the engine and shove a rag into the throttle body, then the unthinkable, and not per instructions on the can, walk away from the car for an hour. come back and put everything together. start the car and leave idle for a minute, then take off the brake hose to the pellanium while the car is running, then empty the rest of the can in. put the brake hose back on, and take your car for a good hard drive. depending on how dirty, you may have to repeat the process.


i just use it as it says on the can except i use the pipe before the tb. its good stuff and the boxers are prone to heavy carbon buildup so every service a can is used.the first time i used it in the TF a big puddle of shit was on the ground from using it, so i now run it every service i do.

macropod
01-02-2014, 08:00 AM
Can't see what most of this discussion has to do with Magnas ... My own 1995 Subaru Liberty has 260,000km on the clock and has never needed this treatment. Nor has my Magna with 170,000km. Or any vehicle I've previously owned. YMMV.

TreeAdeyMan
01-02-2014, 09:03 AM
Can't see what most of this discussion has to do with Magnas ... My own 1995 Subaru Liberty has 260,000km on the clock and has never needed this treatment. Nor has my Magna with 170,000km. Or any vehicle I've previously owned. YMMV.



See post #4. If Mal reckons it works great on Magnas (which tend to get a build up of muck in the intake plenum and throttle body) then that's good enough for me and I guess most others on these forums. Never used it myself though, as I ran both my TE Magna and 380 exclusively on 98 RON, and every time I took the intake plenum off (and that was plenty of times!) I checked it and the throttle body and they were always clean as a whistle, other than for a tiny build up on the edges of the throttle butterfly which I simply wiped off with WD40.

macropod
01-02-2014, 12:51 PM
See post #4. If Mal reckons it works great on Magnas (which tend to get a build up of muck in the intake plenum and throttle body) then that's good enough for me
Having driven/ridden numerous vehicles (cars and motorcycles) for a total distance of well in excess of 1 million km and having rebuilt a number of engines, I've never encountered one that had any significant intake deposits. Some of those vehicles, too, had many thousands of km on them before I bought them. If it's good enough for you, fine. For most people, though, it won't make an iota of difference.

MadMax
01-02-2014, 01:14 PM
Obviously Subbies are unique in this respect (or are they?) lol
Never used an intake cleaner and never will, if it really grots up as people suggest then removing the offending intake and physically cleaning it is so much better. That grot - if any - doesn't need to be washed down into the working parts of the motor, best left where it is.
Never cleaned a throttle body either, but I'd be inclined to clean it and not allow the cleaner/carbon to go past it.
(Just my opinion, ignore it if you like, I won't be offended.)

Oldf4g
02-02-2014, 08:05 AM
I ran 2 cans through my magna when i bought it, it has 320,000kms on it.
First can was just straight in the manifold fitting behind the throttle body for the fuel pressure reg.
Shortly after i had to pull the top half of the manifold off to change the leads and check the plugs and i noticed that my engine had a decent gunk buildup on the inside of the runners,
Most noticeable was on the lower half of the manifold for the front 3 runners, there seemed to be an excessive buildup on the backside of the curve in the runner, unlike on the rear runners.
Most of this buildup was from the PCV valve and oil vapors that congeal in the manifold.
Once i cleaned out the manifold of all the crap and gave the back of the valves a good soak with the upper cylinder cleaner it has made a huge improvement the the idle, cod starting and low RPM response.

in my opinion, well worth it.

b1benno
02-02-2014, 08:23 AM
Ran Threebond through the Verada and a bit of smell etc through the exhaust but nothing huge. However, since we stuffed up the rocker cover gaskets the first time (slipped out unnoticed and hence leaked worse than before!!) I had to pull the intake off again yesterday and replace so I was able to see the plenum - they were still as dirty as before.... So this time while it was off I used carby cleaner through the TB and intake and cleaned up nicely. Time will tell if it makes any improvement in economy and at least the rocker covers are fixed now!!

b1benno
05-02-2014, 07:25 PM
Errrrr ok, so don't shoot me (I read all the rocker cover threads!!) but I DO have a small, slow leak from the gaskets. Not enough to bellow smoke, but enough to smell it. We did not have a torque wrench, so tightened by hand then about three-quarts turn by socket.

I'm thinking I'll give another half turn at the leaks (which I can see with a flashlight) - does this sound reasonable to the more learned amongst us?

I'm hoping to get rid of these small leaks without pulling the intake off again!!

Cheers

ammerty
05-02-2014, 07:48 PM
If you've only recently replaced them, the bolts sometimes need to be retensioned about a week later.

I replaced mine and nipped them up the following week and I haven't had trouble with leaks again, over a year later. I didn't use a torque wrench initially or for the second time, I just did them tight enough to not distort the gasket or the rocker cover itself.

b1benno
05-02-2014, 07:50 PM
Sounds good Ammerty, I definitely didn't notice anything initially so perhaps that's the problem. I'll give it a go and see what happens. Cheers

TreeAdeyMan
06-02-2014, 03:56 AM
Yep, same with me after I replaced the rocker cover gaskets on the 380. Did the bolts up by 'feel' initially, then checked them again a week later and found they were a little loose, so tightened them up just a touch. Not a hint of a leak since.

ADM
18-03-2014, 10:13 AM
I also run 98 octane fuel on my '03 AWD & last year, after having the injectors rebuilt & and having the mechanic run a can of that jee wiz upper cylinder head cleaner........the car ran the same, minus the slight hiccup off idle.
Just goes to show how much of a difference running good fuel through a car makes. Just saying.