This is how it looks after one treatment with the oven cleaner. It wasn’t as dirty as the others.
Looks really good after the treatment. Consider flushing the ports with window washer fluid.
Also after you clean the valves pull the plugs and coil packs and run the starter. You will push a lot of stuff out the spark plug port that will stop it from going into the cats. Its a good way to purge the cylinders of any possible carbon or fluid that might have made it into the cylinders.
Yeah I already have 8/10 plugs and packs out I just need to drain the coolant and remove the expansion tank. I’m about to finish taking off the bumper and headlights so I can restore them. I’m also going back to buy 2 more cans of oven cleaner and more brushes
Just make sure to flush out the ports from the oven cleaner with washer fluid.
Use that over brake cleaner?
This is after 2 treatments and carb cleaner my next steps are to finish cleaning and remove the bumper to drain coolant. Should I remove the radiator to make installing the intake manifold easier?
Also curious to know if I need to actually take my intake manifold apart if it didn’t trigger any codes
You can use brake cleaner or washer fluid. Most like washer fluid as it’s not quite as harsh and you can use more of it and just fill the ports all the way up as its cheaper and there is way more washer fluid per bottle than brake cleaner.
As for the intake. Just pull off the flap motor from the body of the intake. From there stand the intake up so you can see inside. Some putt an inspection mirror down into the intake. Move the flap by hand now that the motor isn’t attached to the body of the intake. You should then be able to see each flap moving. If you don’t see some of the flaps moving then it would be a good idea to open the intake and inspect further.
The IM is good for now and I will start using the washer fluid to flush. A bit of that gunk got into the engine when I turned it. I’m guessing it’ll be ok and the filter is going to catch it 
I’m waiting on my valve cover gaskets and injector repair kits to finally get here then I’ll be done. I’ll be forgoing the spacers this time around.
That washer fluid really did the trick and I wish I originally bought it over the brake cleaner even though some of the fluid is now past the valves. I was planning on changing my oil again in 1500 mi
Justin mentioned it in an above post.
You can purge the cylinders of any fluids and some small bits by simply pulling off the coil packs and pulling out the spark plugs. This leaves an opening for cylinder contamination to be pushed through when the motor comes up on compression the compression will push fluids and other bits out the spark plug opening.
Make sure to unplug the fuel pump or unplug the injectors. Let the starter motor run for a few seconds and you will see lots of stuff come out the open port. Works wonders. For me it’s always been a great way to purge after a carbon clean.
Thanks ! 
l thought I messed up lol I’ll let you know how that works for me I’m cleaning my last cylinder now and getting ready to do the valve cover gasket
Have fun with the VC gasket.
They make a low profile tool and bit that work great on that one screw… That will all make sense once you get there 
I would suggest you pull the port spacers out. Don’t leave them in. They just end up being a carbon magnet. Cold starts in most cases ends up being better without them
I wish I knew that before I spent hours cleaning them I would’ve threw them straight in the trash
Sorry man. The good part is now you know first hand just how much carbon those things attract and how hard they are to clean. Now making the fact that you don’t have to do it again even better.
1 Like
Should I put the IM back on before I do the valve covers?
I wouldn’t.