3.3TT How are Stinger owners cleaning their valves on their GDI engines?

[Angel]

The dealer recommends to take your Stinger every 7,500 miles in for a fuel system additive to clean your fuel system. After some research I found out they just Techron complete fuel system. Now you can buy this at any part store or Walmart for like 6 bucks. I believe the dealer charges like 60 bucks for the service. So why not just buy the bottle and pour it yourself? I found out that thy also put some valve cleaner up the air vacuum to clean the air valves since its GDI.

What are you using to clean your valves? What procedure are you doing?

Please share your experiences. Trying to save some money but I am also trying to prolong the life of my engine.

 

[terrelltechsup]

Use an oil catch can. That should eliminate the need to routinely clean your valves. Fuel never reaches the top side of the valve so what good will an additive cleaner do for the valves? If you want to clean them you would be talking about walnut blasting.

 

[Angel]

Use an oil catch can. That should eliminate the need to routinely clean your valves. Fuel never reaches the top side of the valve so what good will an additive cleaner do for the valves? If you want to clean them you would be talking about walnut blasting.

I have an oil catch can, and yes I am well aware the fuel additive is just to clean the injectors and gas tank. Even with an OCC you still have or should clean your valves.

My question who has cleaned there valves already? What product did you use and what procedure did you do to get them clean?

 

[Kazz]

Catch can's going to be the answer. But there's a more "thorough" cleaning process my dealership uses. They plug chemicals into various places and run it through at a specific rate for a while.

When I go catch can(s), I'll have that service run first.

 

[Angel]

Catch can's going to be the answer. But there's a more "thorough" cleaning process my dealership uses. They plug chemicals into various places and run it through at a specific rate for a while.

When I go catch can(s), I'll have that service run first.

Catch can just slows the process down of the valves collecting deposit but it doesn’t completely stop it just so you know.
When you say my dealership do you mean a Kia dealer? What do they charge you for that service?

 

[terrelltechsup]

Aside from chemicals, Walnut blasting is the industry standard as far as I know. BMW includes it in their recommended maintenance.

 

[eflyguy]

Follow the owners manual, not the "dealer recommendation".

If you are NOT using top tier fuel, they *recommend* (not require) Techron every oil change/7500 miles.

Otherwise NO "fuel system cleaning" is required (or recommended), and even with it, it's not going to touch the back side of the intake valves.

Although, I'm sure we can trust our dealers over the manufacturer, when it comes to charging $60 to pour a $4 bottle of Techron (you can buy in 6-packs at Costco for $24) into your fuel tank.

 

[SteveCo]

Otherwise NO "fuel system cleaning" is required (or recommended), and even with it, it's not going to touch the back side of the intake valves.

Actually, my KIA 'Factory Recommended Service' sheet lists a Major Fuel System Induction service at 36 months/36,000 km - likely the same or similar service to the one @Kazz mentioned above. This is not the 'fuel injection system treatment' that is listed as part of Service 2, or any of the 4 scheduled service packages.

When I checked with the service manager at the local KIA dealer, he said that the 'Major Fuel System Induction' service was specifically to address the deposits in GDI engines. The cost quoted for it was $290 (CAD).

As I've posted previously, you can do your own chemical treatment of the intake path, using several different products injected upstream of the intake while the engine is running. Here's a blurb from Seafoam about using theirs.

SEA FOAM CASE STUDIES - GDI REVIVAL | Sea Foam Sales Company

 

[Angel]

Actually, my KIA 'Factory Recommended Service' sheet lists a Major Fuel System Induction service at 36 months/36,000 km - likely the same or similar service to the one @Kazz mentioned above. This is not the 'fuel injection system treatment' that is listed as part of Service 2, or any of the 4 scheduled service packages.

When I checked with the service manager at the local KIA dealer, he said that the 'Major Fuel System Induction' service was specifically to address the deposits in GDI engines. The cost quoted for it was $290 (CAD).

As I've posted previously, you can do your own chemical treatment of the intake path, using several different products injected upstream of the intake while the engine is running. Here's a blurb from Seafoam about using theirs.

SEA FOAM CASE STUDIES - GDI REVIVAL | Sea Foam Sales Company

Thank you Steve, this exactly the kind of info I was trying to get. I know you still have to clean the valves on a GDI but I was wondering if anyone has done it themselves rather than paying the dealer for it.
I might be doing it myself with that sea foam product you listed.
I hope some does a DIY on this it can save you hundreds on dealer visits and prolong the life of the engine.

 

[SKStinger]

Actually, my KIA 'Factory Recommended Service' sheet lists a Major Fuel System Induction service at 36 months/36,000 km - likely the same or similar service to the one @Kazz mentioned above. This is not the 'fuel injection system treatment' that is listed as part of Service 2, or any of the 4 scheduled service packages.

When I checked with the service manager at the local KIA dealer, he said that the 'Major Fuel System Induction' service was specifically to address the deposits in GDI engines. The cost quoted for it was $290 (CAD).

As I've posted previously, you can do your own chemical treatment of the intake path, using several different products injected upstream of the intake while the engine is running. Here's a blurb from Seafoam about using theirs.

SEA FOAM CASE STUDIES - GDI REVIVAL | Sea Foam Sales Company

Interesting. Where is that service sheet? All i have is the intervals in the owners manual and it says nothing about this service above.

Are you sure that isn't a Dealer addition?

 

[Angel]

Interesting. Where is that service sheet? All i have is the intervals in the owners manual and it says nothing about this service above.

Are you sure that isn't a Dealer addition?

Regardless of it is a dealer addition or not I think it is something that should be done wether you pay the dealer or do it yourself. I was hoping someone has tackled this themselves.

I am calling my local Kia dealer tomorrow to see what they reccomend and say.

 

[SKStinger]

Regardless of it is a dealer addition or not I think it is something that should be done wether you pay the dealer or do it yourself. I was hoping someone has tackled this themselves.

I am calling my local Kia dealer tomorrow to see what they reccomend and say.

You're running the Tork catch cans though right? What is your mileage?

With those, especially the PCV one, you shouldn't need to do anything like this for a while. I'm thinking maybe around 70,000 miles or if the car feels sluggish.

 

[Devo9er]

Well here's another good reason to consider water/methanol injection

 

[Angel]

You're running the Tork catch cans though right? What is your mileage?

With those, especially the PCV one, you shouldn't need to do anything like this for a while. I'm thinking maybe around 70,000 miles or if the car feels sluggish.

Yes Tork OCC but they don’t seem to be catching a lot. Last time I cleaned them out very little oil came out. I have 10k miles on my car.

I think 70k is a lot of miles to clean your valves. You should try to prevent the build up. I would say to do this service every 20-30k miles even with an occ.

Once the car feels sluggish it’s too late lol. Then that means there is a shit ton of carbon built up and you normal sea foam product won’t do much. If you do this service before the carbon builds up then you prevent the built up from completely happening.

 

[Angel]

Well here's another good reason to consider water/methanol injection

Lol great selling point!

But you are correct, I was thinking the same thing lol.

 

[SteveCo]

Interesting. Where is that service sheet? All i have is the intervals in the owners manual and it says nothing about this service above.

Are you sure that isn't a Dealer addition?

Yes, it's a preprinted KIA service sheet that the dealer provided along with all the other paperwork - it's not Stinger specific. Here's a link to it on a Vancouver dealer's server - it shows the intervals and content of services 1-4, and then other 'factory recommended services' on the side.

I used it to make note of the 'Stinger' specific prices for the different scheduled services, as they are higher in most cases than the four cylinder cars.

http://kiavancouver.dldserver3.com/...b88e3f1572b95a238f7165f3686e7x_1426186306.jpg

 

[SKStinger]

Yes, it's a preprinted KIA service sheet that the dealer provided along with all the other paperwork - it's not Stinger specific. Here's a link to it on a Vancouver dealer's server - it shows the intervals and content of services 1-4, and then other 'factory recommended services' on the side.

I used it to make note of the 'Stinger' specific prices for the different scheduled services, as they are higher in most cases than the four cylinder cars.

http://kiavancouver.dldserver3.com/...b88e3f1572b95a238f7165f3686e7x_1426186306.jpg

That's a dealer created service schedule. It isn't what "Kia" recommends. Dealers create those to generate revenue and get customers to buy maintenance "packages" which bundle things that aren't required.

With a PCV catch can there should be no need to introduce a Sea Foam cleaner. They don't clean everything anyway so why not just wait until it feels sluggish and then get it wallnut blasted? Chances are you may never even need to do it before you sell the car.

 

[Kazz]

Actually, my KIA 'Factory Recommended Service' sheet lists a Major Fuel System Induction service at 36 months/36,000 km - likely the same or similar service to the one @Kazz mentioned above. This is not the 'fuel injection system treatment' that is listed as part of Service 2, or any of the 4 scheduled service packages.

When I checked with the service manager at the local KIA dealer, he said that the 'Major Fuel System Induction' service was specifically to address the deposits in GDI engines. The cost quoted for it was $290 (CAD).

As I've posted previously, you can do your own chemical treatment of the intake path, using several different products injected upstream of the intake while the engine is running. Here's a blurb from Seafoam about using theirs.

SEA FOAM CASE STUDIES - GDI REVIVAL | Sea Foam Sales Company

This sounds much like what my tech was talking about some months back. I regret not getting details and their pricing written down. But this is very consistent with what I was told.

If someone wants to buy the right products, go through the process, and write up a DIY, I'd appreciate it!

 

[terrelltechsup]

About the chemical approach... without actually seeing what the valves look like afterwards, how do you know it did what was advertised? If you do take a look, you might as well walnut blast while you are at it...

 

[jondyer]

This sounds much like what my tech was talking about some months back. I regret not getting details and their pricing written down. But this is very consistent with what I was told.

If someone wants to buy the right products, go through the process, and write up a DIY, I'd appreciate it!

I agree, I'd even be in on a group buy if one were to develop as part of this.