Edit: added photo before I buttoned it all back up
I did the 12,000 mile big service on the Street Triple last weekend and after checking valve clearances I started putting it back together I thought to look at the back of the intake valves since the intake runner was removed from the head. There was a decent amount but not a heavy amount of grit and gunk on the back of the intake valves. I would like to remove this. I ordered the wrong air filter so the airbox and tank are still removed while I wait for the new one. I figure I have two options, one is open the butterflies and spray or pour a chemical down to sit on the valves, knowing that only one set of valves will hold it since the other two are open to some degree or 2. After I get it all back together pour a chemical in the tank to blow through the injectors onto the valves and clean them while riding or well 3. Both. Any insight into what to avoid using in a motorcycle and/or which specific chemicals will work work without harming the engine? Opinions welcomed!
What brand of gasoline do you typically run in the bike?
I would avoid a mechanical or heavy chemical cleaning, as you may break off big chunks at a time and send them through your engine. Try running only Exxon, Mobil, or Shell fuel for a while, and run a treated tank or two (using Chevron Techron II cleaner, they sell it at Advance, Autozone, Walmart, etc.), using the treat % on the bottle. The detergents in the gasoline itself, and the boost from the fuel system cleaner should take care of it. IVD (intake valve deposits) on port-fuel injected engines are much easier to treat than DI engines.
That's a good question and I meant to include that in my original post. I fill up with VP fuel 90% of the time which touts itself as the best fuel out there which it should be because even for non ethanol fuel its the most expensive by far. I also use only 91 octane non ethanol fuel unless I'm out somewhere that has no non ethanol fuel then I run that out as fast as I can and always use only top tier fuel so VP, Phillips, Conoco, etc. we dont have exxon or mobil and the shell only has 10% ethanol 91 octane. So it's kind of frustrating me that this is happening. I'll get some Techron today and pour it in when I fill up. I appreciate the advice.
This video shows 2 methods. we had our Audi heads walnut blasted, it looks like you could make something similar to what this guy is using if you have a compressor and a cheap HF sandblaster. the liquid moly valve clean and zip tie method looks promising as well.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/ventil-sauber-reduces-emissions-liqui-moly-lm2001
https://youtu.be/OM0M2bQM-ag
I cleaned the valves on my 2009 Direct Injected MINI at 50K miles using the BMW wand (You connect a shopvac to this to suck out the debris while blasting) and walnut shells - it cleaned them to like new. I didn't find any difference in performance, fuel mileage or idle quality when I was done tho......I'm debating on whether to do it again now at 100+K miles.
I don't know about using the liquid cleaners or scraping - seems like if you've gone to the trouble of removing the intake manifold the walnut shells give a quicker, easier and better job.
In the intervening time I recieved the correct filter and reassembled the bike. I ended up buying techron cleaner and pouring it in. With just a 4.5 gallon tank that gives me enough to do 2 sessions with one bottle of techron then ill check them again in 6000 miles at the next oil change
In reply to gunner (Forum Supporter) :
Awesome, please let us all know how it works out!
I would start running top tier fuel right away.
In reply to Peabody :
I was holding off on the longer post until we saw if the techron worked. But I agree, "best" fuel can be a misnomer. Best at what? Octane? Least ethanol? Detergency? Long term fuel stability/storage? That's why I defaulted to the big three. They may not be the best at each area, but they're top 2 or 3 in all of them. This is completely separate from the top tier criteria. A company can meet the top tier requirement and still not be great (just good). And with most fuel priced similarly at retail, why not use the best?
In reply to Flynlow (FS) :
I somehow missed your post, but I agree, and they should likely meet the TT criteria, which I think would help. Not really sure whats going on in there, but an EFI engine probably shouldn't look like that after only 12k.
Also, a 2019 vehicle is totally ethanol compliant, so i wouldnt stress over that at all. Fill with good quality pump gas and ride on.
As life goes I have a family emergency and also the weather got bad so I haven't ran it except to start it up after putting it back together to make sure there's no leaks or codes thrown. Good news is it runs great, bad news is I wont be able to ride it for a bit.
