Peqoud

I've got a '97 cab with the sai blocked up. Don't want to pay $1,000's to fix this. So here's an idea. My car had been sitting for a few weeks and I went to start it and a giant black cloud puffed out of the exhaust. I have heard of this before but the best side effect was the cel extinguished itself (for a while). This got me to thinking of a 'farmer's blow' solution for the port blockage ; i.e. plug some ports then start the car and let it clear itself with it's own combustion? I'm lazy and don't want to remove the valve and blow compressed air etc. I don't think this simple, stupid solution would have any deleterious effects on the engine, as the ports are already blocked. Is this even plausible? I've got code 1411 so i could block the clear side and hope for the best?

g_murray

I think your black-smoke on startup was just oil being burned off. Remember it's a FLAT-six and oil over time tends to pool in the 'lower parts'.

But back to Mr. Carbon...

Trouble is -- (usually) by the time the CEL comes on due to the dreaded SAI problem - the carbon is CAKED ON and is HARD AS A ROCK.

There's a thread where one of our illustrious posters was upgrading his engine and took copious pix of his SAI passages all carbonized. He ended up using a "drill and a dremel" to get all the crud off.

I seriously doubt if engine/combustion gasses would be 'powerful/suitable' enuf to truly clear a passage that has 'caked on carbon'. And, not for nuffin', I don't think your catastrophic converter would take very kindly to having wads of black stuff plugging it up ...upstream.

If your CEL went off - voluntarily - then I think you still have 'hope'. Maybe one or more passages is still 'open' enuf that fresh air is still able to tickle the O2 sensors on start-up and keep them happy (for the moment). Personally I would put a can of Berryman's B12 and/or Seafoam and/or BG44K into three consecutive tankfulls of gas so as to decarbonize - as 'painlessly' as possible. I would ALSO get my butt to a reputable wrench and have that SAI valve changed lickety split.

These aforementined 'methods' are a mixture of 'solution and preventative maintenance' all bundled into one - and cost a LOT less than paying for labor for an 'SAI-flush'.

Many of us who have gone thru' the 30,000 mile service have (even tho' it's not specified in the maintenance schedule) have, as a matter of course, changed the SAI valve. Every 30,000 miles thereafter - guess what -- yep, u guessed it.

My $0.02,

Gerry

(Yes, I practice what I preach, am a 'B12/Seafoam/BG44K guy').

Howdy993

Do a search for permanent sai fix. There is a TX firm that is in beta of an electronic fix for this issue. http://www.turbowerx.com/Products/SA...AI_Bypass.html
Best wishes

AOW162435

Technique

Andreas

dhicks

This electronic fix does work, I tried out a prototype for them....just waiting for the finished module

Mark Harris

I was at my indy shop during my top end and witnessed them having to drill out my passages. ROCK SOLID.