Slow Guy

For a couple of days I've been working off and on at replacing the SAI check valve and trying to clean out the SAI ports. After getting the check valve out (I had to buy/grind the 1" crows foot, the punch & hammer procedure didn't work for me) I put my PVC/brass/vinyl tube contraption on and blew compressed air in it. I then poured about 3 ozs of Hoppes #9 gun cleaner in and blew air again. I did this 2 or 3 times and then checked the exhaust ports, cyls. 4-6 were soaked very wet (very good), cyl's 1 & 2 were wet but not as much as 4 - 6 (makes sense to me), however cyl. 3 had only dribbled solvent out.

I've made various attempts at running wire (14 - 16 gauge solid copper goes in well) but it stopped after about 4". I also used Berryman B-12 (?) with the double straw tubes and went in from the bottom but it hasn't yet given me any flow.

What I think I need to do is separate the 1 - 3 cyls. from the system so all the air and solvent goes to those cyls. only. As it stands now 90% of what I put in the check valve fitting comes running down and out 4 - 6 (those ports must be really clean by now!). I've tried covering the 4 - 6 exhaust ports but the solvent just fills up the exhaust ports. I thought I might be able to remove the aluminum tube (crossover pipe) fitting as it goes into the 1 - 3 bank but there just isn't room to get to that fitting.

So, has anyone tried removing the aluminum tube fitting (tube going to cyls 1 - 3) at the housing/manifold and attaching some sort of fitting so your solvent/air is only going to cyls 1 - 3? If so what did you use and did it work? Is there enough flex in that pipe to put a fitting/hose on the end of it? I have a couple of ideas but if someone's already slayed this dragon I'd like to hear how you did it.

I've read through many SAI Cleaning threads and it seems that most who have had a clogged port had it in the 4 - 6 bank which is easy to get solvent to I believe. Unfortunately, 1 - 3 are a lot harder.

I plan to post photos of the housing and AL tubing to show what I'm thinking about.

Slow Guy

Well I hoped I had a good photo of the pipe coming out of the manifold housing that I want to try and remove and attach a fitting to but view of that pipe is blocked by my hose to the manifold. I'll try again later. Mike J. had a good view of the plumbing on his rebuild thread (#6 ), I'll try to link to it later.

Paul902

Bill, some old posts talked about plugging the clear holes where they enter the exhast port with a cork or plastic plug while you soak the others....is that a help to you?

Slow Guy

Unfortunately no. I've already cut plates that cover the other 5 exhaust ports but what seems to happen is the fluid flows to the low points, it can't make it up and over the bend in the AL pipe that goes over to the cyl 1 - 3 bank.

I went to Home Depot last night and picked up several parts, I just need to find out if there's enough flex in that pipe to disconnect it and then put the pieces on to get some flow directly to 1 - 3. If it works I'll post some photos of the contraption. Crossing my fingers.

Thanks for the suggestion though. I think I've read through 20 threads on this subject....there just doesn't seem to be a one-size-fits-all approach.

Paul M

Another alternative might be to remove the SAI manifold itself?

There is a great photograph of this part of the engine on rennlist, I think it is in one of Mike J's diy engine rebuild threads.

Slow Guy

Yes, I saw that thread, I think it's Mike's Engine Rebuild thread #6. That's what gave me the idea that there may be enough flex in that pipe that goes to 1 - 3 for me to unscrew it from the manifold and just feed solvent/air directly to those cyls (1 - 3).

That's what I'll try next and I'll take photos and post them (if it works).

kkim

When you are covering up the exhaust ports, are you then pressurizing the system from the SAI valve end? This approach worked for me to get air/fluid flowing through the clogged ports.

Slow Guy

Yes, unfortunately all it seems to do (still) is dump my cleaning solvent into the exhaust ports for cyls 4-6. I'm still going to try and remove the tube to cyls. 1-3 and feed everything, solvent and comp. air, exclusively to those ports. Even with my home made exhaust port coverings bolted to the exhaust ports that doesn't stop the cleaning solvent from just flowing down to cyls 4 - 6 and collecting in those exhaust ports. As I said, the SAI passages to those cyls. must be VERY clean by now.