Ferrari FF Carbon Build Up - Problem and Questions

Wow nice work with that scope .....why do t you use a cleaner first ?

 

Rather than taking things apart, try a proper chemical clean first.

I've seen the following method work great on both the Cali and 458, which are both really bad when it comes to carbon build-up.

Start by giving your engine two rounds of treatment with CRC GDI IVD Intake valve cleaner. Make sure you spray it in after the MAF. Be liberal with it in both banks. Between the first and second clean and after the second, give the car a good flogging.

Then run two full tanks of fuel each with 18oz of Royal Purple Max clean mixed in. Don't be shy about pushing a bit or about keeping the revs up. You will want the burn to be clean and the fuel flow to be plentiful.

After these two tanks finish off with one last CRC treatment.

Finish off by running half a tank or so without additives through the car. Change the oil and filter at this point as lots of gunk and crap has been loosened, and because the additives have now mixed with the oil.

This is a very effective method, and a lot more getle than media blasting valves, valve seats etc.

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Let me just say for starters. I am an expert on this topic...

Don't jump to walnut blasting, especially at just 20K miles. As a previous post indicated, you should use chemical treatment (first). Walnut blasting is only required if you've skipped the periodic (recommended every 20K miles on a direct injection motor) chemical treatment.

The only (chemical) treatment worthwhile to consider is BG. They make a specific product for the direct injection engine and it uses a specific tool (canister and fittings) to properly perform the treatment to the vehicle. A shop that does BG treatments should charge you about $350 - $500 for this on the V12 (may use two large cans). BG even makes a tool which will blip the throttle at the required intervals to help in the process of coating the intake plenum and valves and then blasting it out. The treatment is called their GDI air/fuel and valve cleaning service (or something close . Product code for the (large) can is KF65-N1TD. Please note, I am not a BG employee but I know their products and fuel systems well.

So, what's changed requiring this treatment now with direct injected engines? Well, with the old port fuel injection system, the injectors were UPSTREAM of the intake valves and cleaned the valves just in the regular course of operation. Now with direct injectors, the are DOWNSTREAM as they atomize fuel directly into the combustion chamber. As such, the valves don't stay as clean. They MUST be cleaned every 20K or you are on your way to a much more expensive and riskier to administer walnut blasting.

Mid 2010's Lexus ISF was the best of both worlds as it was both direct injected AND port fuel injected! Cleaned the valves and benefited from the direct injection tech as well.

So, find the right shop and have the BG treatment done. I use multiple BG products within cars and within my Ferrari's maintenance routine.

Royal Autowerks in Overland Park KS handles the service on my brother-in-law's Ferraris and other vehicles.

- Doug

 

Question. Why did you ask us? You seem to have it all figured out.

My experience with walnut blasting is this. I've seen things happen where valve stems got little scratches, I've seen seats that needed cutting or changing after, I've seen tolerances change on stems and valve heads.

Do as you think is best, I've just had the best experience with engines over the years by doing the least invasive proceedures.

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I've had good luck cleaning carbon build up on pistons by letting them soak overnight in Marvel Mystery oil and/or Berryman B12 injector cleaner. You usually have to scrub a little with a toothbrush or paper towels.

I'm with Co-pilot as far as less abrasive is better.

Ray

 

You clearly don't own your own media blast cabinet

While stuff like soda blasting and walnut blasting maybe isn't as invasive as something like glass or sand blasting, I think you should still heed Co-pilota's cautions here.

As far as blasting your hand for 15 seconds, that's all true. You can also hit your pillow with a hammer 10 times and nothing bad happens. Hard against soft usually doesn't cause much damage to either surface. However, hit your kitchen window with the same hammer and see what happens. It's a similar theory here with media blasting - when you're firing mordantly hard walnut shells into hard surfaces, it's a lot different than firing then into the side of a soft rubber tire. You should still exercise caution.

The safest way to remove carbon build up is through the use of solvents and soft towels. Always has been, always will be. I just had to remove a bunch of carbon from the pistons in my engine (while changing cylinder heads and replacing the head gasket) and that's how I accomplished it. Soak over night; wipe away with soft towels and a soft used toothbrush; repeat:

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Also, keep in mind that jobs like these are usually only as good as the people doing the work. If someone skilled is doing the blasting, then maybe it will work out okay. However, it's still an invasive procedure on a state-of-the-art motor; so just be careful.

So when they do this job, do they block off the exhaust manifolds and intake manifolds so media doesn't get blown back up into the manifolds or what?

Ray

 

That's pretty nice!

Be careful adding an oil catch can into the mix; sometimes it can reduce the effectiveness of the PCV system and that can result in higher pressures in the crankcase. Ferrari's dry sump system might not be as touchy, but it's something to keep in mind.

Ray

 

From what I saw in the video, it looks like it worked out spectacularly well!

Ray

 

Yeah, I don't know either. I did some testing on my truck motor and having the catch can and extra hoses in the mix resulted in too much crankcase pressure. I ultimately had to remove it.

Ray

 

Sorry to revive an old thread here. Maybe someone can chime in on what the torque specs would be for reinstalling the plenum? or where I could find the specifications?

Thank you