How to Clean Intake Manifold?

[PolloLoco]

What's the best method to clean up my new 99 intake manifold? It's got a bunch of black coming up the runners. I did just buy a new pressure washer

Same question for my Mustang 5.0 throttle body, I want to clean it up before throwing it on too.

[John]

I find that old fashioned oven cleaner can do wonders with a couple applications.
John

[SilverXJ]

I used oven cleaner on a set of pistons. They didn't like it very much. Came out very powdery looking. I don't think it plays well with aluminum,

[IH 392]

Oven cleaner will EAT! aluminum! bad idea!, some carb cleaner and a brush will knock it out, I threw mine in the parts washer at work for a whole day, slapped some HPNK on it, it's purdy now!

[John]

Sounds like it was left on too long. Wet with warm water, shake off water, spray item with oven cleaner, soak no more than 5 min. Wash it with water, repeat if necessary, Always flush with large amounts of soap and water. This will remove clear coat, anodizing and yes it will even lightly etch the surface of aluminum. Parts will need polished with your favorite polish after wards if you leave it on longer it will keep eating away, Lots of things are cleaned with mild acids, but we don,t soak them and go away.......................Drop a nail in a bottle of coke and look at it a couple of weeks later.
I have cleaned 3 intake manifolds and a couple of truly filthy AMC bell housings this way with zero problems, I would only do this outside.
John

[NavinRJohnson]

i had a similar situation after driving around with a cracked exhaust manifold for several months. i surmised that the crack upstream of the O2 sensor caused the ecm to detect a lean condition and was dumping in more fuel to correct it. my fuel mileage was suggesting this as well. when i took off the intake i was horrified to find thick, scaly, black, sludgy gunk. i scraped out what i could with a flat screwdriver and doused the remainder with brake cleaner and it wiped right off. hopefully your "assistant" doesn't accidentally hand you white grease as mine did. the first spray came out and i thought, "geez i don't remember it foaming like that. and it's not really evaporating at all..."

in his defense, both cans were similar in color and i did place them side by side on the shelf.

[cavaliers1323]

I use aircraft stripper and a wire brush.....works wonders.