General Maintenance & Repairs Leaks | Squeaks | Clunks | Rattles | Grinds
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: CARiD

GM Top End Cleaner?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 27, 2006 | 06:05 PM
  #1  
98RedBird's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (77)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,773
Likes: 3
From: Peoria, IL
Default GM Top End Cleaner?

I bought some of this Top End Cleaner from GM because my ta is a 98 and has 60k on it and figured it's pretty carboned up. what i was needing to know was if someone could walk me through exactly how to feed this stuff into the engine? it goes through some instructions on the back, but it is for carbureted engines. i didnt know if there was a write up on this or anything. i searched and didnt find anything, any help would be appreciated, thanks guys!!
Reply
Old Jan 27, 2006 | 06:37 PM
  #2  
orangeapeel's Avatar
ЯєŧąяĐ Єl¡m¡иąŧøя ™
iTrader: (18)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,083
Likes: 4
From: Justin, TX
Default

I have done the same thing with Berryman B12 chemtool.
I have always poured it in the oil filler right when I was about to change oil. Just let it run with the whole bottle in there for a few minutes and when you drain it through the drain it will be all chunky and extra nasty. But do it when you change the oil. Don't leave it in there!
Reply
Old Jan 27, 2006 | 06:49 PM
  #3  
98RedBird's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (77)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,773
Likes: 3
From: Peoria, IL
Default

I'm not sure that's the same thing though, I am actually wanting to clean the intake, cylinder heads, and cylinders..... although what you did with the Berryman stuff would probably be a good idea for me to do too.
Reply
Old Jan 27, 2006 | 09:09 PM
  #4  
TheSilverOne's Avatar
TECH Addict
iTrader: (22)
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,207
Likes: 5
From: Taxachusetts
Default

this is from what i remember reading on this site:

1. get the engine up to full operating temperature.
2. disconnect the brake booster hose at the brake booster.
3. slowly start to pour the gm top end engine cleaner into the hose.
4. the engine might want to die, so it would be good to have someone else keep the rpms up a bit.
5. once the container is empty, let the engine die.
6. connect the brake booster hose back to the brake booster.
7. after 10 minutes, start the car. if it doesnt start the first time, just try again. it will eventually.
8. enjoy the smoke show out of the exhaust.

if any of this is wrong, please correct me.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 05:28 AM
  #5  
VA2001SS's Avatar
On The Tree
 
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
From: Northern Virginia
Default

Originally Posted by RemiSS2002
this is from what i remember reading on this site:

1. get the engine up to full operating temperature.
2. disconnect the brake booster hose at the brake booster.
3. slowly start to pour the gm top end engine cleaner into the hose.
4. the engine might want to die, so it would be good to have someone else keep the rpms up a bit.
5. once the container is empty, let the engine die.
6. connect the brake booster hose back to the brake booster.
7. after 10 minutes, start the car. if it doesnt start the first time, just try again. it will eventually.
8. enjoy the smoke show out of the exhaust.

if any of this is wrong, please correct me.
I did the above and then changed the oil/filter afterwards. I used Sea Foam, read that it is the same thing as the "GM Top End Cleaner" for a few bucks less.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 03:31 PM
  #6  
Cody Brooks's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 816
Likes: 1
From: Ardmore, Oklahoma
Default

at 60k your engine shouldn't be too carboned up unless you run rich as hell all the time. I've had heads off engines with 100k or more that never had top engine clean run throught them and they were pretty clean, hell the cylinder walls still had the cross-hatching.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 04:32 PM
  #7  
Frosty's Avatar
12 Second Club
iTrader: (17)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,639
Likes: 0
From: Near Philly,PA
Default

Originally Posted by orangeapeel
I have done the same thing with Berryman B12 chemtool.
I have always poured it in the oil filler right when I was about to change oil. Just let it run with the whole bottle in there for a few minutes and when you drain it through the drain it will be all chunky and extra nasty. But do it when you change the oil. Don't leave it in there!
It's not the same thing as he's talking about.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 04:34 PM
  #8  
98RedBird's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (77)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,773
Likes: 3
From: Peoria, IL
Default

well i am hoping that it isnt too carboned up, but at only like $6 from the dealership, i figured what's the harm, all it can do is help, right?? and one other question, should i change my plugs after doing this, or should they be alright?
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

6 Gifts Neither Your Dad Nor Grad Will Shove Into the 'Trinket Drawer'

 Brett Foote
story-1

Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-6

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-8

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-9

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 04:37 PM
  #9  
Frosty's Avatar
12 Second Club
iTrader: (17)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,639
Likes: 0
From: Near Philly,PA
Default

Originally Posted by 98RedBird
well i am hoping that it isnt too carboned up, but at only like $6 from the dealership, i figured what's the harm, all it can do is help, right?? and one other question, should i change my plugs after doing this, or should they be alright?

Well, most say you don't have to but I ran some Seafoam through and now I have a slight miss and my MPG took a big ****. I'm doing plugs and O2 sensors really soon. It could be, however, just a freak coincidence.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 04:42 PM
  #10  
TheBlurLS1's Avatar
That's what she said...
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,954
Likes: 2
From: Nederland Texas
Default

Originally Posted by orangeapeel
I have done the same thing with Berryman B12 chemtool.
I have always poured it in the oil filler right when I was about to change oil. Just let it run with the whole bottle in there for a few minutes and when you drain it through the drain it will be all chunky and extra nasty. But do it when you change the oil. Don't leave it in there!
Holy **** batman! Your'e pretty brave! I've never heard of this before, not too sure i would want b12 chemtool coursing its way through the veins of my LS1.

Top end cleaner cleans out the INTAKE MANIFOLD/Head ports, not the crankcase/valvetrain. If there is some junk stuck on the bottom of my oil pan, i'd rather it stay stuck there. If it hasnt broken loose in all the rhomping i do, i think it'll be alright.

Alot of people on here swear up and down about the wonders of Sea-Foam. You can buy sea foam from most autoparts stores, and use it just like GM top end cleaner.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 04:47 PM
  #11  
TheBlurLS1's Avatar
That's what she said...
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,954
Likes: 2
From: Nederland Texas
Default

Originally Posted by RemiSS2002
this is from what i remember reading on this site:

1. get the engine up to full operating temperature.
2. disconnect the brake booster hose at the brake booster.
3. slowly start to pour the gm top end engine cleaner into the hose.
4. the engine might want to die, so it would be good to have someone else keep the rpms up a bit.
5. once the container is empty, let the engine die.
6. connect the brake booster hose back to the brake booster.
7. after 10 minutes, start the car. if it doesnt start the first time, just try again. it will eventually.
8. enjoy the smoke show out of the exhaust.

if any of this is wrong, please correct me.
This is the proper way to do it. You can also remove the fresh air hose from the front of the passenger side valve cover and feed it into the can, vacuum of the engine should suck it dry.

Be prepared to have MASSIVE amounts of smoke. Think Discount Tire burning to the ground amounts of smoke.

A plug change after the cleaning is always a good idea. Lord knows what kind of gunk will be flowing down the pipes.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 04:48 PM
  #12  
Frosty's Avatar
12 Second Club
iTrader: (17)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,639
Likes: 0
From: Near Philly,PA
Default

I didnt have much smoke the 2 times I did it. I guess there wasn't much carbon stuck up there
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 07:39 PM
  #13  
LS69TA's Avatar
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
Likes: 0
From: Texarkana, Tx
Default

Originally Posted by TheBlurLS1
Be prepared to have MASSIVE amounts of smoke. Think Discount Tire burning to the ground amounts of smoke.
One of my buddies had done it to his Tahoe just before I drove by his house. All I saw was him standing infront of it and an ENORMOUS cloud of smoke pouring out the tailpipe. First thought was WTF has he torn up now ?
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 10:14 PM
  #14  
98RedBird's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (77)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,773
Likes: 3
From: Peoria, IL
Default

so Frosty, did you ever figure out what the miss was from, or did it go away? Could it have fouled up your plugs, and that's what caused the miss? It makes me nervous, someone else told me not to do it, because it's worthless to do on a car with 62k miles on it, and that all i would do is screw something up by pouring that stuff in there.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 10:45 PM
  #15  
Frosty's Avatar
12 Second Club
iTrader: (17)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,639
Likes: 0
From: Near Philly,PA
Default

I think I was due for a tuneup anyway because I drove around after my header install without getting a tune. I was running hella rich so I think that contributed to the plugs and O2 sensors. However I don't know for a fact since I haven't replaced them yet so I don't know for sure what the problem is. It could be a weak coilpack.

I wouldn't worry too much, like I said it very well could be a coincidence.
Reply
Old Jan 28, 2006 | 10:56 PM
  #16  
BlkHwk's Avatar
TECH Regular
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 444
Likes: 2
From: MO
Default

Several years ago I spend about about a month @ the GM training center in KC. and they highly recommended the BG top engine cleaner which also has an additive you add to the tank after the service. I saw some before & after pics of the service and it was pretty impressive as far as cleaning carbon build up on the back of the valves (which can cause cold start problems due to the carbon soaking up fuel and causing a lean condition which I did experience on a 3100 engine). It seems that fuel injected engines are more prone to this build up. We recommended this service every 30k. Usually I would run this product in the vacuum line feeding the vacuum brake booster. We had a special cannister that had a valve @ the bottom that allowed you to control the flow of the product into the engine. I would run the engine to about 1500 rpm and feed the product in (via vacuum booster line) and watch inside the container until the product got close the the bottom of the container then I would drop the rpm and open the valve (depending on the engine and the amount of product it would consume) allowing it to kill the enigne. Then let the car sit for a couple hrs. and then take it out for a drive and clean the crap out and let me tell you it will smoke A LOT . We had one tech. get pulled over by the men in blue due to the heavy smoke.

(WARNING If you are not carful and allow too much of the top engine cleaner to flow into the engine you can cause engine damage!!

One tech that I know of got fired for this!!


Hope this helps.
Reply
Old Jan 29, 2006 | 01:17 AM
  #17  
Cody Brooks's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 816
Likes: 1
From: Ardmore, Oklahoma
Default

Originally Posted by BlkHwk
(WARNING If you are not carful and allow too much of the top engine cleaner to flow into the engine you can cause engine damage!!

One tech that I know of got fired for this!!

IE. bent rod, I knew of a guy at a different shop that did that.

I like the chrysler fuel system cleaning kit it comes with a bottle for the gas tank, a bottle for pouring into the injector flushing canister, and a spray can that is like the top engine cleaner that you spray into the throttle body. I had some good results with it at the dodge dealership when i worked there.
Reply
Old Jan 29, 2006 | 09:31 AM
  #18  
98RedBird's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Addict
iTrader: (77)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,773
Likes: 3
From: Peoria, IL
Default

BlkHwk, well i sure dont want to do any engine damage, how much is too much? Or will i just know.........
Reply
Old Jan 29, 2006 | 04:26 PM
  #19  
Camaro99SS's Avatar
TECH Resident
20 Year Member
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 879
Likes: 0
From: Nashville, TN
Default

You can't go wrong with the GM Top Engine Cleaner being a spray can. There's not a chance you could bend a rod with it. Even with Sea Foam, you'd have to basically have the whole can ingested in a few seconds to bend a rod.

Jason
Reply
Old Feb 3, 2006 | 04:41 AM
  #20  
MdFormula350's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 539
Likes: 0
From: Maryland; USA
Default

so do i need to change the plugs or oil? i have 4k left on my oil and the plugs/wires and the whole car only has 12k miles.
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:26 PM.

story-0
6 Gifts Neither Your Dad Nor Grad Will Shove Into the 'Trinket Drawer'

Don't get dad new socks or a grill brush this year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-04 05:00:17


VIEW MORE
story-1
Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?

Slideshow: We take a close look at the ONE and Artidiag 800BT2 diagnostic tools from Topdon and the reasons to buy one over the other.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 11:05:11


VIEW MORE
story-2
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine

Slideshow: The controversial Ferrari F6 swaps its original flat-12 for a Corvette Z06-derived LT4 V8 and sends power to four rear wheels through a custom-built drivetrain.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-26 18:23:54


VIEW MORE
story-3
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built

Slideshow:These GM engines didn't just make huge power, they survived abuse, boost, track days, and six-digit mileage with a reputation for refusing to quit.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-21 16:45:27


VIEW MORE
story-4
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-5
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-6
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-8
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-9
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE