Walnut Blasting - My first attempt

Discussion
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Nice job, looks good! Bet it gets better gas mileage too!

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Sloan said:
Nice job, looks good! Bet it gets better gas mileage too!

Thank you! Definitely noticing an improvement already. Got five more cylinders to go; I’ll update on any differences afterward.

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Wow. That looks rough! Nice job cleaning it up.

What gas do you usually run, and do you use any fuel treatments?

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Zuri said:
Wow. That looks rough! Nice job cleaning it up.

What gas do you usually run, and do you use any fuel treatments?

Thanks! This project inspired me to finally get a walnut blaster—super satisfying to use!

I recently got this car with high mileage and some neglect from previous owners. It’s a project car for me, so I’m giving it a full overhaul. I usually fill up with premium gas, and every 4-5k miles, I add injector cleaner. So far, I’ve replaced both turbos, injectors, resealed the PTU, serviced the transmission, and checked the rear differential. Plan to do an engine flush soon since I saw some light sludge when I took off the valve covers.

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@Ocean
You might want to look into Valvoline R&P. I’ve started using it, and my wife’s Explorer seems to run smoother. Time will tell.

With DI engines, I’m careful about fuel brands and only go for top-tier gas or BP. I also use a PEA-based cleaner sometimes to keep things clean.

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@Zuri
Thanks for the tip! I’ll check it out.

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@Zuri
Looking up Valvoline R&P now, and I think you’re right—that’s exactly what my engine needs! :smiley:

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Ocean said:
@Zuri
Looking up Valvoline R&P now, and I think you’re right—that’s exactly what my engine needs! :smiley:

Check out MotorOilGeek on YouTube. He has some great insights on stuff like this.

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@Zuri
Will do! Just when I thought I’d watched every car maintenance video out there, haha.

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Ocean said:
@Zuri
Will do! Just when I thought I’d watched every car maintenance video out there, haha.

It’s a deep rabbit hole, but a good one!

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Which engines with direct injection have this issue?

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Sonny said:
Which engines with direct injection have this issue?

All Gen 1 3.5 Turbo and NA engines up to 2017. Look up engines without port injection for a full list.

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I have a 2016 Explorer Platinum with twin turbos. I can only imagine how bad mine must look—it’s been a city car its whole life and just hit 120k! :sweat_smile:

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Sawyer said:
I have a 2016 Explorer Platinum with twin turbos. I can only imagine how bad mine must look—it’s been a city car its whole life and just hit 120k! :sweat_smile:

You should take a look! It’s not too hard to remove the intake manifold to check. :blush:

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@Ocean
Appreciate the encouragement! It seems like a lot to tackle, but maybe I’ll give it a shot once I build up the confidence. :raised_hands:

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Sawyer said:
@Ocean
Appreciate the encouragement! It seems like a lot to tackle, but maybe I’ll give it a shot once I build up the confidence. :raised_hands:

Absolutely! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 8mm and 10mm sockets
  • Confidence to take it off
  • New gaskets (stick with Mahle or Motorcraft quality)
  • And, of course, confidence to put it back on! :smile: