P1518 code

Bruinzfan

Registered
Intake manifould runner stuck open Bank 1.

Am i bumming? Is this a big job. It actually sounds pretty scarey. Is it something that will keep me from driving it? I have driven it from time to time before i ran the code. It runs a little rough at idle. I actually thought it was a coil again.

Hoping for good news.

Keith
 
Have you run a can of SeaFoam through the intake ? If not, I'd try that before anything else. How many miles on the engine?
 
No i have not run the seafoam through. It has about 48k or so.

Thank you I will try that. Can i get it at Autozone or an auto parts store?


Keith
 
JP,

Dont mean to seem ignorant but could you just sumarize the proceedure i should use for this please? Thank you.

Keith
 
Here's how I do it...

Start the car and let it warm up to operating temperature. Shut it off and open the hood.

In the middle of the intake is a vacuum tee fitting with a large line going to the drivers side and a small line going to the passenger side. Disconnect the small line at the tee and plug it (I use a golf tee). Use a piece of vacuum hose (from parts store when you pickup the Seafoam) and connect it to the tee fitting where you disconnected the small line. You want a section 2-3 feet in length. Pour approximately 1/3 of the can into a small open container (I use an old coffee cup).

Start the car and let it idle. Use the end of the hose like a vacuum cleaner and suck up the Seafoam from the cup. Do not submerge the line into the liquid and try to keep the car running. You basically want to suck the Seafoam in as quickly as you can without stalling the car. The object is to drown the interior of the intake manifold with the Seafoam without actually burning it in the cylinders and getting it in before it can evaporate. Once you have vacuumed all the Seafoam from the cup shut the car off immediately and note the time.

Now undo the attached length of vacuum hose and unplug the small vacuum line and reconnect it to the tee fitting. Check the time. The soak time allows the seafoam to penetrate the gunk in the intake manifold and loosen it up. After 10 minutes of 'soaking', restart the car. It may need some help with the throttle to get it to stay running. Once it is running good, start giving large amounts of throttle and observe the exhaust for smoke. Don't go crazy and redline the motor but keep revving the motor until the smoke clears.

Now the important part. Take the car for a drive. Find someplace where you can safely drive spiritedly. :)

You want to exercise the car thoroughly. I recommend turning off the OD and do several WOT runs (safely!). You want to get the engine rpms well above 3000 rpms so the IMRCs open. Do this several times observing the smoke in your mirrors. Once you see no more visible smoke, return home.

Repeat the process until you get no more visible smoke show. I've done it as much as 3 times back to back. Any leftover Seafoam is best just dumped into the fuel tank.

Depending upon the amount of buildup in the intake, you may want to change the spark plugs when you are done. Some have said they have gunked up the plugs with the seafoam process. I've never had any issues, but if you suck in more than the recommended amount you could loosen up too much crud at once and experience these issues.

Now go have a good smoke show! :D

Edit: I just realized you have a Gen2, so your choice of vacuum source will be different from what I described as I have Gen1s. I chose the tee fitting on the Gen1 as it is easy to access and distributes the Seafoam in the middle of the intake. I know some have used the vacuum line from the PCV valve but I personally do not like it as it goes to the throttle body. Just my opinion.
 
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I had this same problem. There is a T connector that runs behind the Intake and up agianst the firewall. Disconnect the bottem portion of the T and make a straw to suck the seafoam out of a small container(it doesn/t take much). "Message" the IMRC's while sucking it the seafoam. Then do a regular seafoam procedure and repeat if neccisary. Mine came back after two weeks and I did it agian. Hasn't been back since.As far as I know there shouldn't be a problem with it being a gen 2, but ive never physically been under the hood of a gen 2 either. there might not even be a T there. I have a post with pictures somewhere if you want to do a search for it. Good luck!
 
After the first SeaFoam treatment, remove the upper intake and see if you can manually move the runner arms with your hands. Sometimes just moving them around gets the job done. If you can't reach them, removing the throttle body helps, but involves more work.
 
Thanks all for the advice. I signed on to say I think i have a problem, but Wayne gave me some hope that makes sense. Heres is the situation. I seafoamed my engine twice. Neither time produced any and I mean none, no smoke what-so-ever, until I got it up on the highway and got on it. Then there was a puff of smoke and a highdy-High-Ho-Silver...the first time. The next time there was no smoke. Although the car seems to run better the code came back. I guess i will have to try to do the manual thing when i have a chance. If that doesnt work i will have to ride around with the scanner until after Carlisle. In the event I get pulled over for a sticker, hopefully the cop will have some mercy, :rolleyes: given I am in the middle of troubleshooting. Anything big is going to have to wait until after Carlilse. I am not letting a little bit of a rough idle ruin that on me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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