Service Breakdown – Walnut Blasting
What is it?
Walnut blasting is a maintenance service to clean the vehicle’s intake valves. With all vehicles, carbon deposits will build up in your vehicle in various areas. One such area is the intake manifold and valves. This buildup occurs over time as the vehicle repeatedly heats and cools the fluids that run throughout it.
When the buildup accumulates, your vehicle will become less fuel efficient, sluggish, and potentially misfire. It may even cause a check engine light to appear on the dashboard. The aim of the walnut blasting service is to restore your vehicle’s performance and efficiency.
Why is it called that?
To perform this service, a fluid is sprayed into the intake valves to help break up debris. Then, tiny pieces of crushed walnut shells get blasted at the gummed-up components. Walnut shells are the media of choice; they are firm enough to clean the carbon and soft enough to absorb fluids while not causing any damage to the internals. The shells are then blown and vacuumed out of the valves to ensure that nothing is left behind in the engine.
Does my vehicle need this?
Walnut blasting is excellent preventative maintenance for all vehicles. It is most strongly recommended for vehicles that receive their fuel via direct injection. Vehicles with this type of fuel delivery have their injectors spraying gasoline directly onto the engine to increase the efficiency process of combustion. This style leads to a quicker throttle response and better gas mileage, but it also leaves the engine susceptible to the contaminants that fuel carries.
How often depends on the vehicle, but it is usually recommended every 60,000 miles or 5 years.
Walnut blasting is sometimes referred to as an “above and beyond” type of maintenance. As we see more and more people opting to fix and keep their vehicles, the service is one that should be seen as a semi-regular item to have performed.
It is also an excellent idea to have this (along with having all fluids changed) anytime you get a used vehicle that is over a few years old.
Intake valves – before and after walnut blasting.
What if I don’t perform this maintenance?
Over time, the flow of air to your engine will become more and more restricted. You will notice an increasing sluggishness in your vehicle’s throttle response. Because the vehicle is struggling to get air—a key ingredient in the formula of a healthy vehicle—your fuel efficiency will also struggle as the vehicle works harder to get an adequate fuel-to-air ratio. In some cases, you may even get a check engine light on the dashboard.
Here at Top Tier Automotive, we have all of the tools and experience needed to perform a walnut blasting on your vehicle. This service can be performed on diesel, gas, and hybrid vehicles of all makes and models. Give us a call or text at (608) 572-7722 for information on pricing and scheduling!