Is there any way to safely and effectively clean out an oil fouled IC short of removing it from the car? Got a m7 OCC on the way and want to clean the IC once for all.
Not really... you could try to injest some alcohol or something to clean it out. But really, pulling the IC off and doing a good cleaning with some acetone or the like isn't that hard. The OCC will get rid of some of the dirty stuff that coats the IC, but really, it will just slow the fouling. It will still get dirty... Matt
I think it's a lot easier to remove and clean a 1st gen IC... OP has a R56 - that's a lot more work. But otherwise I agree with Matt - no other effective way I know of to do it. I guess this is one advantage of the 1st gen top mount IC... I can R&R in 5 minutes or less now that I know the tricks.
Matt/Paul, Does it make any sense to get the Oil Catch for a R56? I ask cause I see all sorts of folks advertising for R53's but very few for R56's. Not sure if this is a function of need (or lack of) or third party mfg's catching up with this model. I don't have a aftermarket IC, yet, but from what I understand it should be fairly simple to remove if needed for periodic cleaning
I think it's more a function of aftermarket catch-up/demand. The need for it is debatable but anything that keeps other parts cleaner and helps maintain intercooler efficiency has some merit.
There is a long thread over on the NAMless site about excessive carbon build-up on the intake valves caused by the direct injection process (no fuel to dilute the PCV vapors going into the engine). Consensus was to get a regular intake cleaning done and possibly an OCC to help reduce the oily vapors. I know my OCC traps a significant amount of the oily stuff before getting ingested by the intake.
My thought on OCCs... way overpriced. And many of them aren't complete as they don't have some high surface area stuff to help condense the vapors so they just don't pass through the can and into the intake. for the R53, a lot of people screwed up thier cars by not knowing how to install it properly, and ended up overpressuring the crankcase and causing leaks at the base of the valve cover. One guy actually cracked his! There are some sites that show how to make low cost ones based on water separators for compressed air lines. You need to make sure that what you make is compatable with the temp environment that you install it in. If I had a R56 S, I'd do some homework and build my own. The ones you get from the Mini parts vendors cost way to much and I don't think they are all that well designed. You might want to do some searching on "phase separators", as those are what one really wants to use. Matt
Concerning OCCs............ You could go to Ebay and buy a generic OCC for ~$30. I did and it works great, exactly the same as some vendor priced models at $130. Open up the top and stuff some Copper scouring pads in to increase the surface area and allow the OCC to capture the maximum amount of oily residue from the vapors passing through. I also think I upgraded the hoses, and with the scouring pads the whole project was <$40. For that $$, an OCC is worth it to me.
Be Careful!! Just a point to ponder. Anything you stuff in the OCC had better be rock-solid stable. If not, it's heading straight for the turbo and combustion chamber! :frown5:
Bingo! And with all the money saved, you can buy some of the cool things that my company makes! But this is a perfect example of what you can do with a little leg work. (or finger work...) Matt
Check it out Not sure if 7" length would fit but there were many many hits Universal Oil Catch Tank Can Silver WRX Lancer Charger:eBay Motors (item 330375241374 end time Nov-10-09 13:00:54 PST)
That looks like a fine product. They are all about the same really. Mine looks a little different, but basically the same thing. Mine did come with a mount, but for me it was better to just zip tie it to that back plastic wall housing the ABS module. One 14" black zip tie holds it in there perfectly for my R53. I do have to take it out for oil changes, etc., but it is no big deal and zip ties are cheap.
Hiya, Scott: I take the intercooler off once a year. Since I installed the M7 OCC (more on this in a minute), I don't have oil running out of the IC anymore, and after I stuffed some copper scouring pads into the OCC, barely anything at all comes out of the IC. I use Wurths brake cleaner - absolutely no residue when done. Now I barely get anything that even colors the newspaper I put down to catch the runoff. Regarding the OCC, I get some gunk that turns into a rubber like stuff, making cleaning the OCC difficult. I just disassemble the thing, but find that the gasket will eventually break apart. I emailed Peter for some new gaskets, and I got a lesson in the "proper way" to reseal the OCC - use some gasket goop. I will never buy another M7 product. I went down and got some high temp gasket material (enough for about 20 gaskets) for about $10. A little cutting board, exacto knife and hole punch and I have a great gasket. As a side note, I mounted the OCC in the little well near the ABS module in an effort to get away from some of the engine heat. Little did I know that the ABS module gets smoking hot when driving at the track (10 to 12 events a season). This heat causes the gunk to turn into kind of a rubbery substance that is really hard to remove. I am trying to figure out a way to come up with a remote drain to empty the OCC more often so I won't have to deal with the rubbery stuff (I clean the OCC before and after a track season - no problem in the winter with the rubbery stuff). Anyway - take the IC off. After a few times it becomes pretty easy (unless you have those damn Alta silicone things. Man they are TIGHT). Give me a holler if you have questions/concerns. Pat