2nd Gen "How To" This is a How-To on Removing the Carbon Build-up, the right way.

Having gone through the Seafoam craze a couple of years ago and reporting my finding I can't say that it definitely helps. Consider the time the seafoam actually has time to soak on the valves in a running engine. Fractions of a second! The fog solution might work better but don't pray the rosary.

I've been using the passenger side PCV delete plugs this year. We'll see how nasty the intercooler is this year when I take it out for a wash.

 

:cornut: No No! When the Seafoam is in, one cuts the engine x30min and then spirited 30min drive. Seafoam has 30min to work on the carbon deposits which are minimal anyway as one's been using it in conjunction with a BSH OCC/BSH dual port by pass valve and repeating Seafoam every 3kmi.

Jason

 

My thinking is, if Seafoam was used regularly, from purchase of the car, it might not get it all, but should cut down on the build up. At the least, it would be doing something and it can't hurt.

Is there one of those kits for a 1012 CM? If so, I will buy one.

Jim

 

If there is a 1012 Countryman then my friend you have the proverbial pregnant man in your garage. That's some find there Jim :biggrin5:

 

:cornut: Don't forget the BSH OCC/BSH dual port by pass valve. Our own Defenders of Speed have the BSH OCC/BSH dual port by pass valve on sale, at least that's where I got mine.

Jason

 

Why didn't spell check catch that? You need to look into this problem Nathan.

Jim

 

In reality, there is no silver bullet out there that can "fix" the carbon build-up on its own.

Seafoam will never be the optimum solution for removing existing intake deposits. That said, there's sufficient evidence in the forums over the years showing that when Seafoam is used regularly, routinely, properly, and (most importantly) starting very early in the life of the engine, it can help minimize the deposits and/or slow their formation. There's also sufficient online evidence to suggest that once the carbon deposits have manifested themselves to a particularly onerous state of affairs, Seafoam isn't very effective at eradicating those deposits and manual intervention is almost always necessary.

Likewise, an OCC helps but again can never be 100% efficient at condensing all of the crankcase vapors and atomized oil droplets out of the intake air flow. The best it can do is slow the rate of formation of the carbon deposits. Despite the amount of goo one drains from their can, it is most certainly only a fraction of the total that passed through it. Some is bound to end up in your intercooler, intake manifold, on your valves, and in the combustion chambers.

This is especially true for the N18 engines with their internal PCV components, as crankcase gases only pass through the typical N18-installed OCC when the intake manifold is under boost conditions and, unless you're constantly on a track, most of the time the manifold is operating under a vacuum. Anyone with a boost gauge can confirm this. I had an OCC installed on my '11 MCS for over a year and in that entire time I never collected more than an inch total depth of effluents in the can. Does that mean I regret buying and installing it? Not at all. Every little bit helps, and I figured the extra insurance was worth the price even though I knew it wouldn't work at all like the N14 configuration with the boost tap plug. (My OCC has since been removed, but only because I'm parting out in anticipation of a sale/trade.)

I figure the best approach is to take every mitigating approach that is available to you (careful break-in period, Seafoam, OCC, frequent oil changes, etc.) and start it all very early in the game. :wink:

 

^^I agree. The "ounce of prevention" approach is sometimes the best you can do and better then doing nothing.

Jim

 

I like that my engine is makin all this carbon for free.....

I'm gonna harvest it.... Flatten it.... And glue it on my MINI....

Because RACE CAR....

It's talking to me......rrr:

I'm stickin with ground up rodent food..... The best way to deal with this issue IMO.... AND IT'S BIO-DEGRADABLE.....

Ya'll can keep your Seamist, gasoline magnets, and Turbolators.... It's good to feed the economy.....

 

Yup, I agree. Just added "Take some nice 'after' pictures of N14 intake valves after a Seafoam fogging." to the schedule. R60 CAI production prep is dominating our schedule at present, but I'll make sure we get to those pics in-between that madness.

In the meantime, if there's anyone near San Francisco, CA that has carbon buildup and wants a free Seafoam fogging in exchange for pics of their intake valves, let me know.

-Clint

 

You may get a little residual seafoam sitting on top of the piston dome when you finally turn off the ignition, but the rest of it will get burnt off while you're introducing it into the intake while the engine is still running. Any fuel system cleaner can do that job since fuel is being sprayed near the piston dome. If you want to clean the intake ports/valves good you need to do it manually or with a media blaster. The OCC might slow it down a little but 2nd gen MINI owners just need to accept this is a high maintenance engine because of the crappy PCV design. This damn car is a love hate thing for sure!

 

:cornut: One gets Seafoam residual on the intake valves not the piston domes when done correctly(N14 engine). On this engine to clean the injectors and cylinders/pistons; one puts the Seafoam in the gas tank where the gas/Seafoam goes gas tank/gas line/fuel pump/gas line/injectors/cylinder. This DIRECT INJECTION engine sprays gas(and Seafom) into the cylinder never touching the intake valves. To clean/treat the intake valves one(engine at operating temp[220degrees F], RPMs at 1,000)sprays the Seafoam Mist via Seafoams New Kit directly into the post inter cooler pressurized air and then imediately shuts down the engine x30min allowing the Seafoam to work on the intake valve deposits. Then 30min later, spirited 30min drive and one's done for 3kmi. For some 30kmi now,and without the new 'mist kit', I have put the mist directly into the intake(engine running and same criteria as above)pre turbo and post air cleaner/BSH OCC/BSH dual port by pass. At 1krpm,the turbo has never been injured and at operating temp(sitting in drive way, engine at 220F, ambient air 90F,gauge indicated intake air temp 120F, the temp of the compressed air in the inter cooler) the mist passes right through the turbo(slow 1krpm being atomized even more) to the inter cooler( 120F well above the evaporation point[and still atomized] so no collection of Seafoam in the inter cooler) through the high pressure intake line to the intake valves. With the mist in, the engine is shut down to allow it to work on the intake valve carbon deposits x 30min prior to the 30min spirited run. This proceedure repeated every 3-6kmi and the BSH OCC/BSH dual port by pass reducing engine inhaled blow by. The fact that we have to do all of this because of the poorly designed PCV system in the N14 is a moot point. It is a poor design there fore we have to perform this proceedure OR rip the head off and spray it with walnut shells every so often. No argument here take your choice. Me, Seafoam every 3kmi in gas and intake,BSH OCC to catch the blow by,BSH dual port to stop blow by, and no carbon problems in 71kmi. You want walnut shells, you got them.

Jason

 

:cornut: It essentially does the same thing as the BSH Dual Port bypass which MUST be used with the BSH OCC to catch ALL blow by.

Jason

 

Two errors in your post.....

The BSH Dual Port does not dictate which OCC that can be used....

There is no known OCC that catches all blow by.... Unless you consider your engine is just a large OCC. Which is how the EPA would look at it....

 

:cornut: One may use any OCC that he wants. To me the BSH is the best as it has propper baffling and internal seperation of the two sides to allow propper condensation of the blow by there by keeping it in the OCC. The only known system(in the N14 engine) to catch ALL BLOW BY is the BSH OCC AND the BSH Dual Port valve(or the block off system mentioned in Nathan's post and of course with a propper OCC). Now,the new Block Off system mentioned in Nathan's post blocks the greatest amount of blow by(like a BSH dual port valve used alone) but NOT ALL. To it one must add a propper(baffled and internally seperated)OCC. One may choose another brand of OCC but to me the BSH is the best. The TWO ERRORS that You Made are now explained. For one who does not use any of the three products mentioned, how would you know? Lack of personal knowledge of the subject speaks volumes as to the arguer's credibility.

Jason

 

^^^Ha Ha Ha....
You a funny man......

 

Lots of blow-by in this thread.... opcorn:

 

Wish I could see your write up..... I'm not a member over "there".....

Any way this might be able to be put together and added to our "How to" in the M/A library?


Ahhhh yeah..... Seamist = Swampgas....