This video shows the problem with carbon build up on a Mini Cooper S. Mini uses a walnut shell blaster to clean this tough carbon and it does a great job. The carbon can also cause pitting on the valves which sometimes requires a valve job due to high cylinder leakage. The carbon can cause loss of power, rough running and misfires. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ldJsdXE5gk&hd=1]Mini Cooper, Carbon Build Up, Intake Valves, Misfires, Rough Running, Loss of Power - YouTube[/ame]
:cornut: Nope! Margi(08 R56 MCS/JCWm) looked nothing like that when her head was removed to change the head gasket(At 49kmi). Thanks to OCC and Seafoam(in gas and through the intake), she was clean as a whistle. Jason
Not all dealers need to remove the head to clean the carbon from the intake valves. BMW has a special "Tool" that is basically a pressure pot containing refillable ground walnut shells and shop air from a common air compressor . Each cylinder needs to have the engine rotated so all valves are closed or the cylinder will fill with cleaning debris.... The system uses a special adapter that attaches where the intake manifold connects (which must be removed for the cleaning). This adapter is attached to a standard shop vac and suctions the spent shells from around the valves during the cleaning. This cleaning method is much quicker than the one that requires full removal of the head. The video mentions 2 hours to perform the cleaning. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-HlWELr4Zk&hd=1]Clearing Carbon Buildup in an R56 MINI Cooper - YouTube[/ame]
Please keep this as an informative thread. Your thoughts on R53 vs R56 are all well know and will continued to be removed from this thread.
Audi has been using that process for the same problem since the mid 90's, of course they didn't have direct injection engines then, so the cause was due to either PCV vapors or bad valve guides or seals. I have one of those remote cameras, I'm going to take some vids of my engine one of these weekends too - if I see that kind of crud I can use it to get my dealer to do the process on my car before it goes out of warranty. I think the local dealer charges quite a bit to do this job, since it requires removal of the intake tract to get to it. Wonder how the exhaust valves look? No easy way to check them without removing the turbo or exhaust manifold.
Just speculation, but I would guess the exhaust valves would look better than the intakes. Combustion should be taking care of the exhaust valves.
I wonder if a Fuel Injection kit fitted with an atomizer would be something inbetween the carbon blaster and the seafoam pour? [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnNlbMO7-5s]Fuel Injection - Induction Service - Gas Engine - YouTube[/ame] I see Mityvac, BG, and OTC all sell an adapter to make the Fuel Injection cleaner an Air Intake cleaner as well. I wonder if these methods would throw the CEL?
Is this a warranty issue, to them, I know it is to us but??? I guess you could just say it runs rough? May have to try this on the wife's car before its out of warranty.
In the spirit of spreading knowledge or something like it...... This got me looking elsewhere for more info on the walnut shell process. I have never heard of using walnut shells for anything, but I do like walnuts Anyway, the big Google in the sky put me onto this link on one of the BMW forums. Thought I would share. [ame="http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16734"]http://www.n54tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16734[/ame] This writeup includes a DIY shell blasting gun.
I emailed Wezag USA and they do not have the N12/N14 adapter here in the USA, but can order it from Germany. They prefer to wait until there is an order of more than just one. Crazy thing is it is only about $35!