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      02-23-2020, 10:44 PM   #1
lo_cheng
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Intake valve cleaning???

I just heard something from a friend today about "Intake Valve Cleaning".
It is about because of Direct Injection engine design, there will be carbon build up on the intake valve. He have idle issue and is gone after intake valve cleanup.

It is not specific to BMW but all car with Direct Injection. I google a bit and seem like it is a big job.

Here is one of the video I can find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pE_9LAL_LY

I Drove BMW for 14 year and never done this before.
However G01 is my first "Turbo" BMW. My last one was E90.

Anyone have to do this "Walnut Blasting" intake cleaning before??
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      02-23-2020, 10:52 PM   #2
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I'm more of a pistachio guy.
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      02-24-2020, 05:57 AM   #3
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Google N20 CRC valve cleaner. Done that once at 60k km as maintenance for intake valve. Not sure how clean the valve is but it sure blow out ton of black smoke during treatment which is the carbon in the intake valve. Will do the next cleaning at 100k km.
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      02-24-2020, 06:18 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lo_cheng View Post
I just heard something from a friend today about "Intake Valve Cleaning".
It is about because of Direct Injection engine design, there will be carbon build up on the intake valve. He have idle issue and is gone after intake valve cleanup.

It is not specific to BMW but all car with Direct Injection. I google a bit and seem like it is a big job.

Here is one of the video I can find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pE_9LAL_LY

I Drove BMW for 14 year and never done this before.
However G01 is my first "Turbo" BMW. My last one was E90.

Anyone have to do this "Walnut Blasting" intake cleaning before??


Apparently Audi TT used to do this as well, ever since we had a 1973 beetle in early 80's that got coked up and solution was get engine hot and rag it around solved it thats what we do to all cars we have ever had without any of this stuff.
Once engine is noce and hot and on a motorway, drop the gears and work the engine hard especially up hills, get it working and get it breathing, sepcially for my wifes car that potters in and oit of town to and from work every day
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      02-24-2020, 12:36 PM   #5
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Direct injection bypasses putting fuel on the intake valve, since it is injected directly into the chamber right before ignition. So you shouldn't get any carbon buildup on the back of the valve - that's from fuel/air mix hitting it when injectors and carburetors clogged up the air intake with fuel .
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      02-24-2020, 01:09 PM   #6
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Carbon build up was a problem on the earlier DI BMW engines, the N54 especially and the Mini doesn't fair well.

Since the N54 I haven't heard of issues.
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      02-24-2020, 01:55 PM   #7
lo_cheng
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Quote:
Originally Posted by msmiles View Post
Direct injection bypasses putting fuel on the intake valve, since it is injected directly into the chamber right before ignition. So you shouldn't get any carbon buildup on the back of the valve - that's from fuel/air mix hitting it when injectors and carburetors clogged up the air intake with fuel .
From what I read, it is opposite. The issue is cause by the back of the valve NOT getting hit by Gas
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      02-24-2020, 06:27 PM   #8
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Garage List
DI intake valve deposits occur from PCV oil vapor and oil seeping past intake valve guides. Non-DI intake valves have fuel and detergent washing them each intake stroke. DI intake valves have dry air with no fuel to wash the oil condensation off the upstream side of the valve. Deposits causing CEL have been known to happen on some Benz DI engines.
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      02-24-2020, 06:52 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chassis View Post
DI intake valve deposits occur from PCV oil vapor and oil seeping past intake valve guides. Non-DI intake valves have fuel and detergent washing them each intake stroke. DI intake valves have dry air with no fuel to wash the oil condensation off the upstream side of the valve. Deposits causing CEL have been known to happen on some Benz DI engines.
Exactly. My point is, have anyone actually need to clear it on B58 engine?
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      02-24-2020, 08:16 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by msmiles View Post
Direct injection bypasses putting fuel on the intake valve, since it is injected directly into the chamber right before ignition. So you shouldn't get any carbon buildup on the back of the valve - that's from fuel/air mix hitting it when injectors and carburetors clogged up the air intake with fuel .
You got that all mixed up.
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      02-24-2020, 08:42 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lo_cheng View Post
I just heard something from a friend today about "Intake Valve Cleaning".
It is about because of Direct Injection engine design, there will be carbon build up on the intake valve. He have idle issue and is gone after intake valve cleanup.

It is not specific to BMW but all car with Direct Injection. I google a bit and seem like it is a big job.

Here is one of the video I can find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pE_9LAL_LY

I Drove BMW for 14 year and never done this before.
However G01 is my first "Turbo" BMW. My last one was E90.

Anyone have to do this "Walnut Blasting" intake cleaning before??
Haven't heard or seen issues with the B engines yet , but wouldn't be surprised if there is a tad buildup over time (60k plus )

Mini engines and the N63 engine had issues with major carbon build up.

My recommendation DRIVE the car like its designed to be driven. Shorts trips and grandma driving wont help with carbon buildup for sure.
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      02-25-2020, 06:00 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lo_cheng View Post
I just heard something from a friend today about "Intake Valve Cleaning".
It is about because of Direct Injection engine design, there will be carbon build up on the intake valve. He have idle issue and is gone after intake valve cleanup.

It is not specific to BMW but all car with Direct Injection. I google a bit and seem like it is a big job.

Here is one of the video I can find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pE_9LAL_LY

I Drove BMW for 14 year and never done this before.Anyone have to do this "Walnut Blasting" intake cleaning before??


The best thing to do is throw a bottle of Techron fuel injector concentrate in the tank every 3000 miles. You can get it in most auto parts stores. It comes in a 12 or 20 oz bottle. Or you can buy the BMW fuel injector cleaner from the parts dept at the dealer. Both products are exactly the same an come in a black plastic bottle and are manufactured by Chevron. On the underside of both it is stamped made by Chevron. I have been using this over 20 years and never had any issues. My dealer actually recommended it as well.
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      02-25-2020, 06:12 PM   #13
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Your dealer is wrong. The B58 is GDI. No additive will clean your intake valves.
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      02-25-2020, 07:12 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DTRJ View Post
The best thing to do is throw a bottle of Techron fuel injector concentrate in the tank every 3000 miles. You can get it in most auto parts stores. It comes in a 12 or 20 oz bottle. Or you can buy the BMW fuel injector cleaner from the parts dept at the dealer. Both products are exactly the same an come in a black plastic bottle and are manufactured by Chevron. On the underside of both it is stamped made by Chevron. I have been using this over 20 years and never had any issues. My dealer actually recommended it as well.
It won't do anything, it is GDI Engine, the fuel never hit the back of the valve. That's the problem.
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      02-25-2020, 08:22 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SO8 View Post
Carbon build up was a problem on the earlier DI BMW engines, the N54 especially and the Mini doesn't fair well.

Since the N54 I haven't heard of issues.
I also second this. N54 and N63 and M57 engines have this issue. Maybe the occasional N55. But after these engines they seem to be doing a lot better. N54 and N63 being the worst offenders and if bad enough actually causing idling issues or rough running issues because of it.
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      02-26-2020, 01:49 PM   #16
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Can anyone say WHY the B58 will not have this problem? What specific design changes, etc. Would love to know more.
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      02-26-2020, 02:24 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alias1431 View Post
Can anyone say WHY the B58 will not have this problem? What specific design changes, etc. Would love to know more.
Any DI engine is susceptible to this issue. Only time will tell.
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      02-26-2020, 02:48 PM   #18
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Run meth. Still bank on doing a valve cleaning eventually. I’ve done cleanings on N54’s and FA’s (Subaru). They all suck, but nothing but a walnut blasting will help
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      02-26-2020, 06:10 PM   #19
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You really don't need to be concerned with Valvetronic engines and carbon build up.
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      02-26-2020, 07:05 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bmwstep2001 View Post
You really don't need to be concerned with Valvetronic engines and carbon build up.
Why?
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      02-26-2020, 07:33 PM   #21
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From I've researched, newer generation DI engines aren't as bad as those early versions. Something about valve timing (to help reduce soot deposits) and also about valve temperatures keeping things nice and hot to burn off soot. I haven't seen any reports on BMW B-xx engines having this issue like the earlier N-xx for BMW and MINI.

Some manufacturers use a mix of DI and PI (the PI washes the back of the valves like always) like Toyota and some VWs. Not sure if that's excessive and expensive for what might not be that big of a deal?

Apparently paying attention to oil condition matters A LOT with DI engines, and that makes sense to me. Contaminated fluids = contaminated vapors and sticky droplets.
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