[Clem]

Thanks to Rich, Jason and Sean for coming out yesterday. It was a long day and we appreciated your patience, as even with two techs going at it, this procedure takes a good while to complete. I just couldn't get over how much build up was present on all three well kept, relatively low mile cars. I hope all of you are happy with the results.

We will be offering this service here in the upcoming weeks. My blaster crew will probably be available one or two weekends a month and can possibly fit in one car here and there on a weekday evening.

If anyone is interested, I'll start a list and get to work on a schedule. Cost will be $400 plus an optional $25 for new intake manifold gaskets. There's no charge for all the dumb jokes!

[Blade]

Originally Posted by Clem

Thanks to Rich, Jason and Sean for coming out yesterday. It was a long day and we appreciated your patience, as even with two techs going at it, this procedure takes a good while to complete. I just couldn't get over how much build up was present on all three well kept, relatively low mile cars. I hope all of you are happy with the results.

We will be offering this service here in the upcoming weeks. My blaster crew will probably be available one or two weekends a month and can possibly fit in one car here and there on a weekday evening.

If anyone is interested, I'll start a list and get to work on a schedule. Cost will be $400 plus an optional $25 for new intake manifold gaskets. There's no charge for all the dumb jokes!

I'm in for a Sunday or weeknight!

[O HELLA BMW]

@clem , im down on a sunday as well, MD is a 4 hour drive for me so let me know when your BMW techs are free

[jdub486]

To anyone with an n54 considering having this done, I can say with confidence that you will notice a difference from the cleaning. The buildup was bad on all the cars present and the techs said most develop bad carbon by 30k miles.

I immediately noticed a smoother idle, free of the "bumps" I was experiencing before. The throttle response is crisper and the car feels more responsive. There is less hesitation down low and the car seems to rev more freely at 4k+.

The only downside is knowing the carbon will start accumulating again!

[bigdaddycane]

As promised, some pics from yesterday's 1st monthly N54 carbon cleaning festival. My camera was acting up so I don't have any BEFORE pics. I think Paul or Ryan has some from car #2.

Paul cleaning a cylinder


A shot of an almost completely cleaned cylinder


Sifting carbon deposits from walnut shells


Carbon deposits becoming visible


Post sifting....carbon deposits are clearly visible. Yes people this stuff is in your cylinders


Time to start researching a good METH kit as I do not want to have to clean these valves again...

[zeel]

^Nice pics! I see they used a different adapter from when I was there. I went to mexico that same night with a few buddies and def noticed a difference. Basically everything Jdub said lol.

[bigdaddycane]

They had to do some of mine by hand because the gun kept jamming due to all the carbon from your car and jdub's....that's where the sifter idea came from; to get out all the carbon that was being recycled with the walnut shells.

[zeel]

Originally Posted by bigdaddycane

They had to do some of mine by hand because the gun kept jamming due to all the carbon from your car and jdub's....that's where the sifter idea came from; to get out all the carbon that was being recycled with the walnut shells.

Gotcha yea they did some of mine by hand too. Took awhile to get the walnut blaster to work but eventually it got the job done.

[AlpineE90335i]

Please put me down for the next carbon cleaning meet. I'm in for sure. Just let me know.

[Clem]

As soon as I have then next date arranged, I'll post up, find out who is available and schedule 3 cars for that day.

[cssnms]

Hey Adam,

Can you ask your tech friend if he can clean diesels too?

Chris

[Clem]

Originally Posted by cssnms

Hey Adam,

Can you ask your tech friend if he can clean diesels too?

Chris

I'll ask him Chris, but hopefully your nice new 335d won't need anything like this done for a long time.

[cssnms]

Originally Posted by Clem

I'll ask him Chris, but hopefully your nice new 335d won't need anything like this done for a long time.

Thanks, let's hope that's the case. There's already 2 reports in 335d's that I am aware of where BMW replaced the head due to carbon build up; both cars had low mileage ie 23k miles. I thought it was odd they replaced the head vs cleaning it like they do with the 335i. It would be great to know if this is a viable option for the diesels, beats buying a new head.

[Clem]

Ok, we have two openings for this Saturday if anyone is interested. Only catch is, you need to drop your car off Friday evening or early Sat. morning as this work will be done at the dealership. PM me for details.

[Deadwrong]

Pm sent.

[robertg]

I am looking to get this done also. On Sunday maybe?

[AlpineE90335i]

PM sent.

[Blade]

Do we have any possibility of a Sunday coming up? Thanks

[Clem]

Lots of interest on this and not enough available time! Let me get with my
crew to see what I can come up with.

[Stucks]

Originally Posted by Blade

Do we have any possibility of a Sunday coming up? Thanks

+1 for sunday, but other days would work for me too lol

[cleex024]

if anyones interested i could possibly help someone do it for a little cost of supplies that it cost me to get this set up...ive done mine in my garage and came out pretty nice if anyone is up for it.

[eldudo]

I rarely have something meaningful to contribute, but this time I think I can.

Last year my car was feeling "funny" when accelerating in 4th, 5th or 6th gears at 3000 RPM (meaning that if you were at 3000 RPM while in these gears and floored it, I would feel this slight "flutter" as I call it). It was not very apparent and had to be done on a smooth road as you could mistake this slight hesitation/flutter as imperfections on the road being felt through the steering wheel.

My car was still under warranty and took it to the dealer.
They first did an HPFP check and mentioned something about recalibrating some pressure setting, but I could still notice the flutter.
I took it again and they did a TSB update that was due for the HPFP also, but I could still feel it.
The last thing I took the car in for was the HPFP replacement recall and at the same time replaced all 6 spark plugs (all under warranty).
When they did this last thing, they did not torque the spark plug #5 correctly and 5 minutes after leaving the dealer my car starting hesitating like crazy. Back to the dealer. They torqued #5 again, but I could still feel the flutter and that's when I finally got a hold of the service manager who also felt it and confirmed I was not crazy, but he first suggested they would wipe out the adaptive settings the car had learned from my driving, because "that could be it".
I told him to do it and keep the car until he was able to test drive it with no flutter.

Next day they call me. Flutter is gone.
When I picked up my car they told me that it was carbon build up and the car felt soooo smoooth it was the best upgrade I had done so far.
This was at 44k miles.

I'll be looking for another carbon cleaning by 75k-80k miles to avoid this again.

Funny thing is they wanted to blame it on me as the first question they asked me was what kind of gasoline I've been putting on. Which is the same 93 octane I put in my 2001 E46 330i that has never had this issue.
Could it be that the N54 is more prone to this much carbon build up or is it that I can feel it more in the 335i than I can on the E46 330i?

Thanks.