[Bluewater335D]

I have a 335D LCI, with under 40,000 genuine miles - I love the car and want to keep it. Also to replace it with nearly new would cost £35k+

I keep thinking about this carbon build up "thing" and I would like do something about it before/if I have a problem

Presumably the following would need to be done

Clean manifold
clean/replace swirl flaps, (I don't want to remove them)
Clean EGR

also to complete the job would the cylinder head have to be removed to clean the valves and surrounding areas - or can this be done with the removal of the head.

Is there a good Indie in the UK who can do this work?

[rasa bmw]

Originally Posted by Bluewater335D

I have a 335D LCI, with under 40,000 genuine miles - I love the car and want to keep it. Also to replace it with nearly new would cost £35k+

I keep thinking about this carbon build up "thing" and I would like do something about it before/if I have a problem

Presumably the following would need to be done

Clean manifold
clean/replace swirl flaps, (I don't want to remove them)
Clean EGR

also to complete the job would the cylinder head have to be removed to clean the valves and surrounding areas - or can this be done with the removal of the head.

Is there a good Indie in the UK who can do this work?

manifold is on top and easy to remove,,take egr off first is easiest way,,then clean and just remove the swirls and get some blanks,,you can clean the valves to a point also in situ.....i wouldnt even worry about carbon build up,,,on my old e46 330d it was pretty clean after 97 k iles,,,sold car with 157 ki miles and drove like it was a nipper ha ha

[Bluewater335D]

Originally Posted by rasa bmw

manifold is on top and easy to remove,,take egr off first is easiest way,,then clean and just remove the swirls and get some blanks,,you can clean the valves to a point also in situ.....i wouldnt even worry about carbon build up,,,on my old e46 330d it was pretty clean after 97 k iles,,,sold car with 157 ki miles and drove like it was a nipper ha ha

thanks rasa - can always rely on you for comments and advice

I've been reading that swirl flaps are important and should be kept as, and I'm not technical, at one stage there is a build up extreme pressure, (towards the turbo??), and the purpose of swirl flaps is to release this and prevent damage - so if I do anything and after cleaning they look damaged - I would replace them

[Tambohamilton]

Your info on the swirl flaps is wrong. They are there to close off the larger inlet tracts at low RPM, which causes better airflow into the cylinders (through the small inlet tracts only) and improves combustion, therefore producing a bit more grunt low down, and better running. You can remove them with no danger, but you will lose a little low down torque. The auto box should mask that well though, so maybe no issue to you. You need to buy a complete new manifold to replace the flaps - they're not available separately.

You can clean the inlet tracts without removing the head, but you'll need a walnut shell blasting setup including a hoover adaptor to fit the port well, and a blasting lance with a long nozzle. The blasting process is then long and tedious. Dealers charge something like £1000+ to do it all.

I'd be interested to hear if you find someone to clean the inlet manifold properly - I'm on the lookout too.

[Sir_Dave]

Originally Posted by Bluewater335D

I have a 335D LCI, with under 40,000 genuine miles - I keep thinking about this carbon build up "thing" and I would like do something about it before/if I have a problem

Personally, i wouldnt worry about it for at least another 100k miles

[rasa bmw]

Originally Posted by Sir_Dave

Personally, i wouldnt worry about it for at least another 100k miles

exactly...but the fewr the miles the more build up you see,,ie town/city driving etc..

[Bluewater335D]

Originally Posted by Sir_Dave

Personally, i wouldnt worry about it for at least another 100k miles

For the sake of a few hundred quid - less if I do the work myself - I don't want to take the risk of a piece of a flap falling into the cylinder - I intend to keep the car for some time - it is in really good condition and worth spending money on

[rasa bmw]

not many if any at all on the lci swirl flap failure,,but peace of mind and not much cost ,,id do it,,and actually did on all my cars(3) all m57..e46/e90/e92 etc...balnks set with gaskets from x8r ltd £40 and a bit of time