R55 Very Interesting, Carbon Build up in cylnders
#1
Very Interesting, Carbon Build up in cylnders
Mini had our Clubbie for almost a week after the check engine light / emmisions warning came on. Nice BMW loaner while they had it. Nice to have an extended warranty too [even though this is under the original warranty]
looks like they rebuilt the top of the engine
looks like they rebuilt the top of the engine
#2
They didn't rebuild your top end...
they took off the intake to see what was up, and used Sea Foam to break up and dissolve the carbon that had built up in the intake, head runners, back of valves and combustion chambers. They soaked the deposits longer than most who do the Sea Foam in thier own driveways do (I let it soak about 1/2 hour in a hot engine), but it's the same deal.
Anyway, Sea Foam (and there are other products that can do this) can be done yourself every so often. It's about $8 bucks a can, and can be bought at Napa Auto Parts stores. Search on "Sea Foam" here and you'll find a bunch of threads on it.
If you do it every 10k-20k miles, you should be fine.....
Matt
Anyway, Sea Foam (and there are other products that can do this) can be done yourself every so often. It's about $8 bucks a can, and can be bought at Napa Auto Parts stores. Search on "Sea Foam" here and you'll find a bunch of threads on it.
If you do it every 10k-20k miles, you should be fine.....
Matt
#3
#5
Walmart carries it and is most likely the cheapest place. At any chain auto parts store it's gonna run you 10+ dollars a can.
Last edited by Oxybluecoop; 03-06-2010 at 04:41 PM.
#7
6th Gear
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Posts: 1,515
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oxybluecoop has done an excellent "how to" and can be found here:
http://www.motoringalliance.com/foru...t-r55-r56.html
http://www.motoringalliance.com/foru...t-r55-r56.html
Trending Topics
#8
#10
This isn't an excuse...
new direct injection engines don't have this spray of gas (basically a really good solvent) in the areas where the PCV system would put the gunk. When it hits hot components, it would cook, and coke up (leave solids behind when what could vaporize did). This is real, and not limited to Mini DI engines. BMW, Porsche, Ford and others have run into thos issue as well.
What does this mean to a DI engine owner? This means that owners of these engines have a new periodic maintenace issue to deal with, and that is decarbonizing intake/valve/combustion chambers. What's dissapointing is that the manufacturers didn't see this one coming so it's a big surprise to the owners. And it's not a say "every 2 year or 24000 mile" sceduled item.
In the future, I think manufacturers will deal with this by doing better phase separation to get the vapors out, and keep the liquids in, but this will only delay, not eliminate the problem. They will probably have to adopt some sort of valve cleaning maintenance schedule as well. But this is what you get for technology that ups performance AND gas mileage. While it's a pain, I still think it's a great trade.
Matt
#11
#12
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...lve-noise.html
But would be nice to know if there are any symptoms of the cylinder carbon build up.
#14
6th Gear
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Lemoore, CA
Posts: 1,872
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Talked with my local Custom Mini Shop owner Steve and he mentioned that the BSH competition oil catch can is baffled unlike most of the other ones. Easily installed and where as I have a M7 Intake system installed it where the old air intake hose was.
Last edited by Tron Chief; 03-10-2010 at 07:02 AM.
#15
Another carbon victim-HELP
My '08 Cooper S was due for service in two weeks (26k miles) and I noticed the rough idle on start up, especially on cold mornings. I also noticed a slight hesitation upon acceleration. Two days before my scheduled service appointment, the yellow engine light came on. When I took the car in for service, the SA at Universal City Mini said it would definitely take more than one day. The next day he informed me that there was a significant amount of carbon build up in all four cylinders and he would be performing a carbon cleanout. He immediately asked me what kind of gas I was using and attributed it to bad gas even though I only use premium from 76 or Shell. After reading this forum topic, I asked him if it could be caused by anything else (ie valve cover, PCV, etc).
In a demeaning tone, he said " you can't believe everything online. If it were as simple as a $35 valve cover, I wouldn't be having my guys spend 12 hours carbon blasting your engine". The carbon cleanout took 3 days and while it was covered under warranty, I am still afraid they didn't actually fix the cause of the carbon build up . Does anyone know what I should do next to get the cause resolved? Do I have to wait for another 24k miles for this to happen again?Does anyone know what the PUMA case no. entails?
My Service Invoice reads:
Excessive Carbon Deposit on Cyl, 4,1,2,3
Interrogate Fault
R and I Intake Manifold
Submit Puma Case No. 29762938
Performed carbon cleanout
clear adaptations and clear all faults
In a demeaning tone, he said " you can't believe everything online. If it were as simple as a $35 valve cover, I wouldn't be having my guys spend 12 hours carbon blasting your engine". The carbon cleanout took 3 days and while it was covered under warranty, I am still afraid they didn't actually fix the cause of the carbon build up . Does anyone know what I should do next to get the cause resolved? Do I have to wait for another 24k miles for this to happen again?Does anyone know what the PUMA case no. entails?
My Service Invoice reads:
Excessive Carbon Deposit on Cyl, 4,1,2,3
Interrogate Fault
R and I Intake Manifold
Submit Puma Case No. 29762938
Performed carbon cleanout
clear adaptations and clear all faults
#16
My '08 Cooper S was due for service in two weeks (26k miles) and I noticed the rough idle on start up, especially on cold mornings. I also noticed a slight hesitation upon acceleration. Two days before my scheduled service appointment, the yellow engine light came on. When I took the car in for service, the SA at Universal City Mini said it would definitely take more than one day. The next day he informed me that there was a significant amount of carbon build up in all four cylinders and he would be performing a carbon cleanout. He immediately asked me what kind of gas I was using and attributed it to bad gas even though I only use premium from 76 or Shell. After reading this forum topic, I asked him if it could be caused by anything else (ie valve cover, PCV, etc).
In a demeaning tone, he said " you can't believe everything online. If it were as simple as a $35 valve cover, I wouldn't be having my guys spend 12 hours carbon blasting your engine". The carbon cleanout took 3 days and while it was covered under warranty, I am still afraid they didn't actually fix the cause of the carbon build up . Does anyone know what I should do next to get the cause resolved? Do I have to wait for another 24k miles for this to happen again?Does anyone know what the PUMA case no. entails?
My Service Invoice reads:
Excessive Carbon Deposit on Cyl, 4,1,2,3
Interrogate Fault
R and I Intake Manifold
Submit Puma Case No. 29762938
Performed carbon cleanout
clear adaptations and clear all faults
In a demeaning tone, he said " you can't believe everything online. If it were as simple as a $35 valve cover, I wouldn't be having my guys spend 12 hours carbon blasting your engine". The carbon cleanout took 3 days and while it was covered under warranty, I am still afraid they didn't actually fix the cause of the carbon build up . Does anyone know what I should do next to get the cause resolved? Do I have to wait for another 24k miles for this to happen again?Does anyone know what the PUMA case no. entails?
My Service Invoice reads:
Excessive Carbon Deposit on Cyl, 4,1,2,3
Interrogate Fault
R and I Intake Manifold
Submit Puma Case No. 29762938
Performed carbon cleanout
clear adaptations and clear all faults
#17
Does one need to do an oil change after Sea Foam-ing? I'm asking because I don't know, and I will be doing the Sea Foam thing to keep my car in good running order.
#18
Schatzy -- I've read varying opinions on the recommended frequency of oil changes for MINIs, and I've also read that the Sea Foam thing should be done everywhere from 3 - 10k miles.
Does one need to do an oil change after Sea Foam-ing? I'm asking because I don't know, and I will be doing the Sea Foam thing to keep my car in good running order.
Does one need to do an oil change after Sea Foam-ing? I'm asking because I don't know, and I will be doing the Sea Foam thing to keep my car in good running order.
#20
I should have made my statement a little more clear.
What I really meant was to use seafoam where you suck it in thru a vacuum line into the intake manifold.
And if you change your oil on a regular basis (much earlier than the MINI recommended aruond 15K or more) this will seriously help reduce sludge build up.
#23
Here is a thread on an install of the BSH Competition Catch Can and Dual Boost Tap/Block-off https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...t-install.html
#25
Well, first off, there is a maintenance involved with a Catch Can. That's just one more thing the dealership has to keep track of during the warranty period.