[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Film don't lie. There are youtube videos that show its effect.

This video does not look too promising.

[IraHayes]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

Techron cleaner works to some extent, but only on surface that are touched by the fuel. With direct injection, the back side of intake valves cannot be cleaned by techron fuel additives.

This is the unfortunate downside to DI engines. I've bought some of that CRC GDI cleaner. CRC generally makes good stuff, but I'm skeptical if this will work. I'm hopeful as it may spare us the expense of a walnut blast. I just need to get around to doing it. I have a borescope, but it's really difficult to maneuver it through the intake manifold to get it to go to the valves you want to inspect for before and after pics.

[J.D.]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

This video does not look too promising.

He was talking about the CRC GDI intake valve cleaner. Or at least I was.

[sspade]

Originally Posted by IraHayes

This is the unfortunate downside to DI engines. I've bought some of that CRC GDI cleaner. CRC generally makes good stuff, but I'm skeptical if this will work. I'm hopeful as it may spare us the expense of a walnut blast. I just need to get around to doing it. I have a borescope, but it's really difficult to maneuver it through the intake manifold to get it to go to the valves you want to inspect for before and after pics.

Definitely report back with results when you get around to doing it.

CRC does make good products however Ive always been skeptical of these types of cleaners specifically. Never used one so have no experience...

Would love to hear/see some real work results before trying myself.

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

This video does not look too promising.

Certainly not where cleaning the intakes are concerned. You should find one for the intake cleaner I linked.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Certainly not where cleaning the intakes are concerned. You should find one for the intake cleaner I linked.

Do u have a video/link for doing this for F30? I will definitely do it if it does not include removing too many parts.

[Billfitz]

Google 'CRC intake valve cleaner youtube' gives 128,000 hits.

[IraHayes]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Google 'CRC intake valve cleaner youtube' gives 128,000 hits.

Finally, someone has a video with before and after borescope results. It would appear to work, though not as well as a walnut blast. At least not with one treatment anyway.

[Billfitz]

One video that I saw was done at something like 82,000 miles. That's a lot of baked on crud to get off without walnut blasting. I imagine if you do it yearly starting at less than 20,000 miles you'd never get a build up so bad that it needed blasting.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Google 'CRC intake valve cleaner youtube' gives 128,000 hits.

The youtube videos seen so far are for other cars, no BMW F30 3-series video though. E.g. where to access throttle plate past MAF to spray, does N20/N26 have throttle plate?

[IraHayes]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

The youtube videos seen so far are for other cars, no BMW F30 3-series video though. E.g. where to access throttle plate past MAF to spray, does N20/N26 have throttle plate?

It does indeed. I think we just tend to forget it’s there because of the drive by wire technology. This is the first car I have owned that’s drive by wire. Maybe I’m just too old school, but I miss the old cable and linkage set-up. And bring back my dipstick dammit!

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by IraHayes

It does indeed. I think we just tend to forget it’s there because of the drive by wire technology. This is the first car I have owned that’s drive by wire. Maybe I’m just too old school, but I miss the old cable and linkage set-up. And bring back my dipstick dammit!

OK then let me look at parts diagram to locate MAF and throttle plate. The last time I used similar product was carburetor cleaner from a long long time ago!

Also, can this type of GDI valve cleaner be safely used, say, weekly, to dislodge carbon buildup for last 50k miles?

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

where to access throttle plate past MAF to spray,

Remove the MAF, spray through that opening, then while you've got the MAF off clean it. That should also be a yearly routine maintenance item.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Remove the MAF, spray through that opening, then while you've got the MAF off clean it. That should also be a yearly routine maintenance item.

Have to say that opening is quite a distance from the intake valves. My thinking is that the most effective way to apply this type of GDI intake valve cleaner is to remove intake manifold, and that's 2/3 the labor towards walnut blasting.

[bavarianride]

FYI, one amazon comment says shops use this GDI valve cleaner to pre-soak intake valves before walnut blasting(after intake manifold was removed), that makes perfect sense.

Another user commented that he didn't have rpm high enough while using GDI valve cleaner, and apparently the cleaner pooled in misc. areas and led to misfires and limp mode. The fault codes eventually disappeared, but it does not look the right way to clean intake valves.

Also, the F30 N20/N26 MAF sensor is behind the air box, with a straight pipe(down pipe?) running to the engine.

If the engine is not running, will the cleaner just pool at the turn of that straight pipe?

Also does removing MAF sensor while engine is running leads to fault code too?

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

Have to say that opening is quite a distance from the intake valves.

It's a lot closer than the air box intake up at the grille, and yet air still somehow manages to make its way to the manifold. Yes, the cleaner pools. It's supposed to do that. Yes, the engine will misfire for a while until the cleaner is all cleared out. It's supposed to do that. No, removing the MAF sensor will not throw a code. You might get some misfire codes, which you should clear with your OBD tool after the engine is running normally again.

[sspade]

Im going to be honest... I aint sprayin' that shit into my engine.

I do hope to have a proper walnut blast one day, maybe around 100k miles.

About to crack 70k.

Really wonder what my valves look like at this point. Sure there is some buildup but how much?

I haven't seen any photos of N2X valves while everything was apart...

Ive also been running a catch can since 29k miles so Id imagine that has helped at least somewhat.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

It's a lot closer than the air box intake up at the grille, and yet air still somehow manages to make its way to the manifold. Yes, the cleaner pools. It's supposed to do that. Yes, the engine will misfire for a while until the cleaner is all cleared out. It's supposed to do that. No, removing the MAF sensor will not throw a code. You might get some misfire codes, which you should clear with your OBD tool after the engine is running normally again.

OK, I probably will pass on this unless rough idle and/or stalling shows up. Do note air density versus cleaner density are different, plus the cleaner probably has solvent that evaporates along the way, so it is unclear how much can head to the intake valves. And the thrown codes(which are logged by ECU) can be problematic for warranty work, esp. for cars with 15 years and 150000 miles of emission warranty.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by sspade

Im going to be honest... I aint sprayin' that shit into my engine.

I do hope to have a proper walnut blast one day, maybe around 100k miles.

About to crack 70k.

Really wonder what my valves look like at this point. Sure there is some buildup but how much?

I haven't seen any photos of N2X valves while everything was apart...

Ive also been running a catch can since 29k miles so Id imagine that has helped at least somewhat.

Local dealer service guy said when carbon deposit gets bad, it can cause misfire and throw CEL(and this type is not covered by emission warranty). Having said that, he said the shop has not seen any I4 that has carbon buildup issue, yet.

[sspade]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

Local dealer service guy said when carbon deposit gets bad, it can cause misfire and throw CEL(and this type is not covered by emission warranty). Having said that, he said the shop has not seen any I4 that has carbon buildup issue, yet.

Thx for sharing. Probably very accurate info.

Im a victim of over maintenance and care (like a lot of us) but I still like to be cautious and do research.

I honestly dont think trying this stuff once will cause any noticeable harm but Im going to pass.

Anyone heard of dealer specials or just generally know the cost of walnut blasting?

May consider at 100k as kind of a halfway point thing.

Hell or high water... I will be driving this vehicle for 200k + miles

[bavarianride]

Another thought is, does no hard driving before warming up reduces carbon buildup?

Also can ECU do something(e.g. limit PCV blowback?) to alleviate carbon buildup?

[sspade]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

Another thought is, does no hard driving before warming up reduces carbon buildup?

Also can ECU do something(e.g. limit PCV blowback?) to alleviate carbon buildup?

Ive heard that constantly baby'ing the car, literally over thousands and thousands of miles can cause more carbon buildup than the same vehicle that got wrung out once in a while.

I have no idea if this is just an old wives tale?

Truth be told... I do baby my car around like its a 1987 Cadillac Brougham de Ville most of the time.

I do try to redline or near redline once every few days or once a week though.

No idea how this relates to others driving habits but thought Id share :