Odd solution about carbon...

[Freon]

Originally Posted by m7ammed

Sorry to sound dumb, but one would think BMW would have installed an oil catch can if it would have helped with this? Is there any other reason why BMW never installed something like this?

Slow down. We have yet to prove in a controlled test that Brand A or Brand B oil catch can eliminates the problem.

[Fed P]

Originally Posted by Freon

Slow down. We have yet to prove in a controlled test that Brand A or Brand B oil catch can eliminates the problem.

Don't we all agree that it helps at least to some extent though? With that in mind, I would agree with the other poster that it's a matter of cost vs benefit that BMW decided did not make catch cans worth it.

[Sindarin]

Originally Posted by Fed P

With that in mind, I would agree with the other poster that it's a matter of cost vs benefit that BMW decided did not make catch cans worth it.

I don't agree. Crankcase ventilation systems are meant for emissions purposes. Crankcase vapor contains hydrocarbons which have to be vented back into the engine to be burned, not released into the atmosphere. Just like fuel tank vapor has to be contained with the charcoal canister and burned when the engine is running.

[mike the snake]

Even with a catch can, the crankcase ventilation vapor still goes exactly where it went before, just with some/most of the oil being condensed back into liquid form, and then hopefully properly disposed of.

[Fed P]

Exactly, we are not throwing it into the atmosphere with a catch can, so I don't see the logic in that argument.

[Ænema]

The best way to deal with CC pressure is to route it into the exhaust stream to be drawn out... but that's not exactly EPA friendly.

[Fraserb64]

Just had a Terraclean and another service they offer but mention less which focuses on the induction side.

To set the context my car is remapped and no has the power at top end but was noticeably "lumpy" through the lower rev range, which showed up on the dyno charts. The chip company said looks like carbon build up on the induction side. We continued with the remap an the car gained +50BHP and +30lb/ft of torque, so a good result. The lumpiness was still there at the bottom until about 5000 rpm when all hell let loose.

Anyway I decided to try Terraclean rather than several bottles of fuel additives along with expensive tankfuls of premium unleaded.


Took the car in to a local garage who did the Terraclean and Induction clean.
Picked up car and immediately noticed the difference - from sun 1000 rpm all the way to the aforementioned 5000+ rpm it was lump free.

I then decided to replicate my journey to work there was enough traffic around albeit a different time of day. My average fuel consumption went up from 28-30 mpg to 34mpg (20 mile round trip with slow zones for a couple villages and roundabouts etc. not smooth and flowing).

So off the bat I am saying it looks good.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by Fraserb64

Just had a Terraclean and another service they offer but mention less which focuses on the induction side.

To set the context my car is remapped and no has the power at top end but was noticeably "lumpy" through the lower rev range, which showed up on the dyno charts. The chip company said looks like carbon build up on the induction side. We continued with the remap an the car gained +50BHP and +30lb/ft of torque, so a good result. The lumpiness was still there at the bottom until about 5000 rpm when all hell let loose.

Anyway I decided to try Terraclean rather than several bottles of fuel additives along with expensive tankfuls of premium unleaded.


Took the car in to a local garage who did the Terraclean and Induction clean.
Picked up car and immediately noticed the difference - from sun 1000 rpm all the way to the aforementioned 5000+ rpm it was lump free.

I then decided to replicate my journey to work there was enough traffic around albeit a different time of day. My average fuel consumption went up from 28-30 mpg to 34mpg (20 mile round trip with slow zones for a couple villages and roundabouts etc. not smooth and flowing).

So off the bat I am saying it looks good.

Terraclean, never heard of it.

[Havocsteve]

Just did a google search and it's a Canadian based company.

http://www.terraclean.net/app_guide2/index.php

Might want to do this.

[Fraserb64]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

Terraclean, never heard of it.

http://www.terraclean.co.uk/

[Havocsteve]

Originally Posted by Fraserb64

http://www.terraclean.co.uk/

Does it really do a good job? I mean, I don't mind pulling the intake off and cleaning them myself but I'd rather do this is I could. Saves time and I'm not liable to mess something up lol.

[Fraserb64]

Originally Posted by Havocsteve

Does it really do a good job? I mean, I don't mind pulling the intake off and cleaning them myself but I'd rather do this is I could. Saves time and I'm not liable to mess something up lol.

From the experience i had it worked mines an N54 (non turbo) was running like a yo-yo when dyno'd before an remap. The trace was more like stairs than a curve. Also my average fuel consumption on a regular trip to work was in the mid late 20's mpg. After the remap I had plenty power post 5000 RPM but still the yo-yo effect below. The Terraclean exhaust and induction clean made the car immediately smooth especially at low speed when you could almost stall pulling away in first. Taking up to and beyond 5000 rpm is a lot smoother. The most obvious think was my regular route to work started showing mid 30's mpg. How long it will last (no idea) using super unleaded as much as possible also.

Unfortunately I may need a remap as the car went to a main dealer for some work and they updated the ECU so my 50hp gain has probably gone as the car though smooth feels lazy.

I guess the question is several bottles of additives over a year which adds up to the same as a Terraclean, or strip down and do it your self. (i didn't fancy it).

[DSR27]

I just looked at the info on TerraClean. It appears to put highly reactive and concentrated cleaners directly into the fuel injection. The problem for those hoping to clean the carbon from intake valves in a 135 this way is that none of those cleaners will reach the intake valve, at least not directly, for the same reason that DI engines have carbon buildup on the intakes. If there was so much blowby that the solvent-laden crankcase vapors washed years of carbon away from the intakes, I'd be worried about other things.

This doesn't deny that TerraClean could do do some good. It could certainly clean the combustion chamber, exhaust ports, etc. I just don't see how any benefit to the intakes on a DI engine would occur.

Gary