Drivetrain (Cooper S) MINI Cooper S (R56) intakes, exhausts, pulleys, headers, throttle bodies, and any other modifications to the Cooper S drivetrain.

Drivetrain DIY Engine Cleaning (Intake Valves)

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Old Mar 10, 2019 | 03:36 PM
  #176  
Redhotz's Avatar
Redhotz
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From: Cleveland, OH
Same thing with me. It would crank, but not start. I had it towed to a shop. They said the engine/plugs were flooded. Changed the plugs and okay. I would take the plugs out for a while and let it dry out.
 
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Old Aug 17, 2020 | 01:31 PM
  #177  
Victor Gonzalez Rodriguez's Avatar
Victor Gonzalez Rodriguez
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Joined: Aug 2019
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Tools bought

Originally Posted by NY_R56
Here's a update.
My tools just came in this morning. The BMW sprayer wand thing didn't work with my sandblasting nozzle. LOL

Attachment 66686

So I made my own. A valve and a couple of fittings I got from my local hardware store.
Cost = $6

Attachment 66687


Attachment 66688



As for the air compressor I used. It is a dinky little 4 gallon bositich compressor since my 20 gal air compressor and good shop vac are shot. Dam hurricane sandy flooded my uncle's basement along with a couple other tools he borrowed.
Attachment 66689


The media I used is fine crushed walnuts. 24 grit
Attachment 66690


I'm happy to say it went quicker than I thought Actually a lot quicker than I thought. To decently clean all 4 intake valves took me about 15 minutes.
About a minute to clean one cylinder pretty good and prolly a minute for my air compressor to charge/catch up. My little compressor came on 4 times so a 20 gallon tank would be easily capable of carbon blasting a Mini.

Before:
Attachment 66691



After:
Attachment 66692


As for the amount of walnut media used to clean the intake valves. About 5 pounds.

This is how much that was in my vacuum after the valves were clean. And to me the media still looks pretty clean so I can still reuse it for something else.
Attachment 66693

After I put my Mini back together. I did a test run. I can definitely feel the difference. I have the AP running stage 3 and usually in sport mode always I hit boost cut for some reason but, couldn't figure why it did that. Now no more boost cuts in sport mode.

All in all it took less than a hour to completely carbon blast my Mini. Now I'm going to stop wasting my money buying seafoam and deep creep for my Mini. Instead, since I have to BMW tools to carbon clean. Next time I do it should cost less than five bucks.
Now for the money I saved not going to the dealer is going towards a new air compressor since the old one shot. Debating if I should go for a nice 30gal portable belt driven or 60 gal belt driven stationary($50 difference)

Sent from my iPhone using NAMotoring
Hey so hoping that you see this, what exactly did you buy to adapt the Mini walnut attachment to your sandblasted?

 
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Old Feb 10, 2022 | 10:02 AM
  #178  
DefoMini08's Avatar
DefoMini08
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Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 13
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From: Windsor, WI
I saw it mentioned that the tubing needs to be .20 ID
I find .25 aluminum tubing online with a .034 which gives me a .18 ID Is this too small?
Did the tubing that you used off the Harbor Freight nozzle work fine?
 
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Old Feb 10, 2022 | 10:49 AM
  #179  
sani's Avatar
sani
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Originally Posted by DefoMini08
I saw it mentioned that the tubing needs to be .20 ID
I find .25 aluminum tubing online with a .034 which gives me a .18 ID Is this too small?
Did the tubing that you used off the Harbor Freight nozzle work fine?
It should be fine. If the ID is too big the walnut velocity is decreased and not as effective at cleaning.

sani
 
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Old May 14, 2023 | 06:33 AM
  #180  
U.S.A. Ranger's Avatar
U.S.A. Ranger
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 25
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Adapter

This post is for PHXSTEELE. It's only been 10 years since your post so I hope you're still on this forum.
Your post has a bunch of pictures showing part numbers and how to make a blaster. I need one more piece of information. The last pic shows the "Finished" gun with the media pickup. Can you give me a part number and/or where to get this piece?

If anyone else knows where to get this, please chime in.
Thanks
 
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Old May 14, 2023 | 11:20 AM
  #181  
phxsteele's Avatar
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Originally Posted by U.S.A. Ranger
This post is for PHXSTEELE. It's only been 10 years since your post so I hope you're still on this forum.
Your post has a bunch of pictures showing part numbers and how to make a blaster. I need one more piece of information. The last pic shows the "Finished" gun with the media pickup. Can you give me a part number and/or where to get this piece?

If anyone else knows where to get this, please chime in.
Thanks
Yep still here. Are you referring to the "gun'. Not sure if the part number but I picked it up at harbor freight I believe.
 
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Old May 14, 2023 | 11:55 AM
  #182  
U.S.A. Ranger's Avatar
U.S.A. Ranger
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I'm looking at the Part between the gun and the brass fittings. This is where you attach the tubing for the walnut pickup.


 
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Old May 15, 2023 | 05:00 PM
  #183  
geofox784's Avatar
geofox784
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 68
Likes: 13
From: Denver, CO
That part should come with the gun..tb_button {padding:1px;cursor:pointer;border-right: 1px solid #8b8b8b;border-left: 1px solid #FFF;border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;}.tb_button.hover {borer:2px outset #def; background-color: #f8f8f8 !important;}.ws_toolbar {z-index:100000} .ws_toolbar .ws_tb_btn {cursor:pointer;border:1px solid #555;padding:3px} .tb_highlight{background-color:yellow} .tb_hide {visibility:hidden} .ws_toolbar img {padding:2px;margin:0px}
 

Last edited by geofox784; May 15, 2023 at 05:01 PM. Reason: fix
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Old May 18, 2023 | 07:18 AM
  #184  
FrankMstein's Avatar
FrankMstein
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Joined: Aug 2022
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From: Charlotte
Originally Posted by geofox784
That part should come with the gun..tb_button {padding:1px;cursor:pointer;border-right: 1px solid #8b8b8b;border-left: 1px solid #FFF;border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;}.tb_button.hover {borer:2px outset #def; background-color: #f8f8f8 !important;}.ws_toolbar {z-index:100000} .ws_toolbar .ws_tb_btn {cursor:pointer;border:1px solid #555;padding:3px} .tb_highlight{background-color:yellow} .tb_hide {visibility:hidden} .ws_toolbar img {padding:2px;margin:0px}
It does not. None of them come with the gun. I had to go to lowes to "engineer" a fitting situation. It worked and I can post a pic of the setup later.

>>>This is the fitting that is needed: https://www.bimmerhelp.info/product-...-brass-fitting <<<
This is the tube I got but it will need to be bent to a 90deg: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...-euro-b1100003
 
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Old May 18, 2023 | 07:23 AM
  #185  
FrankMstein's Avatar
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From: Charlotte
I highly recommend doing this process. Mine had 96k miles and it feels like a new car or I had just tuned it! Major difference. I can now bark the front tire from 1-2 gear change! If you have the time like 12-14 hours (depending on the thickness of deposits) you can use seafoam or "degreaser" or fuel = whatever else you choose to soak each of the valves in for hours while scraping and blowing out the residue. Luckily you can do 1-4 and 2-3 in sets.
 
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Old May 18, 2023 | 09:51 AM
  #186  
Lex2008's Avatar
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96k!!! I put a new motor in my R56 and the valves looked horrible within 20k miles.

I usually take an entre day to do it too...soak, pick, soak pick, walnut blast...takes forever.
 
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Old May 19, 2023 | 05:54 AM
  #187  
FrankMstein's Avatar
FrankMstein
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From: Charlotte
Originally Posted by Lex2008
96k!!! I put a new motor in my R56 and the valves looked horrible within 20k miles.

I usually take an entre day to do it too...soak, pick, soak pick, walnut blast...takes forever.
YEAH IT DOES and my back PAYS for it!
 
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Old May 19, 2023 | 08:25 AM
  #188  
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oh yes its an uncomfrtable position to be in. Im thinking of buying one of these, since I have 3 cars with direct injection could be worth it if it saves me hours and hours.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N2LKH6Y/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_1?smid=A3W34R82EI8DS3&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07N2LKH6Y/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_1?smid=A3W34R82EI8DS3&psc=1


 
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Old May 19, 2023 | 10:53 AM
  #189  
FrankMstein's Avatar
FrankMstein
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From: Charlotte
Originally Posted by Lex2008
oh yes its an uncomfrtable position to be in. Im thinking of buying one of these, since I have 3 cars with direct injection could be worth it if it saves me hours and hours.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...82EI8DS3&psc=1
I saw that and thought I can get a super compressor AND the sprayer for that price! I installed a catch can on the vacuum side. Pressure side was dry and clean. My wife can't stop driving it like a grandma.
 
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Old May 19, 2023 | 11:04 AM
  #190  
Lex2008's Avatar
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ya I have a super compressor and a sprayer and honestly it only works so so and walnut sells end up all over.

ya my girl drivers like a grandma too.
 

Last edited by Lex2008; Feb 28, 2025 at 03:22 AM.
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Old Feb 27, 2025 | 05:11 PM
  #191  
pkgmSu2000's Avatar
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Originally Posted by NY_R56
Here's a update.
My tools just came in this morning. The BMW sprayer wand thing didn't work with my sandblasting nozzle. LOL

Attachment 66686

So I made my own. A valve and a couple of fittings I got from my local hardware store.
Cost = $6

Attachment 66687


Attachment 66688



As for the air compressor I used. It is a dinky little 4 gallon bositich compressor since my 20 gal air compressor and good shop vac are shot. Dam hurricane sandy flooded my uncle's basement along with a couple other tools he borrowed.
Attachment 66689


The media I used is fine crushed walnuts. 24 grit
Attachment 66690


I'm happy to say it went quicker than I thought Actually a lot quicker than I thought. To decently clean all 4 intake valves took me about 15 minutes.
About a minute to clean one cylinder pretty good and prolly a minute for my air compressor to charge/catch up. My little compressor came on 4 times so a 20 gallon tank would be easily capable of carbon blasting a Mini.

Before:
Attachment 66691



After:
Attachment 66692


As for the amount of walnut media used to clean the intake valves. About 5 pounds.

This is how much that was in my vacuum after the valves were clean. And to me the media still looks pretty clean so I can still reuse it for something else.
Attachment 66693

After I put my Mini back together. I did a test run. I can definitely feel the difference. I have the AP running stage 3 and usually in sport mode always I hit boost cut for some reason but, couldn't figure why it did that. Now no more boost cuts in sport mode.

All in all it took less than a hour to completely carbon blast my Mini. Now I'm going to stop wasting my money buying seafoam and deep creep for my Mini. Instead, since I have to BMW tools to carbon clean. Next time I do it should cost less than five bucks.
Now for the money I saved not going to the dealer is going towards a new air compressor since the old one shot. Debating if I should go for a nice 30gal portable belt driven or 60 gal belt driven stationary($50 difference)

Sent from my iPhone using NAMotoring
amen!
 
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Old Feb 28, 2025 | 03:24 AM
  #192  
Lex2008's Avatar
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Looks awesome! I never had that much success with my cheapo harbor height blaster kit and an 80 gallon compressor
 

Last edited by Lex2008; Feb 28, 2025 at 04:25 AM.
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