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Just an FYI, here are some pics I took of the old intake valves on my 2009 Mini Cooper S with 124,000 miles. I purchased this car last year and have zero history on the car, other than it needed new timing chain guides when I bought it. I have since rebuilt the engine with new valves. I will definitely be adding an oil catch can! Intake Valves. Cylinder 1 on the Left Cylinder 1 Intake Valves Cylinder 2 Intake Valves Cylinder 3 Intake Valves Cylinder 4 Intake Valves
Believe that engine has direct fuel injection. If so that valve build up is *not* from oil vapor and a catch can won't help.
Might mention if you install one after some miles check the intake. I think you'll find it wet with oil from the oil vapor the catch can doesn't catch. And other car owners who have installed a catch can -- this on various engines up to large displacement V8s -- find even after thousands of miles just a bit of stuff in the can. If the catch can was really catching anything, if there was really anything of any significance to catch, the can would require emptying much often.
The build up comes from the intentional flow of exhaust into the intake port -- just a bit -- to pollute the incoming charge to lower the combustion temperature to keep NOx down.
As the exhaust comes into contact with the cool intake valves stuff in the exhaust condenses and builds up on the intake valves.
There is a way to remove this build up. Use Techron in the fuel. (Use according to directions.) The Techron doesn't burn but in the combustion chamber turns to a vapor. This vapor becomes part of the exhaust. As the exhaust flows back into the intake and the exhaust contacts the cooler intake valve Techron changes from a vapor to a liquid. And this will remove deposits.
Depending upon usage -- sort trips, no highway miles -- a Techron treatment every 5K miles might be necessary. It is recommended Techron be used a tank of fuel before an oil/filter service is due. Because Techron doesn't burn and converts back to a liquid upon coming in contact with the cooler surfaces exposed to exhaust this can result in an increase in oil contamination.
Or of course if available one can fill up with Chevron Supreme with Techron. I have found when switching a car engine from a steady diet of Shell V-Power to Chevron Supreme the engine perked up as the fuel level in the tank closed in on the 1/4 mark. Techron did what it is supposed to do as the tank level went down.
Believe that engine has direct fuel injection. If so that valve build up is *not* from oil vapor and a catch can won't help.
Might mention if you install one after some miles check the intake. I think you'll find it wet with oil from the oil vapor the catch can doesn't catch. And other car owners who have installed a catch can -- this on various engines up to large displacement V8s -- find even after thousands of miles just a bit of stuff in the can. If the catch can was really catching anything, if there was really anything of any significance to catch, the can would require emptying much often.
The build up comes from the intentional flow of exhaust into the intake port -- just a bit -- to pollute the incoming charge to lower the combustion temperature to keep NOx down.
As the exhaust comes into contact with the cool intake valves stuff in the exhaust condenses and builds up on the intake valves.
There is a way to remove this build up. Use Techron in the fuel. (Use according to directions.) The Techron doesn't burn but in the combustion chamber turns to a vapor. This vapor becomes part of the exhaust. As the exhaust flows back into the intake and the exhaust contacts the cooler intake valve Techron changes from a vapor to a liquid. And this will remove deposits.
Depending upon usage -- sort trips, no highway miles -- a Techron treatment every 5K miles might be necessary. It is recommended Techron be used a tank of fuel before an oil/filter service is due. Because Techron doesn't burn and converts back to a liquid upon coming in contact with the cooler surfaces exposed to exhaust this can result in an increase in oil contamination.
Or of course if available one can fill up with Chevron Supreme with Techron. I have found when switching a car engine from a steady diet of Shell V-Power to Chevron Supreme the engine perked up as the fuel level in the tank closed in on the 1/4 mark. Techron did what it is supposed to do as the tank level went down.
Yes DFI engine. Thanks for the techron advice, I hadn’t thought of that, I will have to check that out (and use chevron premium). I have a catch can so ill experiment with it to see if useful or not. if all else fails ill be doing the walnut blast in about 40k
On the N14 engine there is no direct passage of exhaust thru the intake, your welcome to your opinion on catch cans, but it is the most effective way to reduce
deposits on valve stems. That is providing it is a quality can with plates in it to trap condensing oil.
On the N14 engine there is no direct passage of exhaust thru the intake, your welcome to your opinion on catch cans, but it is the most effective way to reduce
deposits on valve stems. That is providing it is a quality can with plates in it to trap condensing oil.
There is a very direct path for the exhaust to reach the intake valves. From flowing from the combustion chamber into the immediate vicinity of the intake valves. The exhaust doesn't come from downstream of the exhaust system and flow into the intake. Just a bit of exhaust gas to as I said contaminate the incoming charge just a bit to reduce combustion temperature below the critical temperature NOx is formed.
