As the title says: Is the R56 Justa Cooper engine direct injection? I thought that it was but most of the threads that I've read about carbon buildup say that the problem only exists with the Cooper S...but if the Justa is direct injection it will also have carbon buildup on the intake valves....

 

Not direct injected

 

Be thankful your Cooper is not a DI engine. Pour a bottle of Chevron Techron in at each oil change to keep things clean.

 

As said above, MINI R56 models with a turbocharged engine utilize direct injection. This style injector sprays fuel directly into the cylinder and is mounted in the rear of the cylinder head. With the design of this injector efficiency and injection control greatly increases. The down side is the lack of fuel spraying on the back of the intake valve. This removes the cleaning effect port fuel injection engines get, a real benefit new engine designs need. Add in a crankcase breather and oil vapors, and you have a real problem. As the engines tick up in mileage, oil residue, often referred to as carbon builds up on the back of the intake valve. This build up is not like valve carbon of the past, which was dry and solid. This valve build up is mushy and wet, due to the origin being from crankcase vapors. This info and more can be found HERE. I'd use BG MOA every now and then at oil changes and throw in a can of BG 44k every now and then when you fill up.

 

I have a 2013 N16 r56 non turbo and when I run the VIN it says its a directed injection engine
doesn't it depend on the year/ generation?

 

ummm, not really...N12 and N16 aren't direct injection. Maybe they are referring to it with respect to carburetor system!!!

 

ok thanks...so only the turbo's including the 3rd Gen mini's are direct injected?

 

I cannot speak for 3rd gen, but I would assume so.