It IS Techron. BMW's stuff is simply rebranded Techron, just like you'd buy from Chevron. And it will be equally ineffective in this application.

 

As others already pointed out, fuel treatment alone isn't going to help much because fresh fuel doesn't reach the back side of the intake valves (except for the small amount which may escape out the cylinder). What you may need is a cleaning solvent introduced through the air intake system e.g. BG Products air induction service (search on Youtube for video).

If your CEL is lit, it's way beyond anything that a bottle of fuel treatment alone is going to solve. From first hand experience, the carbon coke on the valves is very tough to remove even after soaking in solvent and wire brushing. I would venture to guess that this is probably beyond Techron or Seafoam or any other DIY fix.

FWIW my dealer recommends an air intake carbon cleaning service every 10,000 miles. They use MOC Products and charge $600.

 

Maybe you could pour the techron in the hose like the seafoam. lol

(i am not recommending someone try this)

 

So for somebody like me who doesn't know their way around an engine well, how would I know if I need a carbon cleaning service and how would I even know if the work was done properly?

 

Are you serious?

 

WRONG!! All MINI engines are DFI.

 

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_engine#1.6 ...
"The 1.6 L engine is used in the second-generation Mini and various Peugeot 207 models. ... The naturally-aspirated variant (EP6) has conventional fuel injection ... The turbocharged 1.6 L unit adds gasoline direct injection ... "

Also, http://www.motoringfile.com/2006/07/...icial-preview/ speaks of direct injection on the 2nd generation MINIs only in the context of the turbocharged S.

I don't have a 'justa' in the driveway to go and look at, but I think you'll find that it does not have an engine with direct fuel injection.

 

Dwight, Coopers do not have DI...

 

OK, I surrender! Looked at the RealOem intake manifold diagrams and saw no injector fittings. Where are they, inside the head itself?

 

Has anyone tried any of the other products like Seafoam and thought it was as good or better than Seafoam for the carbon build up problem ?

Has anyone tried the BG product ISC and if so what did you think of the results ?

 

re Seafoam read the thread and you may discover something I am also not convinced the b/u it is as widespread as posters make it out to be. Out here in CO I know a few people with 2G MCSs approaching 50K and they've had no buildup or coking issues with their engines, so.... ?

 

ah such a bold response. check yr. facts first, sir.

 

Read my admission and then make your comment!

 

Hey, let's keep it friendly in here, guys.

 

Hey, Sequence

I needed to edit and add to my question in post #135 to get it right. I have use Seafoam on my 2009 factory JCW and my inqury should have read as below.


Has anyone tried ANY OTHER of the products like Seafoam and thought it was as good or better than Seafoam for the carbon build up problem ?

Has anyone tried the BG product ISC and if so what did you think of the results ?

 

Has anybody considered installing water or water/meth injection!

This will clean your excessive carbon build up, and prevent it from reocurring, as well as give you a performance gain too.

I have it installed, however my installation was/is not to prevent this, this is just 1 of the benefits of installing water/meth injection.

 

Czar,

Yes, I have been considering water/meth injection for a while but I want to take one of the off the shelf units for a R56 and modify it to be a complete quick disconnect unit so when going to the dealer for any warranty work the kit could be quickly uninstalled and warranty work would not be denied because of a meth kit.

I agree that adding a meth injection kit would add all the benifits you mention but has anyone taken their Mini in for warranty work with a meth kit installed and if so what was the dealer's response?

BTW which water/meth kit did you install and is it boost or injector duty cycle controled also did you notice performance gains by just adding kit or did performance gains require a tune for the kit.

 

My Aquamist water/meth installation works in relation with the fuel demand, this gives greater control, rather than relying on boost demand.

My car has been in for warranty work, I just leave it in place, if I think they may have an issue, dependant on the warranty work to be carried out (engine related) then I would simply remove it and re-fit as necessary.

The initial fitting of my system gave me instant gain, as the ECU is so self adaptive, however I did have a tune for my particular application with very good results,

 

I should be running meth soon too...Aquamist as well, best that's out there

Bye bye carbon. Hello horsepower.

 

Good news Thumper, will you just be spraying into the air intake flow post intercooler?

 

I would think to start off with.

But I know they have a special nozzle to spray pre-turbo as well which is supposed to work well. Would be interesting to be spraying in both locations

 

Do it pre turbo too, huge benefits!

I spray pre turbo, as well as post intercooler and I'm experimenting injecting into each individual intake runner on the manifold, (good to have a spare one!)

And this may surprise quite a few, I have also removed my intercooler, as the intercooler was heating the air flow, after being cooled pre intercooler!

 

there was lengthy discussion in another thread regarding water/meth and carbon buildup mitigation. if I remember correctly, the discussion settled on that it would do very little to help with the carbon buildup issue.

I'm on a phone right now, so looking it up is difficult, but when I get back to a real computer I'll see if I can find that thread.

 

Trust me it really works, your injecting into the air flow stream, and where will the atomized mix end up..........oh yes in the intake track and subsequently the back of the valves, and where is the recurring carbon build up..........oh yes, the back of the valves!

Now when injecting water or a water/meth mix into the air flow, besides the cooling ability, the mix also absorbs the heat and inturn becomes steam, and steam has a dramatic effect on the carbon, by softening and dissolving!

And once gone never will it return whilst injecting water or a mix of water/meth into the air flow stream, period.

 

I don't know enough about it to argue one way or another, so I'll have to dig up that other thread where more knowledgeable people than I were explaining why it wouldnt do much for intake valve carbon.

I don't have a dog in this fight; I just recall it being discussed at length previously and that the discussion seemed to end on the 'con' position.