Walnut blasting 335i

[SeiW500]

Anybody had any experience of walnut blasting the inlet/valves on a 335i, i have read a lot about it and and having it done tomorrow... pics to follow!

[pacman1]

Must be nuts.

[steve_bmw]

you blast walnuts at your valves? pistachio's are better.

[Wills2]

steve_bmw said:

you blast walnuts at your valves? pistachio's are better.

Pistachios are far too soft, Hazelnuts are far better!

[SeiW500]

I see it's dikhead 1/2hr!

[pacman1]

A conservative estimate.

[steve_bmw]

Does this actually work? or is it that someone has come up with a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist and are marketing it as a revolutionary process that will enhance performance and boost your power output?

good if it works though , sounds bonkers.

[Lost soul]

Sounds like a lot of work for little return

[Vroomer]

steve_bmw said:

Does this actually work? or is it that someone has come up with a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist and are marketing it as a revolutionary process that will enhance performance and boost your power output?

good if it works though , sounds conkers.

Updated for accuracy!

[ManiacGT]

steve_bmw said:

Does this actually work? or is it that someone has come up with a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist and are marketing it as a revolutionary process that will enhance performance and boost your power output?

good if it works though , sounds bonkers.

Its an N54 thing. The walnut blasting removes oily carbon deposits on the inlet path. EGR causes the inlet path, over time, to gunk up restricting air flow/causing turbulence than can result in poor running and therefore efficiency and smoothness. The walnut blasting is to remove this accumulation and restore the engines performance.

Its not a nice job and is usually left to a specialist but on cars running poorly it can make a large difference from what I've read. Its not cheap either. This is a result of emissions control and direct injection combining to empty wallets.

[xxChrisxx]

steve_bmw said:

Does this actually work? or is it that someone has come up with a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist and are marketing it as a revolutionary process that will enhance performance and boost your power output?

good if it works though , sounds bonkers.

Yes it does work. Heads/valves have started coking again because of the use of direct injection.

The reason why it works is because you need something hard enough to get of the st and soft enough not to damage anything else. It's that or the head off to have it cleaned.


I assume it's not real walnut shell, just some soft blasting beads.

Edited by xxChrisxx on Thursday 16th October 14:57

[MarkwG]

xxChrisxx said:

I assume it's not real walnut shell, just some soft blasting beads.

AFAIK it's walnut shells in granular form: easily available, remove the muck without damaging the metal, & any residue burns off without causing damage elsewhere.

[steve_bmw]

Cheers guys, I can see how it could make a difference.
I can remember the foam spray people used to use to use, back int day.

I guess it only happens on direct injection as there is no fuel in the inlet manifold to naturally de grease and keep the oil from hardening.

[SeiW500]

http://www.maperformance.com/blog/walnut-blasting-...

[Esseesse]

Made me think of this:



Seriously though, looks good.

[Silverbullet767]

Good timing, I'm looking to get this done on my N54, does anyone know of a place in Scotland that does it?

[SeiW500]

Silverbullet767 said:

Good timing, I'm looking to get this done on my N54, does anyone know of a place in Scotland that does it?

Don't know about Scotland but i'm getting mine done @ Graham Martin Automotive Ltd BMW & MINI Specialist Jnc 7 M62 St Helens 01744 735993 WA9 5GZ www.GrahamMartinAutomotive.co.uk

I used them to fit the Diff and do some other work & have to say i'm quite impressed.

[EssexIan]

We use very fine ground walnut shells for cleaning gas turbine rotors at work.

Wouldn't want to be paying a lot of money for it, the process is quite literally pouring the shells slowly through the air intake while the machine is running, to clean a large gas turbine normally only takes a few kilos of shells and they are dirt cheap.

I would want the oil changed after, the dust from the shells has a habit of getting into all sorts of seals if done excessively.

Good luck

Ian

[Silverbullet767]

SeiW500 said:

Silverbullet767 said:

Good timing, I'm looking to get this done on my N54, does anyone know of a place in Scotland that does it?

Don't know about Scotland but i'm getting mine done @ Graham Martin Automotive Ltd BMW & MINI Specialist Jnc 7 M62 St Helens 01744 735993 WA9 5GZ www.GrahamMartinAutomotive.co.uk

I used them to fit the Diff and do some other work & have to say i'm quite impressed.

Liverpool area is almost Scotland, it'll have to do!

[aeropilot]

xxChrisxx said:

steve_bmw said:

Does this actually work? or is it that someone has come up with a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist and are marketing it as a revolutionary process that will enhance performance and boost your power output?

good if it works though , sounds bonkers.

Yes it does work. Heads/valves have started coking again because of the use of direct injection.

Has to be other engine design factors in conjunction with DI, rather than just DI on it's own, as this is a specific N54 issue.
The N55 is DI, but also with Valvetronic and doesn't suffer from the same coking up problem.