Clogged Diesel BMW intake with carbon build up

If you thought to drive your modern BMW diesel in the city for short distances this is what you going to end up to deal with. For example on the next photos you can see the clogged intake of a BMW’s M57 diesel engine, which is straight 6. This engine produced from 1998, in the upper Austrian engine plant in Steyr. The engine was only available in north America or Canada since 2009 and it is a sequential turbo diesel .

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As they say a picture is worth a thousand word, there are a few things you should do to reduce the likelihood of this disaster;

#1, try to avoid driving short distances, there is a reason why the big rigs use diesel engines reliably.

#2, switch to Shell super diesel which burns cleaner due to higher cetane (diesel octane is called cetane) number and additional detergent in the fuel. Yes it does cost more and there is a reason for that.

#3, switch to a slightly heavier motor oil, from a 5/30 BMW to 5/40 BMW LL04 recommended by us to reduce the blow by in the intake system.

#4, you need to take it out and have it driven spiritedly for a considerable distance at least a hundred kilometers one way in a long stretch or more. While the problem is 3 fold as above short distance driving + poor fuel quality + light weight oil all will play a role in a clogged intake tract like above.

The same intakes, after Sonic Cleaning.

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This will happen to any modern diesel regardless of the make an model. Worth to note, the same scenario goes for the Mercedes MLGL and R class diesels.

This engines use a lot of exhaust gas re-circulation which contains sooth, routed pre DPF filter so the sooth will mix with oil vapour and will stick to everything in it’s path.

Related: Diesel System Cleaner

Albeit on a completely clogged intake there is no way to remove the thick carbon deposits except walnut shell blasting the intake ports and sonic clean the manifold.  We suggest to use the LM brand diesel system treatment as part of the regular maintenance on modern BMW or Mercedes diesel engines for optimal performance on the long run.

If you like to know more please don’t hesitate to ask.
Telephone: 905.795.0419

We wish you safe motoring, Techmax Auto Repair.