Hi! This video is for all those who have wondered about doing walnut shell blasting at home, and whether good results are possible with cheap equipment.
Hello Steven, I have thoroughly enjoyed your DIYer videos focused on BMW vehicles. Thank you for making the effort! In this case, I wish you would have compared your ‘on the cheap’ system to the specific, DIY focused, equipment available to do this job at home. While assembling this equipment certainly is more expensive than the system you showed in this video it still seems to me to be a value when compared to the cost of taking a vehicle to a shop every 30,000 miles or so to have it done. I’m hoping it is appropriate that I will post some links to the equipment I am referring. If not, please accept my apology in advance and take whatever the appropriate action is to my post. The following are a couple of examples of the media blasting setups. There are certainly other options that will work so I am not endorsing either of these but hoping it gives the information to do a search for other options that would be more appropriate to the end user. www.ecstuning.com/b-bav-auto-tools-parts/media-blaster-tank-v3/b1100032~bav/ www.fcpeuro.com/products/abrasive-pressure-blaster-20lb-98030 These units require an air compressor with a minimum 20 gallon tank and minimum 4 cfm @ 90 psi. I have found used units that meet or exceed these requirements for between $50 and $250 depending upon how much over the minimum requirements one wishes to invest in. The media blaster units are best used with model specific vacuum adapters and wands that seal to the intake port, attached to a shop vacuum, with a hole for model specific wands to fit through so that the carbon blasted off is vacuumed away as it is being used. These adapters are available from BMW parts in durable aluminum or are much less expensive made of plastic on a 3D printer. It seems to me that the plastic units are likely durable enough for the DIYer who will only be doing 1 or a few vehicles every 30,000 miles or so while a professional shop would be best served with the aluminum models. Here are some representative links to the adapters. www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-N54-N55-Intake-Port-Vacuum-Adapter-for-Walnut-Blasting-free-shipping/202707200466?_trkparms=aid%3D1110010%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.DISCCARDS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225086%26meid%3D0aa906f8155d48fd9766df62a460f4d5%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26mehot%3Dag%26sd%3D273811718108%26itm%3D202707200466%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3Ddefault%26brand%3DUnbranded&_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982 www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-n54-vacuum-blaster-adapter-genuine-bmw-81292208037 Besides a shop vacuum, the other model specific equipment required is a blasting wand. Different wands are designed for the specifics of individual intake systems. Here is a representative link to the wand. www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-n54-vacuum-blaster-adapter-genuine-bmw-81292208033?ads_cmpid=6448056600&ads_adid=79618516000&ads_matchtype=&ads_network=u&ads_creative=377545097725&ads_targetid=pla-329580089961&ttv=2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwcK9srjf6wIVkxx9Ch0MzgiOEAsYAiABEgKq9fD_BwE Maybe you will be inspired to do a follow up video that compares this video’s experience with the experience of a setup like I described. I, for one, would look forward to seeing any tricks that you might be able to identify as I am currently assembling the equipment to do this job myself on an E70 X5 35d with the direct injected M57N diesel engine.
Hi, thanks for watching and for the thorough comment! I haven't finished with this topic yet :-) My feeling is that a 4cfm compressor is not going to do much better than the 2cfm unit I used because they still have little regulators and hoses, but something around 12cfm might be good enough for home use - and I need an excuse to get one that size ;-) In the scheme of things the price of decent compressor pays for itself in quite a short time.
I love your videos, I cleaned my egr valve with oven cleaner, worked a treat, I put a wd40 spray nozzle with a straw on the supermarket bought oven cleaner with got the cleaner into all the little nooks and crannies. I was hoping to use it on my manifolds next?
Hi, thanks for watching, and it's great to hear that you are loving the videos! :-) Great tip on using the WD40 nozzle too! I've used oven cleaner on an inlet manifold and it works great, but it is a slow process and it will need a few applications along with lots of brushing and scraping.
@@StevenBTuner thanks for the heads up, I am letting my diesel-head friends know about your channel, they'll love it. Your unflustered approach to often complex procedures gives all of us confidence to tackle otherwise expensive maintenance like getting the dpf cleaned. Excellent work, I hope you can jeep it up?
It can be done better if you get a sand blasting attachment for a power washer which has a lot more working pressure and as a bonus the water stops sand/grit and muck going everywhere
Nice and useful video like Yr other videos, I been cleaned few egr valve before I always use egr cleaner until last time which is I used alloy wheel cleaner spray u can get it in any part or motor shops within one spray and a bit rubbing tooth brush cleaned up like a new.
Hi, the little compressor is good enough for an EGR valve, but some serious airflow is required for an intake manifold, so I have bought a large gas bottle to use as an air storage tank - something for a future vid.
Just wondered if you had considered trying to make up a liquid spray concoction to help decarbonise the oil/soot buildup on intake manifolds on modern direct injection diesel engines like you have done with the DPF's, I know you get off the shelf stuff, but would be good to see other home made remedy options that could work cheaply.
Hi, thanks for watching! The sprays that are available work as well as they possibly can, so I don't think there is anything I can do to improve them - but if you need to use them then it indicates that there is some issue that needs attention like a faulty EGR valve, or boost leak etc. When all the systems are working well, then carbon buildup doesn't really happen.
@@StevenBTuner yes I realise the sprays will probably be as effective as they can be, but you only get a small amount like 500ml in the aerosol cans they provide, I was thinking if there was more of a homebrew recipe then it could be made in larger quantities that way if you did have a really dirty manifold you would be able to remove a lot more of the carbon, I've only just checked my manifold and it doesn't look too bad, so hopefully a can or 2 of normal cleaner should shift the worst of it.
