With two 535i xdrive vehicles having in excess of 130,000 miles, it is probably time to think about cleaning the intake valves. While I've seen mention of a dry ice option and one facility in California that offers the service, I haven't seen any local or DYI options. Please let me know if you have any insights.
Thanks,
Jim
2010 E60 & E61
Never heard of that walnuts is best option
Here's a link to a California shop that does it. They don't really discuss the process, but I found the article explaining why it is needed to be informative.
I also spoke with Chris Rose from Continental Carbonic Products, Inc. in Decatur Illinois who indicated, as does this article, that the machine costs are the problem. Chris indicated that his organization provides the machines but is getting out of the rental business side and will will only be selling them going forward. He indicated that a rental could easily cost $40,000 for a week. Locally, Imola Motorsports responded to my inquiry to say they clean intake valves, but not with dry ice. There are apparently two organizations in the Minneapolis metro area indicating that they provide dry ice blasting, but neither has responded to me and seem to be designed to do big cleaning jobs. I haven't cleaned intake valves before, so I'm only guessing, but it sure seems like using a blasting medium that doesn't have any residue would make the process a lot easier. Possibly allowing for the valves to be in any position.
Have you done the walnut shell method?
Yes I own Eurotech we have cleaned over 500 cars using walnuts that BMWs recommendation as well. I see no reason to reinvet this wheel.
100% agree with Seth - very common in the VW/Audi/BMW community to walnut blast.
I have heard of dry ice blasting to clear the underside of vehicles from light corrosion etc.
Thanks for the replies gents. I'll probably tackle this in some form in the spring.