Direct Injection
 

Hey all, Need to have a question answered. I have a 2008 3.0si. Is this engine a direct injection engine? Interested because I was reading on an oil website i follow that they are having issues with direct injection engines and carbon deposits on the intake valves. Thanks in advance.
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Yes it is, and yes they do. Walnut blasting is recommended at certain intervals.

Wow. Thanks for the information. Now that I know, would it be prudent to occasionally use some intake/injector cleaner from time to time in the fuel? I hear Techron is good for this.

Nope. Won't matter because the fuel doesn't wash over the injectors and clean them like with older port injection engines. Detergents in fuel or additives can still be useful for helping to keep the injectors clean and other parts of the fuel system

Well that is good to know. I remember when I had my old Durango's. I would put Sea Foam in the brake vacuum and it would clean carbon out of the engine. What do you think about this way of doing it? I am just trying to find the best, most efficient way to keep the top of the intake valves clean.

I use sea foam on my bimmers. Not sure how effective it would be but I don't think it can hurt. I've never used it on a DI BMW engine though so have no personal experience. Maybe someone else will chime in on that or a Google search will turn up something?

Here is an answer from my "oil site":

Answer: You don't have DI. You have the BMW N52 with port injection and consequently don't have to worry about it. The first DI BMW engine sold in the US was the N54 (Turbo I6).

Just an FYI. But using a good injector cleaner from time to time is prudent.

3.0si is not direct injected. Your intake valves get sprayed with fuel and are bright and shiney.

Well hey, learn something new every day. Thanks for that. Looks like the only DI in my fleet then is the diesel in the X5. :thumbup:

OHyeah!!! :thumbup:

P.s. don’t bother with seafoam, it was a chemicals designed in the 1950s to help clean outboard 2 stroke boat motors carburetors and provide a lubricant protectant while storing it. It’s wasn’t designed to remove carbon build up in an engine and generally isn’t effective at cleaning carbonized oil/fuel from intakes and valves. Hence why folks have to mechanically remove them with picks, walnut blasting, ultrasonics and etc. if seafoam worked to remove carbon deposits no one would walnut blast anymore.....

On direct injection engines no it won't do anything for the valves so walnut blasting is a thing.

Not debating its effectiveness, but I'll keep using it as it gives me a warm fuzzy. The smoke show itself is very entertaining on old dirty engines. :D