[Watsey]

My car was recently at the dealer's for the EGR cooler inspection. The EGR cooler was reported as clean but the mixing pipe between the ERR/cooler and the inlet manifold needed to be cleaned. I also know that the internals of the IM are coated in a crumbly/oliy/sooty layer (say 2mm thick) so this prompted me to do so maintenance and get round to some other jobs that have been on the list for ages.

Some of the 30d units suffer from diesel clatter between 1500-2000rpm on a light throttle. Some people don't notice it, but I do and find it annoying in that specific rev range.

I use fuel additives (Millars Oils or Archoil 6900 D) with every tank and Arnold 6400-D Max intensive fuel treatment (apparently cleans the EGR, IM and combustion chambers) every 10K miles or so. Having removed the EGR valve a few times over the past couple of years it has always been clean - added to the dealer report that the EGR cooler was clear, this is a good sign.

Using Archoil 6400-D Max does make a difference. The engine becomes noticeably smoother as the tank of fuel is used, the diesel clatter is reduced, and the engine is less harsh at higher revs.

I have tried a couple of times to remove the IM but it's clearly been designed to be difficult so I've taken a different route and used an aerosol intensive cleaner for the IM. I chose STP, but there are several others on the market.

Once the engine is fully warmed and the throttle body has been removed the aerosol can be used in shorts bursts (~0.5 seconds so as to avoid diesel knocking) until the contents have been used. The car is then left idling while the throttle body is refitted, the car is then driven gently for around 6 miles / 10K, and then left off for a while. Taking the car for a work out, it is noticeably improved. This does appear to have made a difference : engine is smoother, clatter is further reduced, and it pulls/revs well with reduced harshness.

I've also installed an oil catch can. I've no idea how effective it will be, but whenever I've remove the CCV pipe the internals have been coated with an oily/watery residue. Some of that oil vapour may condense and collect in the intercooler, but it's clear that it is also reaching the IM (oil vapour + soot from the EGR = soot/coke deposits). It'll be interesting, to me at least, how effective the catch can is. At a little over a £100 plus an hour of my time, it's a small investment that can't do any harm.

Installing the catch can is pretty easy :

Remove the engine cover.
Remove the air supply pipe on the left had side of the engine.
Remove the CCV pipe.
Remove the OEM fittings from the CCV pipe.
Install 3/8" BSP barbed pipe fittings into the CCV connectors (they are a nice tight fit - just tap them in).
Mount the catch can - there's a convenient space on the passenger side of the engine compartment where it's away from the exhaust manifold and therefore a little cooler (should help with condensing any oil vapours).
Connect the catch can to the CCV connectors using vacuum-resistant silicone hoses (I used 13mm internal diameter). Use cable-ties to secure the hose/fittings connections. For now the hoses are secured using cable ties but I plan to make some brackets for a more professional job.
Reinstall the air supply pipe and engine cover.

The car has done 80K miles and I have no plans to sell it, so want to keep the top end clean. I'll be getting the inlet ports walnut blasted within the next few weeks and will be very interested to see how clean/fouled they are, and the IM.

[pdk42]

I sold my 330d after 3 months of ownership due to clatter on light throttle. It drove me crazy. I wonder if all this work you've done would have fixed it?

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by pdk42

I sold my 330d after 3 months of ownership due to clatter on light throttle. It drove me crazy. I wonder if all this work you've done would have fixed it?

My strong suspicion is that the clatter is related to fuelling rather than anything else, perhaps due to a very lean fuelling map at light loads. The clatter disappears as soon as there's any increase in throttle in the troublesome rpm band.

The EGR/cooler/IM cleaning and the catch can are for preventative maintenance and I'll be interested to see how clean the IM and inlet ports/valves are when I have the IM removed. I had an interesting chat with Wynns Technical today : apparently these aerosol cleaners really are effective, but it can take 50-100 miles for the cleaning agents (which are absorbed by the deposits) to have their full effect.

[Alscoob]

Interesting read...

My clatter has noticeably returned & I'm at 65k miles have used the Millars every other tank or so but guess it needs some Archoil 6400-D Max again, it has helped in the past.

Be interesting to see how your catch tank performs.

[goodbyalfa]

Have you tried switching to a b58. The clatter you speak of just dissapears...

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by goodbyalfa

Have you tried switching to a b58. The clatter you speak of just dissapears...

Having spent a lot of time and money getting the car properly sorted I'm not going to start over again :

[Tengocity]

Interesting post Watsey. Good to see a forum user genuinely trying to add useful info and insight in to the community. Makes a change from some of the garbage being posted of late!

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

Interesting post Watsey. God to see a forum user genuinely trying to add useful info and insight in to the community. Makes a change from some of the garbage being posted of late!

Thanks Tengo. Initially the Post had zero views - clearly the SEO was sub-optimal due to a lack of key words (muslim; lesbian; racism; offended)

[APJ]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lucas-Oil-1...iser%2C+946+ml

I used the above on mine, as a friend swears by it. To be honest never really noticed any difference, but to be fair never heard any clatter on my F36 any way, just thought it can't do any harm and should be good for it long term if i do it with each oil change.

But where i did notice a difference was in the wife's Evoque, which did clatter when first started from cold. Since i've added it, it now doesn't clatter from start up. So these things do work. Think its more effective on higher mileage vehicles, where the worn valves etc and general gunk make them noisier.

[Soul_Glo]

[Soul_Glo]

Watsey

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...-car-have-one/

[Soul_Glo]

Ps. Where did you attach the bracket?

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by Chelsea_Tractor

Watsey

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...-car-have-one/

Um, yes, I know. I did a lot of research, including watching that video, in case catch cans are snake oil. Thanks anyway

The Mishimoto can does seem to work though. It comes with a bracket which has a short edge through which it's attached to the car. I chose to drill through the seam/joint above the passenger-side headlight and then use self-tapping screws (also supplied). It fits well in that location.

[Soul_Glo]

Thought you might have watched it. Anyhow, they don't offer anything for the 435d N57 engine. Back to the drawing board... I e-mailed these guys:

http://www.saikoumichi.com/

When I had my E92 they custom built me one but it took 4 months to arrive. See what they say.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by Chelsea_Tractor

Thought you might have watched it. Anyhow, they don't offer anything for the 435d N57 engine. Back to the drawing board... I e-mailed these guys:

http://www.saikoumichi.com/

When I had my E92 they custom built me one but it took 4 months to arrive. See what they say.

I don't think you'd need a particular can for a 35d. If you are thinking of mounting it in the same place as mine you do need to use the compact can - the regular size would be too tall, especially if you wanted to have a drain pipe/tap on the bottom.

These are the Mishimoto products that I used :

MMBCC-CBTWO Compact catch can
MMBCC-DRAIN-02 Drain Kit

[Soul_Glo]

Where did you order your 13mm internal diameter silicone hoses from?

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by Chelsea_Tractor

Where did you order your 13mm internal diameter silicone hoses from?

Pipe connectors : https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F172494423374

Silicone pipe : https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F122716013476

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Pipe connectors : https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F172494423374

Silicone pipe : https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F122716013476

The OCC has two ports. Do both connect to the CCV?

The black pipe above with the blue connectors inserted would be one of the hoses.

Where does the other hose connect to or from?

How many meters hose did you order? Is 2 meters enough?

Any chance you can point me in the right direction with photos or a link?

I would ask for a video but you have already fitted it.

Appreciate it.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by Chelsea_Tractor

The OCC has two ports. Do both connect to the CCV?

The black pipe above with the blue connectors inserted would be one of the hoses.

Where does the other hose connect to or from?

How many meters hose did you order? Is 2 meters enough?

Any chance you can point me in the right direction with photos or a link?

I would ask for a video but you have already fitted it.

Appreciate it.

The CCV pipe is a straight connector, running vertically.
The CCV pipe, or a replacement (if you've bought one to butcher), needs to be removed. Remember which of the connectors is at the top and which is at the bottom - they are different.
Remove both connecters from the CCV pipe.
Insert the threaded/barbed plastic fittings.
Attach 1.5m of silicone pipe to each fitting. Secure with cable ties or jubilee clips. The pipe from the upper connector we will call the "Flow". The other pipe we will call the "Return".
Insert the CCV fittings back into their appropriate connectors.
Route the silicone pipe to the catch can, securing it in place appropriately, and cut to length.
The Flow pipe needs to be connected to the threaded/barbed fitting which you will have inserted into the "IN" port of the catch can.
The Return pipe will connect to the threaded/barbed connector which you will have inserted into the "OUT" port.
Secure with cable ties or jubilee clips.
Job done.

[Soul_Glo]

Originally Posted by Watsey

The CCV pipe is a straight connector, running vertically.
The CCV pipe, or a replacement (if you've bought one to butcher), needs to be removed. Remember which of the connectors is at the top and which is at the bottom - they are different.
Remove both connecters from the CCV pipe.
Insert the threaded/barbed plastic fittings.
Attach 1.5m of silicone pipe to each fitting. Secure with cable ties or jubilee clips. The pipe from the upper connector we will call the "Flow". The other pipe we will call the "Return".
Insert the CCV fittings back into their appropriate connectors.
Route the silicone pipe to the catch can, securing it in place appropriately, and cut to length.
The Flow pipe needs to be connected to the threaded/barbed fitting which you will have inserted into the "IN" port of the catch can.
The Return pipe will connect to the threaded/barbed connector which you will have inserted into the "OUT" port.
Secure with cable ties or jubilee clips.
Job done.

Originally Posted by Watsey

The CCV pipe is a straight connector, running vertically.
The CCV pipe, or a replacement (if you've bought one to butcher), needs to be removed. Remember which of the connectors is at the top and which is at the bottom - they are different.
Remove both connecters from the CCV pipe.
Insert the threaded/barbed plastic fittings.
Attach 1.5m of silicone pipe to each fitting. Secure with cable ties or jubilee clips. The pipe from the upper connector we will call the "Flow". The other pipe we will call the "Return".
Insert the CCV fittings back into their appropriate connectors.
Route the silicone pipe to the catch can, securing it in place appropriately, and cut to length.
The Flow pipe needs to be connected to the threaded/barbed fitting which you will have inserted into the "IN" port of the catch can.
The Return pipe will connect to the threaded/barbed connector which you will have inserted into the "OUT" port.
Secure with cable ties or jubilee clips.
Job done.

I owe you beer. If you're ever down near Guildford let me know.

I've ordered a few bits. I will order the OCC soon. I am prioritising ATF change and brake pads.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by Chelsea_Tractor

I owe you beer. If you're ever down near Guildford let me know.

I've ordered a few bits. I will order the OCC soon. I am prioritising ATF change and brake pads.

No problem I hope the install goes well. It's a pretty easy job and filtering out oil vaours before they reach the inlet manifold can only be a good thing.