The process of walnut blasting, which entails cleaning the intake manifold and valves of a car’s engine with a high pressure air blast of finely crushed walnut shells (a biodegradable abrasive), is meant to help clear out carbon buildup on older gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines, thus helping the car run better.
Does BMW recommend walnut blasting?
Did you know that BMW recommends walnut blasting your intake system every 30,000 miles?! Walnut blasting is a great way to boost your vehicle’s performance to its peak.
How much does BMW charge for a walnut blast?
What is the Cost of Walnut Shell Blasting? The Walnut Shell Blasting Service costs $250 and includes Replacement of the OEM BMW Intake Manifold Gaskets during the service. This price is for BMW N54 and N55 Engines.
Can walnut blasting damage engine?
Walnut shells are a good medium, abrasive enough to lift carbon from a surface, but soft enough to not impact or damage the surface of the engines components such as the valves or the aluminium cylinder head.
How often should you walnut blast N55?
Carbon buildup on the BMW N54 engine (as well as N55 engine) can become severe over time, almost completely closing off the intake tracts and valves. BMW recommends intake valve cleaning in the form of walnut blasting roughly every 30,000 to 50,000 miles.
How do I know if I need a walnut blast?
Walnut blasting is necessary if you have a vehicle with a gasoline direct injection engine such as an Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, Mini Cooper, Volkswagen or a few more cars from European automakers.
How often should you walnut blast N54?
We recommend to have this service performed every 30,000 miles on your BMW equipped with N54 and N55 engines, available on the 135i, 335i and 535i.
Can you do a walnut blasting yourself?
Performing a Walnut Blasting De-Carbon service really isn’t that hard, and with the proper tools and training, it can easily be done yourself.
What is a good price for black walnut?
Black walnut timber is used in the production of furniture, door panels, trim, flooring, cabinets and more. At the time of writing this article in 2022, black walnut tree value ranges from $5 to $10 per board foot… if not higher in some cases.
Why sand blasting is forbidden now?
Nowadays, it’s clear that exposure to respirable crystalline silica during sandblasting can cause a serious or even fatal respiratory disease, called Silicosis, a scarring and hardening of the lungs. In most countries, it is now forbidden to use abrasives which contain more than 1% free silica.
What are the benefits of walnut blasting?
- Better throttle response.
- Smooth engine idle.
- Improved fuel economy.
- Increased horsepower.
- Other benefits of a clean engine.
Is it worth it to sandblast a car?
Sandblasting is an excellent process for removing rust from car bodies, but it’s not as effective as dustless sandblasting for removing paint. Soda blasting is typically not as effective at removing either paint or rust compared to sandblasting or dustless sandblasting because it’s not as heavy duty a medium.
How much HP can a N55 handle?
The N55 can handle around 550whp and 550wtq on the stock engine block and internals.
How many miles will N55 last?
The BMW N55 motor should have no problem lasting over 150,000 miles, and some owners report getting over 250,000 miles out of their engines.
How much does it cost to walnut blast engine?
Walnut blasting costs vary depending on the time spent cleaning, but it’s roughly between $40-65 per cylinder (typically $160-260 for a 4 cylinder engine, unless its an extreme case!) PLUS the time to remove and reinstall your intake manifold.
How long does a walnut blast take?
The Walnut Shell Blasting service takes about 3-3.5 hours to complete.
How much pressure does it take to crack a walnut?
This was found in a study conducted and published by Biosystems Engineering. This study found that the average walnut would rupture at a force of 0.6 kN, which is approximately 135 lb.
Is walnut shell blasting safe?
Because walnut shell blasting media is derived from walnuts, it is a natural product that is non-toxic and biodegradable. Walnut media does not produce dust, so it is safe for indoor use as well. Also, it has been found not to cause Silicosis, which can occur from using sand or silica products.
How often should you walnut blast BMW?
It sounds crazy, but your BMW dealer actually recommends it every 80,000 miles. Walnut blasting is a common way to clear carbon buildup from your car’s intake valves, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. We take crushed up walnut shells and blow them into your car’s engine with an air compressor.
Does walnut blasting increase mpg?
Once the carbon deposits are cleared away, drivers may notice an increase in power and, most importantly, the fuel economy. This service will also help the engine breathe better and lower the vehicle’s emissions. Another benefit of walnut blasting is that it won’t hurt anything, like the pistons or seals.
How many miles do N54 turbos last?
Turbochargers on the BMW N54, for the most part, last around 100,000 miles before they have to be rebuilt or replaced. It isn’t uncommon to hear of cars that have the original turbos still functioning as designed upward of 200,000 miles.
Why does N54 run so hot?
It’s pretty common knowledge that the BMW N54 and N55 Turbocharged I-6 engines run very hot. Considering that turbochargers are exhaust driven, this makes sense- they’re naturally going to be hot and accumulate a lot of heat.
Why is the N54 so strong?
BMW’s N54 cranks are incredibly strong. They’re forged, well balanced, and pretty beefy. Right now the limits of the stock crank are still up in the air. We’re not aware of any N54 crankshaft failures, even at 900-1000whp.
Is walnut blasting hard?
Walnut shell blasting is a process which is frequently used to remove rust. It is effective because crushed walnut shells are definitely hard enough to dislodge the rust, but are also soft enough that they will not damage the surface being blasted.
Does N55 need walnut blast?
N55 doesn’t require the same interval as N54 for Walnut Blasting. That being said 82-100K should be the optimal range to perform the first Walnut blast. This is just from experience, I know other cars can be different. N55 doesn’t require the same interval as N54 for Walnut Blasting.