Walnut Blasting

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Noticing a change in the performance of your Luxury Vehicle?

There are many perks to owning a German car. From stylish interiors to the incredible engine performance, there is no question to why they are considered a status symbol for many car lovers. However, just like any vehicle, they do have the occasional issue that will come up.

For newer models that have petrol direct engines with direct injection, many cars experience build-up of carbon deposits over time. This results in the car experiencing decreased performance, engine misfire, vehicle sluggishness and much more. While heavy carbon deposits can be a serious problem, a walnut blast is the solution to getting your car back to peak performance.

The team at GMW Perth are highly qualified and experienced technicians, knowledgeable across all new and old makes of German autos and equipped with top-of-the-line walnut blasting equipment in our modern workshop. No two cars are the same, which is why before we even begin the service, we will perform a full inspection of your vehicle, to ensure that we are taking the right course of action and coming up with a solution that will have your car back to performing it’s best.

For more information about walnut, blasting read the FAQ’s below or contact the team at GMW with any questions or to book your car in with us today.

Intake valves before and after walnut blasting

What causes carbon-build up?

When your engine is running it burns fuel and releases fumes and waste by-products like smoke and oil vapour. The more fuel you burn the more fumes are created and pass out of the crank case back through your air intake via the PCV system which over time can block the intake valves and ports. This can lead to all sorts of issues with your car’s performance.

How can you prevent carbon build-up in direct injection engines?

Carbon build-up can occur for a variety of reasons and over time this build-up will lead to issues with your car’s performance. Here’s what you can do to stop it to ensure your vehicle operates at its best:

Regular maintenance

Make sure you regularly schedule your vehicle in for maintenance as it ensures carbon growth doesn’t accumulate in the intake valves and inlet ports. As part of a scheduled maintenance, oil should be changed regularly according to the manufacturers recommended change intervals.

Use quality fuel

Many manufacturers will recommend the correct fuel to be used in your vehicle. Fuel that is substandard won’t burn sufficiently in the combustion chamber, which will create carbon build up  on the combustion chamber, piston ring groove, spark plug and intake valve back. You can also switch to premium quality fuel with added detergents to clean your engine from deposits and maintain the condition of the engine.

Do walnut blasting semi-regularly

Semi-regularly complete a carbon cleaning service such as a walnut blast on your vehicle to remove carbon deposits that have accumulated in your engine over time. This will ensure your vehicle operates at its peak performance.

Can walnut blasting damage your engine?

The safest and most efficient way to remove carbon in an engine is with walnut blasting. When carbon forms it is hard and manually takes a lot of work to remove it from the intake valves. Walnut blasting is a more affordable and less time-consuming process of removing heavy carbon deposits without having to strip the engine apart and clean it by hand.

Finely crushed walnut shells are used instead of other blasting media as they can’t damage or alter the metal surfaces inside your engine. They can also be burned which means any bits that remain after a walnut blasting service is completed will burn off once the vehicle’s engine is started for the first time.  Also, because walnut shell blasting uses real walnuts, they are a natural, non-toxic and biodegradable material.

BMW Engine Bay

To see how we can help with your walnut blasting,
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Why Us?

Flexible Schedule Times

Book your appointment when it is convenient for you.

Full Inspection

A full inspection and diagnostic scan of your vehicle with every vehicle service.

Discuss any and all Services

We will discuss any and all services with you, and the best course of action before any work being carried out.

Only the Best

We only use the best high-quality parts, oils and fluids based on their quality and affordability for optimal overall performance.

Loan Car

We have a loan car available (prior arrangement necessary).

Pick Up/Drop Off Service

Pick up/drop off service is available (prior arrangement necessary).

Weekend Availability

We have weekend availability, however, you must call to discuss. (Special Cases only, surcharge may apply.)

Qualified Team

A highly qualified team of mechanics who are specialists in BMWs and Minis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Navigating the world of car servicing can be confusing for those not in the industry. The team at GMW wants to change this relationship with mechanics and the customers. We’re dedicated to not just fixing your car but offering advice and information about the ins and outs of the services required.

Our goal is to make sure you do not only feel more informed about what our team is doing when we work on your car, but also learn a thing or two along the way. With that in mind here are some questions (and answers) that we commonly get asked about our walnut blasting service.

Click on the titles below to expand the FAQ's.

To understand walnut blasting, you first need to understand why your car may need to have the service performed. Advancements in auto engineering have seen an increase in direct injection engines and turbocharged vehicles, as it has allowed for improvements in overall engine performance and fuel economy.

However, a direct injection engine is not without fault. When you are driving the vehicle small amounts of oil vapour are pushed through the inlet manifold, these oil vapours attach to the back of the hot intake valves and create a carbon build up no chemical can 100% remove. The most common way to clean it is through the process of walnut blasting.

The intake manifold gets removed from the engine to gain access to the cylinder head chambers that lead to the intake valves. We then install a vacuum attachment over the exposed intake port which will vacuum up the carbon and leftover walnut shell once it’s been removed from the back of the valve. We then use broken up the walnut shell in conjunction with compressed air to blast the back of the intake valves to break up the carbon build up.

At this point, the vacuum will suck up the broken-down carbon and leftover walnut shell leaving clean and shiny intake ports. The reason behind using walnut shell instead of other blasting media is because walnut shells cannot damage or alter the machined metal surfaces inside your engine. Walnut shell can also be burned meaning if any small bits are remaining once the job is complete, they will burn off once the vehicle is run the first time.

You won’t be able to see that your car needs this service, so much as notice a difference in your engine performance. A misfiring engine, sluggish response time, and extended ignition firing are all symptoms of carbon build up in your engine. Your check engine light can also be an indicator of this as well.
Dealers will suggest between the first 20k and 40k miles. However, it can depend on a variety of factors including the petrol you put in your car, how often you drive, and how you drive. The best thing you can do is be vigilant and take notice of your car’s performance; it is acting up, bring it into the GMW workshop for a checkup.
For most vehicles, we will require the vehicle for the entire day. However, there are some that are much more difficult and can take up to a few days to complete. If you have any questions regarding your vehicle, please visit the contact us page.