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Author Topic: Oil pick up carbon build up.  (Read 3981 times)

Offline scottydog79

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Oil pick up carbon build up.
« on: June 27, 2017, 05:29:11 pm »
Can anyone recommend the best oil to prevent the known carbon build up of the oil pick up strainer?

I've had to take it out and clean it off/out twice now with a space of 20k miles.

I have uses the Wynns engine flush every time also. I hope I haven't got to remove and clean it every time time I change the oil and filter.

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Offline Pesky jones

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2017, 05:42:23 pm »
I bet it's he engine flush

Offline Pesky jones

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2017, 05:43:44 pm »
Miller's nanodrive 5w40. Did you use the engine flush with the sump and pick up pipe off? It might not have all flushed out yet. I wouldn't use it again
« Last Edit: June 27, 2017, 06:21:14 pm by Pesky jones »

Offline pudding

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2017, 10:14:50 am »
It's the frequency of oil changes that's key, not the brand.

Most non-enthusiast owned GTIs have the tell tale brown 'varnish' staining under the rocker cover.  That's how you spot neglect.  Oil that's been in there for at least 20K miles between services, and probably plenty of skipped services too.

Peel the top off enthusiast owned engines and you can eat your dinner off the cams.

The TFSI pick up strainer is super close to the bottom of the sump, so it can clog easily by design, but just keep on top of the maintenance and it will be fine.


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Offline scottydog79

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2017, 05:03:56 pm »
It had the low oil pressure problem when I bought it from a forecourt and was sent back quickly for them to sort it. I'm guessing they just scraped it with a electrical screwdriver and not chemically cleaned it. When I took the rocker cover off low and behold there was brown staining except the cam contact points. Will it take alot of engine flushes to get it back to a good standard?

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Offline pudding

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2017, 09:20:02 am »
Regular changes of a decent oil and some italian tune-ups should eventually sort it.  Mobil 1 is known to have good cleaning properties.


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Offline FJ1000

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2017, 08:57:35 am »
Carbon buildup on the 2.0T doesn't cause much power loss so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

It's the normally aspirated engines that really suffer.


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Offline Pesky jones

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2017, 09:33:24 am »
I wouldnt use engine flush again personally.

Offline pudding

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2017, 10:25:21 am »
Carbon buildup on the 2.0T doesn't cause much power loss so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

It's the normally aspirated engines that really suffer.


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He's talking about the brown staining under the cam cover mate  :wink:

But agreed, bunged up intakes isn't a big deal on these engines unless it's really severe, and even then it'll still run OK.  It's turned into another one of those internet folklore things, like R32 chain stretch etc.


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Offline FJ1000

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2017, 10:30:43 am »
Ah - I misunderstood! Hadn't had my morning coffee!!


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Offline Shanedixon

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2017, 09:39:51 pm »
Im now changing my engine because of this as a nee gti owner i will keep ontop of oil changes and checking the oil pick up every service i think

Offline Paradox1

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #11 on: October 20, 2017, 02:36:25 pm »
Im now changing my engine because of this as a nee gti owner i will keep ontop of oil changes and checking the oil pick up every service i think

Seems a bit dramatic if no problem has actually affected performance.
How often are you changing the oil?
What oil are you using?
The last time you cleaned the oil pickup did you clean the sump?

Offline pudding

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Re: Oil pick up carbon build up.
« Reply #12 on: October 21, 2017, 07:07:03 pm »
I change my oil when it gets dark and smells a bit blow by saturated, which on my 116K old ED30 is every 2-3K.   When you run a lot more boost than standard, the standard oil change intervals go out the window.  0.9 bar vs 1.5+ is going to saturate the oil considerably quicker.

I could extend it out to 5-6K, but when Mobil 1 FS 0W40 is only £35, it's cheap enough to do frequently.



2007 ED30 | 2009 TDI 140 | 2016 BMW 330D