My CBU fix and CBU avoidance work

davegris · 12-30-2016, 12:37 PM

First off, thanks to everyone who participates on this forum and shares experience. I have saved many dollars on my 335D over the years because good people are willing to share knowledge and experience. Special thanks to lee4him and many others (cbu cleanup posts) and Mik325tds (cbu tools) and Andrew at AARodriguez (EGR pipe and swirl flaps and good advice).

So here is my story. I was getting progressively worse performance and mileage on my 2010 335D with 120K miles. During cold mornings my startup was just horrible. I was getting numerous EGR, throttle actuator, and glow plug codes. I then started getting DPF clogged errors on the console after I would crank and drive for about 15 minutes. On several occasions I would clear all codes with Carly, but they reoccurred next startup. I tried and was unable to force a DPF regen using Carly.

After researching on this forum I found the EGR and throttle codes were preventing the DPF regen from occurring.

After much research here I decided to do the following:
1. CBU cleanup
2. Throttle replacement
3. EGR race pipe
4. Swirl flap delete
5. Glow plug controller and glow plugs
6. Oil catch can
7. New red boost hose
8. Water/methanol injection
9. JR tune (stage TBD)

1. CBU cleanup – this was the worst part. I read the many forum posts here about this subject and decided it was doable. Attached pics show the same issues many here already know about. The intake and heads were literally clogged with carbon. I removed all of the plastic and acoustic engine covers and all of the stuff required to get to the intake. That by itself was a PITA. I soaked the intake in a big plastic tub filled with purple power solution for about 3 days. I used a nylon dryer vent brush to scrub the passages. This worked well but was super dirty work. I also used Berryman B12 Chem-tool (available at auto parts store) on select places/pieces. This stuff is powerful and dissolves the really stubborn carbon fairly well when combined with nylon brush. I used my pressure washer and the other techniques as described by lee4him in his thread. The wands and the walnut blasting were indispensable. They did most of the cleanup work. Also, the borescope and the remote starter are must haves.

2. Throttle replacement - this was the real culprit of my issues. This part has an electric motor on it which opens/closes a butterfly. Mine was broken. I could move the butterfly and feel the motor resistance for a moment, then it just stopped. Felt like the shaft to the butterfly was broken. I could not take it apart to see if it could be fixed. It is a $350 dollar part. Bought a brand new one from bmwpartsdirect. Best pricing I could find.

3. EGR racepipe – I decided that if I was going to do this I was going to eliminate the cause of future CBU as much as possible. AARodriguez had what I wanted. He sold me a kit with everything I needed, the EGR pipe, coolant bypass line, vacuum line, hardware, all best quality. They are in Dallas, GA and I am in south metro ATL, so I drove over to get it on my day off. Andrew is a good guy, gave me good advice, and even let me drive his modded 335D. More fun than Six Flags. I got the new version of the EGR racepipe with two bungs. I am currently running a boost line to the water/methanol controller in one bung and the injection nozzle in the other.

4. Swirl flap deletes – After looking at the swirl flaps in my intake I decided to remove them completely. I got the swirl flap delete kit from Andrew at AARodriguez. Machined from aluminum, well made, nice seals, good price. I have noticed no low rpm performance issues with the delete kit in place.

5. Glow plugs and controller – I had been getting non cylinder specific codes for some time, but living in sunny ATL it really was not an issue during the summer. Fall came and after a few cold morning starts I knew this had to be done. I think the controller was the issue all along, but being as I had the intake off anyway I decided to do the plugs as well. Advice - Use slow and gentle torque on the glow plugs. As I had the car apart I could not warm them up to remove them. I did it cold and it was OK. Just be gentle with them and do not over torque them. I got these parts from bmwpartsdirect as well. Another good reference from this forum. All genuine BMW parts at great prices.

6. Oil catch can – There are many post here about the OCC. The hardest part about this was finding a place for the OCC itself. I got a OCC for the N54 from Burger Motor Sports. I was impressed with the quality of the OCC and the oil/vapor separator design. I got good silicone tubing and reducers from Amazon. The guys at BMS will sell the OCC without the 335i hoses if you email them. Saved me some money to buy the good silicone hoses and elbows I wanted. Just a word here – like so many other I broke the 4.5” inch factory hose as it was super brittle from being in close proximity to the turbos. I decided this was a good place to elbow off to my OCC. That little 4.5 inch hose costs about $75 to replace. Instead I used that as opportunity for the place to tie in to the in/out lines to/from the OCC. Again, the less oil, soot, and ash in the intake the better. You can see the oil catch can placement in the picture where the EGR intercooler used to be.

7. Red boost hose - I bought this from Andrew at AARodriguez as well. Appears to be very well made, equivalent to the Forge hose. This was preventative maintenance as I was not having any issue with the factory hose.

8. Water/methanol injection – This was my reward for having done all of this work myself. I like the idea of a nice warm water/methanol mist cleaning the intake and valves. Definitely is good preventative maintenance and the extra bonus of lower exhaust gas temperatures. I bought the AEM kit. The kit had everything included to do the install. Literally everything, even zip ties and hardware. I customized the mounting point for my tank and pump, so I did need some longer bolts that I had to buy at Lowes. In the pictures you can see there were two bolt mounting points that were unused behind the insulation in the trunk. i used these two and they hole where the brake light harness was attached bolt in a piece of plywood. Super strong and tight, no rattles. It was a straightforward install, but took some time to do it right. I made sure tank/pump mounting points were solid, used locations with grommets for controller and meth lines under the hood and in the trunk (see pics). I made a cardboard template which I used to make a plywood mount for the tank and pump. You can see the plywood mounted in the picture that shows the water/methanol line going out of the trunk area thru a grommet. I mounted the external LED that came in the kit so I can see it while I am driving. It shows you several things, including the progressive nature of the w/m injection and it blinks to let you know if the tank level is getting low.

9. JR tune – Again this will come from AARodriguez as it is close for me. I am undecided as to which stage/version to get as I have not decided yet if I am going to retain the DPF and other alphabet parts. I definitely do not want to have a smelly ride as my car is a daily driver for slow downtown Atlanta traffic.. Still thinking on my options for this. I just did this work over my Christmas break from work, and have not had the DDE updated yet. Andrew helped here again with good advice by telling me I could install the EGR racepipe without the tune. I still get SES messages, but the car does not go to limp mode. I have the old EGR still under the hood with the harness plugged in to prevent limp mode.

Results – the car feels as good as the day I first test drove it at the BMW dealer. I had a JBD installed, but removed it in anticipation of the tune in the next few days. The car pulls really stong, like new but better. I need to do some data logging to monitor the EGTs, but so far so good. I think it was definitely time and money well spent.

lnxguy · 12-30-2016, 01:00 PM

Throttle replacement? Are you talking about the ASV? Diesels do not have throttle plates.

davegris · 12-30-2016, 01:12 PM

Yes, it is the ASV. BMW still calls it a throttle even though technically it is not.

All of the codes my car threw related to it were referred to as "throttle actuator".

I speculate the same part is used on gasoline engines?

BMW part 11717804384 is called the throttle even though it is obviously the anti shudder valve on the 335D.

Yozh · 12-31-2016, 01:45 AM

Nice write-up and congratulations on all of that work done. I love my deleted JR 2.8.

caraudio1 · 12-31-2016, 07:33 AM

I see you have the "standard" diesel AEM kit. We've installed a few of these and had a problem with the controller leaking under high boost. If you hear noise coming from the controller you have the same issue. The best solution is to go to the multi input controller that can use the MAF sensor input to control the injection rate.

Looks Good!

Diesel_Mike · 01-03-2017, 03:35 PM

Awesome post. I'm currently at Step 1 on your list. The intake manifold is out at a marine diesel shop soaking in something that will apparently leave it looking like it's new. Got the throttle plate and EGR valve clean myself with just some "brake cleaner" and elbow grease. As soon as I have time I'll dive into the walnut blasting.

I'm thinking about just getting the AA Rodriguez EGR block off plates and swirl flap covers.

Did the swirl flap delete cause a CEL? Did you have to do some tuning with it?

davegris · 01-05-2017, 08:27 AM

I do have a code showing for the swirl flap actuator. I believe the tune will take care of that once I get it.

I cannot remember the code... I have been clearing 5 codes every morning before I leave the house. The other 4 are EGR related.

Andrew@FixMyVW · 01-05-2017, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davegris

I do have a code showing for the swirl flap actuator. I believe the tune will take care of that once I get it.

I cannot remember the code... I have been clearing 5 codes every morning before I leave the house. The other 4 are EGR related.

Correct, a tune will make those codes go away, swirl code included. Nice thread!

viatche · 01-05-2017, 09:32 AM

excellent write up. As a newbie to the forum, it is great to see this and other threads w/ so much info & pictures. I love my '11.d and I am ready to make some upgrades & improvements. I'm at step 0 on your list, but CBU cleanup seems like the best place to start. My only concern w/ the list is passing California Emissions... or I'd be at Stage 3 (or 4+ if they'd make one) w/ JR tune from Andrew@FixMyVW!

#1stpost

Torqu3 · 01-05-2017, 09:58 AM

Just a thought, and I'm not 100% sure on this, but I have heard that running meth with your DPF still intact can result in it clogging up faster since the EGTs are lower. It doesn't allow the DPF to heat up and burn off excess soot. I'm fairly sure I read a thread on here talking about this. Someone more knowledgeable than I can probably give you a more definitive say in that. Looks like some great work!

BB_cuda · 01-05-2017, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davegris

I do have a code showing for the swirl flap actuator. I believe the tune will take care of that once I get it.

I cannot remember the code... I have been clearing 5 codes every morning before I leave the house. The other 4 are EGR related.

Is the swirl flap actuator still plugged into harness? Some of us with blanks are running with actuator still plugged in. Jarek advised me to keep it plugged in. No big deal for me if the actuator is riding along. My tune is 2+ race. I've been pondering either 2.5 or 2.8

Andrew@FixMyVW · 01-05-2017, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BB_cuda

Is the swirl flap actuator still plugged into harness? Some of us with blanks are running with actuator still plugged in. Jarek advised me to keep it plugged in. No big deal for me if the actuator is riding along. My tune is 2+ race. I've been pondering either 2.5 or 2.8

I know quite a few people who do not have the swirl motor plugged in.

BB_cuda · 01-05-2017, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew@FixMyVW

I know quite a few people who do not have the swirl motor plugged in.

Thanks. Removal would only be a very minor mass decrease (<1/2 pound).

davegris · 01-09-2017, 03:59 PM

The swirl flap actuator is still plugged in. I know I have had at least one regen since I have been running water/meth. I used to Carly to initiate it and the soot/ash numbers were reduced. I have not checked recently but will soon. Thanks for the heads up.

12-30-2016, 12:37 PM	#1
davegris Master and Commander 17 Rep 55 Posts Drives: 2010 335D Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA iTrader: (0)	My CBU fix and CBU avoidance work First off, thanks to everyone who participates on this forum and shares experience. I have saved many dollars on my 335D over the years because good people are willing to share knowledge and experience. Special thanks to lee4him and many others (cbu cleanup posts) and Mik325tds (cbu tools) and Andrew at AARodriguez (EGR pipe and swirl flaps and good advice). So here is my story. I was getting progressively worse performance and mileage on my 2010 335D with 120K miles. During cold mornings my startup was just horrible. I was getting numerous EGR, throttle actuator, and glow plug codes. I then started getting DPF clogged errors on the console after I would crank and drive for about 15 minutes. On several occasions I would clear all codes with Carly, but they reoccurred next startup. I tried and was unable to force a DPF regen using Carly. After researching on this forum I found the EGR and throttle codes were preventing the DPF regen from occurring. After much research here I decided to do the following: 1. CBU cleanup 2. Throttle replacement 3. EGR race pipe 4. Swirl flap delete 5. Glow plug controller and glow plugs 6. Oil catch can 7. New red boost hose 8. Water/methanol injection 9. JR tune (stage TBD) 1. CBU cleanup – this was the worst part. I read the many forum posts here about this subject and decided it was doable. Attached pics show the same issues many here already know about. The intake and heads were literally clogged with carbon. I removed all of the plastic and acoustic engine covers and all of the stuff required to get to the intake. That by itself was a PITA. I soaked the intake in a big plastic tub filled with purple power solution for about 3 days. I used a nylon dryer vent brush to scrub the passages. This worked well but was super dirty work. I also used Berryman B12 Chem-tool (available at auto parts store) on select places/pieces. This stuff is powerful and dissolves the really stubborn carbon fairly well when combined with nylon brush. I used my pressure washer and the other techniques as described by lee4him in his thread. The wands and the walnut blasting were indispensable. They did most of the cleanup work. Also, the borescope and the remote starter are must haves. 2. Throttle replacement - this was the real culprit of my issues. This part has an electric motor on it which opens/closes a butterfly. Mine was broken. I could move the butterfly and feel the motor resistance for a moment, then it just stopped. Felt like the shaft to the butterfly was broken. I could not take it apart to see if it could be fixed. It is a $350 dollar part. Bought a brand new one from bmwpartsdirect. Best pricing I could find. 3. EGR racepipe – I decided that if I was going to do this I was going to eliminate the cause of future CBU as much as possible. AARodriguez had what I wanted. He sold me a kit with everything I needed, the EGR pipe, coolant bypass line, vacuum line, hardware, all best quality. They are in Dallas, GA and I am in south metro ATL, so I drove over to get it on my day off. Andrew is a good guy, gave me good advice, and even let me drive his modded 335D. More fun than Six Flags. I got the new version of the EGR racepipe with two bungs. I am currently running a boost line to the water/methanol controller in one bung and the injection nozzle in the other. 4. Swirl flap deletes – After looking at the swirl flaps in my intake I decided to remove them completely. I got the swirl flap delete kit from Andrew at AARodriguez. Machined from aluminum, well made, nice seals, good price. I have noticed no low rpm performance issues with the delete kit in place. 5. Glow plugs and controller – I had been getting non cylinder specific codes for some time, but living in sunny ATL it really was not an issue during the summer. Fall came and after a few cold morning starts I knew this had to be done. I think the controller was the issue all along, but being as I had the intake off anyway I decided to do the plugs as well. Advice - Use slow and gentle torque on the glow plugs. As I had the car apart I could not warm them up to remove them. I did it cold and it was OK. Just be gentle with them and do not over torque them. I got these parts from bmwpartsdirect as well. Another good reference from this forum. All genuine BMW parts at great prices. 6. Oil catch can – There are many post here about the OCC. The hardest part about this was finding a place for the OCC itself. I got a OCC for the N54 from Burger Motor Sports. I was impressed with the quality of the OCC and the oil/vapor separator design. I got good silicone tubing and reducers from Amazon. The guys at BMS will sell the OCC without the 335i hoses if you email them. Saved me some money to buy the good silicone hoses and elbows I wanted. Just a word here – like so many other I broke the 4.5” inch factory hose as it was super brittle from being in close proximity to the turbos. I decided this was a good place to elbow off to my OCC. That little 4.5 inch hose costs about $75 to replace. Instead I used that as opportunity for the place to tie in to the in/out lines to/from the OCC. Again, the less oil, soot, and ash in the intake the better. You can see the oil catch can placement in the picture where the EGR intercooler used to be. 7. Red boost hose - I bought this from Andrew at AARodriguez as well. Appears to be very well made, equivalent to the Forge hose. This was preventative maintenance as I was not having any issue with the factory hose. 8. Water/methanol injection – This was my reward for having done all of this work myself. I like the idea of a nice warm water/methanol mist cleaning the intake and valves. Definitely is good preventative maintenance and the extra bonus of lower exhaust gas temperatures. I bought the AEM kit. The kit had everything included to do the install. Literally everything, even zip ties and hardware. I customized the mounting point for my tank and pump, so I did need some longer bolts that I had to buy at Lowes. In the pictures you can see there were two bolt mounting points that were unused behind the insulation in the trunk. i used these two and they hole where the brake light harness was attached bolt in a piece of plywood. Super strong and tight, no rattles. It was a straightforward install, but took some time to do it right. I made sure tank/pump mounting points were solid, used locations with grommets for controller and meth lines under the hood and in the trunk (see pics). I made a cardboard template which I used to make a plywood mount for the tank and pump. You can see the plywood mounted in the picture that shows the water/methanol line going out of the trunk area thru a grommet. I mounted the external LED that came in the kit so I can see it while I am driving. It shows you several things, including the progressive nature of the w/m injection and it blinks to let you know if the tank level is getting low. 9. JR tune – Again this will come from AARodriguez as it is close for me. I am undecided as to which stage/version to get as I have not decided yet if I am going to retain the DPF and other alphabet parts. I definitely do not want to have a smelly ride as my car is a daily driver for slow downtown Atlanta traffic.. Still thinking on my options for this. I just did this work over my Christmas break from work, and have not had the DDE updated yet. Andrew helped here again with good advice by telling me I could install the EGR racepipe without the tune. I still get SES messages, but the car does not go to limp mode. I have the old EGR still under the hood with the harness plugged in to prevent limp mode. Results – the car feels as good as the day I first test drove it at the BMW dealer. I had a JBD installed, but removed it in anticipation of the tune in the next few days. The car pulls really stong, like new but better. I need to do some data logging to monitor the EGTs, but so far so good. I think it was definitely time and money well spent. Attached Images Last edited by davegris; 12-30-2016 at 12:43 PM.. Reason: bad typing
	Appreciate 3 MCooter15.00 Mik325tds808.00 shortair447.00 Tweet Quote

12-30-2016, 01:00 PM	#2
lnxguy Colonel 531 Rep 2,050 Posts Drives: 2018 540i xDrive. Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Barrie iTrader: (1)	Throttle replacement? Are you talking about the ASV? Diesels do not have throttle plates. __________________ '09 335D '18 540i xDrive
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12-30-2016, 01:12 PM	#3
davegris Master and Commander 17 Rep 55 Posts Drives: 2010 335D Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA iTrader: (0)	Yes, it is the ASV. BMW still calls it a throttle even though technically it is not. All of the codes my car threw related to it were referred to as "throttle actuator". I speculate the same part is used on gasoline engines? BMW part 11717804384 is called the throttle even though it is obviously the anti shudder valve on the 335D.
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12-31-2016, 01:45 AM	#4
Yozh Colonel 871 Rep 2,611 Posts Drives: 2011 335d M-Sport Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Wet Coast iTrader: (4)	Nice write-up and congratulations on all of that work done. I love my deleted JR 2.8.
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12-31-2016, 07:33 AM	#5
caraudio1 Enlisted Member 8 Rep 38 Posts Drives: 2011 335D Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: S.E. United States iTrader: (0)	aem methanol I see you have the "standard" diesel AEM kit. We've installed a few of these and had a problem with the controller leaking under high boost. If you hear noise coming from the controller you have the same issue. The best solution is to go to the multi input controller that can use the MAF sensor input to control the injection rate. Looks Good!
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01-03-2017, 03:35 PM	#6
Diesel_Mike Enlisted Member 2 Rep 30 Posts Drives: 2011 335D Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Sea-town iTrader: (0)	Awesome post. I'm currently at Step 1 on your list. The intake manifold is out at a marine diesel shop soaking in something that will apparently leave it looking like it's new. Got the throttle plate and EGR valve clean myself with just some "brake cleaner" and elbow grease. As soon as I have time I'll dive into the walnut blasting. I'm thinking about just getting the AA Rodriguez EGR block off plates and swirl flap covers. Did the swirl flap delete cause a CEL? Did you have to do some tuning with it?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-05-2017, 08:27 AM	#7
davegris Master and Commander 17 Rep 55 Posts Drives: 2010 335D Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA iTrader: (0)	I do have a code showing for the swirl flap actuator. I believe the tune will take care of that once I get it. I cannot remember the code... I have been clearing 5 codes every morning before I leave the house. The other 4 are EGR related.
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01-05-2017, 09:32 AM	#9
viatche ITZ DZL 4 Rep 20 Posts Drives: '11 335d & '15 x5d Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW 335d [0.00] 2015 BMW X5d [0.00]	excellent write up. As a newbie to the forum, it is great to see this and other threads w/ so much info & pictures. I love my '11.d and I am ready to make some upgrades & improvements. I'm at step 0 on your list, but CBU cleanup seems like the best place to start. My only concern w/ the list is passing California Emissions... or I'd be at Stage 3 (or 4+ if they'd make one) w/ JR tune from Andrew@FixMyVW! #1stpost Last edited by viatche; 01-05-2017 at 09:33 AM.. Reason: #1stpost
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01-05-2017, 09:58 AM	#10
Torqu3 Major 324 Rep 1,157 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Centralish Texas iTrader: (0)	Just a thought, and I'm not 100% sure on this, but I have heard that running meth with your DPF still intact can result in it clogging up faster since the EGTs are lower. It doesn't allow the DPF to heat up and burn off excess soot. I'm fairly sure I read a thread on here talking about this. Someone more knowledgeable than I can probably give you a more definitive say in that. Looks like some great work!
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01-09-2017, 03:59 PM	#14
davegris Master and Commander 17 Rep 55 Posts Drives: 2010 335D Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA iTrader: (0)	The swirl flap actuator is still plugged in. I know I have had at least one regen since I have been running water/meth. I used to Carly to initiate it and the soot/ash numbers were reduced. I have not checked recently but will soon. Thanks for the heads up.
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