Is this cylinder 1 TDC

2011 BMW 335
119,000 MILES • 6 CYL • TURBO • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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DIVIDES
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I am working on cleaning the carbon build up using walnut blasting. Are what am pointing to the lobes for cylinder 1? It's a bit confusing. I don't understand the holes on intake as they are two of them. so, when these lobes are up is the intake square hole between my hand and the top round one point to cylinder 1?
Jun 6, 2022 at 1:57 AM
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STEVE W.
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Your engine has six cylinders but four valves per cylinder, two intake and two exhaust for a total of twenty-four valves. The lobes your fingers are over are cylinder one on the intake camshaft. Then it's 2-3-4-5-6 To be sure which cylinder you can blast just be sure the cam lobes are pointed up. That means the valves are closed. To rotate the engine over you can use the starter motor with a short jumper wire and just watch the lobes.

This might help. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OS_uOyuDd0
Jun 6, 2022 at 4:01 AM
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DIVIDES
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I have a tool to turn the motor, but so if the lobes are up where my fingers are that means only the intake is closed? And the camshaft on left is the exhaust? What I am trying to figure out is which of the round holes on top correspond to the intake being closed.
Jun 6, 2022 at 4:06 AM
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STEVE W.
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Lobes with your fingers are intake cam cylinder one. If they point straight up the intake valves are closed. The intake port on top is the second one, you can see the edge of the intake seat if you look down inside. So, you have the injector port, then the intake port, then another injector and then another intake port. The square port goes to the other intake valve. Clean the valves and remove the excess media, then move to the next cylinder.
Jun 6, 2022 at 5:13 AM
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BHAMDOC1973
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I see, so if the lobes are up i can go ahead and clean the round holes on top and the square ones below? I guess my confusion is if the lobes are up and valves are closed how many round holes can i clean, two on top per cylinder?
Jun 6, 2022 at 5:20 AM
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STEVE W.
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Nope. One on top and the square one that also goes to that cylinder. The other round opening on top is not for a valve.
I hate to say it but if you have never done this or have experience with these engines it's very easy to do damage if you don't know what to do.
There are tons of videos explaining the process, the one I linked covers your exact engine please watch that and you can see which ports you do. If you try to clean the wrong ones or try to clean a port with the valve open the next step is to remove the cylinder head to clean out the engine.
Do you have the proper blasting equipment with a vacuum and blast wand?
Jun 6, 2022 at 6:41 AM
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BHAMDOC1973
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I have all the tools needed. I watched this video and 10 others before. I also have done it before but not on this diesel. It's not that i am an idiot, just doesn't make sense. All these videos, none of them explain my question to you, but its okay ill figure it out.
Jun 6, 2022 at 7:09 AM
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STEVE W.
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The video I linked shows him blasting the top port. The side ports all match the cylinders. The top ports are simple, just look down at them. The intake ports curve at the bottom and are dirty. The ones that are clean and have the threaded hole at the bottom and are in line with the bearing caps are where the injectors go and those don't get blasted.
You close cylinder one, then you can blast the round port in line with your index finger and the square port that lines up below your hand.
Now you make sure to clean out the walnut material, then close the valves on 2 and clean the square port and the 4th port on top. Repeat by closing number 3 and then the 6th port and its square port.
They used the two-port design to give the engine better breathing with the smaller turbo and still give more power.
Jun 6, 2022 at 1:16 PM
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DIVIDES
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I finished cleaning three cylinders, while trying to turn the crank to have the lobes for cylinder four up the engine stops turning at some point, even if i try to turn the other way, which is not recommended it also stops. It isn't the resistance that am supposed to get sometimes which i understand should happen, it just stops hard.
Jun 16, 2022 at 4:55 AM
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STEVE W.
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Check the ones you have done to be sure the valves are returning to the closed position, then if that is okay, you will need to check and see if one of the cylinders has a bunch of blast media in it. If one of the valves was even slightly open from built up carbon it may have dumped a bunch of it into the cylinder. To remove it you can use air blowing into the injector port and the vacuum on the round intake port and block off the rectangular port. You want to create a dust storm that you can suck out of the cylinder.
Jun 16, 2022 at 8:01 AM
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DIVIDES
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Yes, i tried that., i removed the glow plugs and put air in the cylinders from every hole, intake on top, on side, glow plug holes, very little came out, nothing serious, but that is what I am thinking, some walnut media got inside.
Jun 16, 2022 at 8:28 AM
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STEVE W.
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Maybe snake a camera inside to see if you can find anything that way.
Jun 16, 2022 at 9:33 AM
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DIVIDES
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Finally turned after 2 hours of blowing in every cylinder and turning fee and blowing, couldn't see what it is, but i doubt that a small amount of that media would prevent it from turning. So, it is now turning fine. With everything off isn't the starter supposed to turn the motor? It just clicks. Didn't have any issues with it before.
Jun 16, 2022 at 10:35 AM
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STEVE W.
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Depends on what you've unhooked. Click only could be a bad ground or other loose connection. The other thing could be that setting has caused the battery to drain, toss a charger on it and see what it does. I can't think of anything the cleaning would have done to cause it.
Jun 16, 2022 at 11:25 AM
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DIVIDES
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Yes, tried charger nothing. Maybe bunch of grounds, everything is off, so it is possible, better not be the starter after i put everything back together.
Jun 16, 2022 at 11:29 AM
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JACOBANDNICKOLAS
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Hi,

I noticed you haven't been contacted for a couple of days. Have you been able to make any progress? I'm interested in knowing.

Take care,

Joe
Jun 18, 2022 at 2:54 PM
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BHAMDOC1973
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Yes, I am good, thanks.
Jun 18, 2022 at 10:35 PM
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