How to Determine if a Car Has Carbon Deposits?
2 Answers
Methods to determine if a car has carbon deposits: 1. Difficulty or inability to start the engine when cold, but normal after warming up. This indicates severe carbon buildup on the throttle or valves, causing starting issues when cold. 2. Sudden increase in fuel consumption and reduced power, likely due to clogged fuel injectors from carbon deposits. 3. The car shakes when accelerating but runs smoothly without acceleration. This mostly indicates carbon deposits, which detach during acceleration, causing engine knocking. 4. The engine warning light briefly illuminates and then turns off during highway driving. This may indicate carbon deposits detaching and causing incomplete combustion, leading to substandard exhaust emissions.
As a veteran driver with over 20 years of experience, I believe identifying carbon buildup requires attention to daily driving details. When starting the car, if ignition is difficult and the engine wheezes a few times before turning over, this often indicates spark plug or fuel injector issues caused by carbon deposits. During idle, if the vehicle shakes like it's dancing with unstable RPM, be alert. When accelerating, if pressing the gas pedal feels sluggish, the car seems lazy, and fuel consumption inexplicably increases—like burning 1-2 extra liters per 100km on long trips—these accumulated signals usually point to carbon buildup. I recommend minimizing short trips and driving more on highways, or regularly using fuel system cleaners for prevention. If symptoms are obvious, visit a professional shop promptly to avoid severe engine damage and costly repairs.
