How to Determine if the Engine Has Carbon Deposits?
2 Answers
Methods to determine if the engine has carbon deposits: 1. Difficulty in starting the engine when the temperature is low, with no abnormalities observed after ignition; 2. Uneven power during acceleration, accompanied by a muffled sound; 3. Intermittent and regular shaking of the engine at idle, with unstable RPM that fluctuates up and down. The cause of engine carbon deposits is quite simple—it is a coking-like substance produced by unsaturated olefins and gums in fuel under high temperatures. In layman's terms, engine carbon deposits are a gum-like substance resulting from incomplete combustion of fuel.
I've been driving for almost ten years, and the signs of carbon buildup in the engine are quite obvious: the car struggles much more than usual when starting off, and acceleration feels sluggish as if being dragged by the tail; at idle while waiting at a red light, the entire body of the car starts shaking noticeably, with the tachometer needle jumping around unsteadily; fuel consumption has crept up without notice, using one or two liters more for the same distance compared to before; during cold starts, it takes a long time to fire up after turning the key, accompanied by dull popping sounds. All of these are results of carbon deposits clogging the valves and pistons. I remember during the last maintenance, the mechanic opened it up and found a mass of black gunk inside—luckily it was caught early before damaging the engine. Frequent short trips tend to accumulate carbon deposits, so I make it a habit to take a high-speed run once a month to clear them out. If your car is acting up like this, check the spark plugs or get it tested at a repair shop. Don't wait until a major overhaul is needed—it'll be too late by then.
