How to Identify Carbon Buildup in a Car?
2 Answers
Methods to identify carbon buildup in a car include: 1. Difficulty starting the engine when cold, but normal when warm; 2. Unstable engine idle; 3. Poor acceleration and a sluggish feeling when pressing the accelerator; 4. Weak driving performance, slow response to acceleration, and failure to reach the original power of the car; 5. Irritating exhaust fumes; 6. Increased fuel consumption. The reasons for carbon buildup in a car are: 1. Long-term poor driving habits of the owner; 2. Mismatch between fuel grade and compression ratio; 3. Aging or damage to the engine carburetor; 4. Prolonged high-load driving; 5. Not replacing the air filter; 6. Inaccurate ignition timing or fuel supply time; 7. Low engine temperature; 8. Poor sealing of valves and valve seats; 9. Prolonged engine idling.
As a regular office worker who drives daily, my two-year-old family car has been having some minor issues lately. For example, when waiting at red lights, the idle speed is very unstable, and the entire steering wheel vibrates slightly, somewhat like a phone in vibration mode. When pressing the accelerator to speed up, it feels sluggish—where a light tap used to be enough to overtake, now I have to press hard for a while to gain speed, and climbing hills is even more challenging. Fuel consumption has also increased significantly, with the number of monthly refueling trips rising by over a dozen times, draining my wallet quickly. Cold starts are even more annoying, as the engine often coughs a few times before firing up, occasionally emitting an unpleasant exhaust smell. These issues could be due to carbon buildup, especially since I frequently make short commutes, leading to incomplete combustion. A friend suggested taking the car on the highway to rev the engine or using fuel additives for cleaning, but a proper diagnosis would require a professional shop to check cylinder pressure changes with a computer scan. For prevention, using higher-octane gasoline and regularly taking long drives are more reliable solutions—don’t wait for minor issues to turn into costly major repairs.
