Is Carbon Buildup Severe in Direct Injection Engines?

[Gretchen]

Carbon buildup primarily occurs due to high temperatures and incomplete combustion, making long-term low-speed driving or frequent traffic congestion the most common causes. Strictly speaking, the difference in carbon buildup formation time between direct injection and non-direct injection engines is not particularly significant. Using higher-flow engine oil can help slow down carbon buildup. However, the best method remains driving the vehicle more frequently. Additional information is as follows: 1. Carbon buildup includes two concepts: One refers to engine carbon buildup: a coking-like substance produced by unsaturated olefins and colloids in fuel under high temperatures during engine operation. The other concept is carbon buildup in electrical discharge machining (EDM), where it should be avoided as much as possible, especially in precision mold processing, as it can have fatal consequences. 2. Diagnostic methods: In automotive maintenance, diagnosing intake manifold carbon buildup is very straightforward—simply removing the throttle body will clearly reveal the extent of buildup. However, diagnosing valve carbon buildup has always been challenging. Generally, professional repair shops employ two diagnostic methods.