What are the causes of carbon deposits?
2 Answers
The causes of carbon deposits are: 1. Long-term poor driving habits of the car owner; 2. Mismatch between fuel octane rating 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 timing; 7. Low engine temperature; 8. Poor sealing of valves and valve seat rings; 9. Prolonged engine idling. The parts that need carbon deposit cleaning include: 1. Engine combustion chamber; 2. Intake manifold; 3. Fuel injector; 4. Throttle valve; 5. Spark plug; 6. Three-way catalytic converter. Carbon deposits are coking substances produced by unsaturated olefins and gums in fuel under high temperatures during engine operation.
The reason for carbon buildup is something I often think about while driving, mainly due to incomplete fuel combustion. When using low-quality gasoline, which contains many impurities, the combustion is not clean, leaving behind carbon particles. For example, during short city drives, if the engine isn't fully warmed up before stopping, the combustion efficiency is low, and carbon deposits easily accumulate on the cylinder walls and fuel injectors. Insufficient air supply also worsens the situation—if the air filter is dirty or clogged, there's less oxygen, and the fuel doesn't burn completely. Additionally, poor driving habits, such as frequent low-speed driving or cold starts, accelerate carbon buildup. I recommend using high-quality gasoline, occasionally driving on highways to fully warm up the engine for more complete combustion, or using additives to clean the internals. These steps can reduce carbon formation and keep the car running more smoothly.
