What are the effects of engine carbon deposits?
2 Answers
The effects of engine carbon deposits are: 1. When carbon deposits adhere to the spark plugs, they can affect the spark quality or even prevent sparking; 2. When carbon deposits adhere to the oxygen sensor, it can prevent the sensor from accurately detecting exhaust conditions, leading to incorrect air-fuel ratio adjustments and excessive engine emissions; 3. When carbon deposits form in the intake manifold, they can roughen the surface, affecting the formation and concentration of the combustible mixture; 4. When carbon deposits form between piston rings, they can cause the rings to stick, leading to oil burning and cylinder wall damage; 5. When carbon deposits adhere to the cylinder or piston top, they reduce the combustion chamber volume, increasing the compression ratio, which can cause pre-ignition and reduce engine power; 6. When carbon deposits adhere to the exhaust valve, they can prevent the intake and exhaust valves from sealing properly, causing leaks and reducing cylinder pressure; 7. Carbon deposits on the throttle can alter its position.
Recently, my car's engine has been suffering from severe carbon buildup, noticeably losing power. I have to press the accelerator deeper to speed up, and overtaking on highways feels particularly strenuous. Fuel consumption has also increased, with a full tank covering 70-80 kilometers less. The most annoying part is the difficulty in cold starts—it takes two or three attempts to fire up in winter, and the steering wheel vibrates at idle, accompanied by an irritating buzzing sound. The mechanic said carbon deposits have clogged the fuel injectors, and the intake valves are sticky. He warned that delaying repairs could lead to cylinder scoring, requiring a major overhaul. I ended up spending over a thousand yuan on dry ice cleaning, and now the engine finally runs smoothly again.
