What are the methods for cleaning carbon deposits?
2 Answers
The specific operation methods for cleaning carbon deposits are as follows: 1. Cleaning carbon deposits inside the engine: Before replacing the new engine oil, open the oil cap, add a cleaning agent, mix it with the old oil, and let the engine idle for about 10 minutes. 2. Cleaning carbon deposits in the intake system mainly refers to cleaning carbon deposits inside the intake tract and intake manifold. The purpose is to remove carbon deposits inside the intake system, increase the intake flow and speed, and reduce engine shaking and unstable idling. Prepare an intake system cleaner, use a dedicated cleaning device's liquid storage tank, connect it to the intake system, and use vacuum to draw the cleaner into the intake tract to achieve the cleaning purpose. 3. Remove the throttle body, use carburetor cleaner to clean the front and back of the throttle body, and wipe it dry with a clean cloth. It is recommended to clean the throttle body when the car has been used for one year or has traveled 20,000 kilometers. However, it should be noted that different car models have different cleaning cycles, which should be determined based on the car's own condition.
I've been driving for over a decade and have plenty of experience dealing with carbon deposits. The most common method is using fuel additives – you pour them into the tank before refueling, letting the cleaner circulate through the entire fuel system with the gasoline, gradually dissolving sticky carbon buildup on valves and fuel injectors. But you must choose reputable brands, as inferior additives can actually damage the engine. Another old-school method is highway driving – maintaining 3,000-4,000 RPM for about half an hour lets the high-temperature airflow blast away some deposits. For severe, caked-on carbon buildup, mechanical cleaning is necessary where mechanics disassemble and scrub components like the throttle body and intake pipes with carburetor cleaner – this is the most thorough but expensive approach. There's also walnut shell blasting that sprays crushed walnut shells into the engine to tackle stubborn deposits. Daily prevention matters too – avoid prolonged idling as it's a major contributor to carbon buildup.
