Clearing Carbon Build Up
11-25-2005, 12:55 PM
#1
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Clearing Carbon Build Up
Anyone know the best way to clear the carbon build up in the chambers? Which additives are safe if, any.
As i understand it carbon build up is at its max after about 15k and leads to a loss in power! Compared to a new engine its like running lower grade fuel in your car.
As i understand it carbon build up is at its max after about 15k and leads to a loss in power! Compared to a new engine its like running lower grade fuel in your car.
11-25-2005, 02:38 PM
#2
Race Car
With the engine at idle, remove a vacuum line and insert it in a full quart of tranny fluid. Let the engine suck out at least 1/2 the liquid and shut the engine down (if it doens't shut down on it's own). Let sit for several hours and then reconnect tthe hose and go drive it. Lots of smoke, but does a great job keeping the intake and cylinders carbon free. Do it to all your cars once a year.
11-25-2005, 03:08 PM
#3
There was several big discussions on this over at Bobistheoilguy.com. There was a general consensus that injecting small amounts of water into the intake (with the engine loaded) helps remove combustion chamber deposits. Techron (polyetheramine) type gas additives MAY remove a small amount. ATF was not felt to be helpful, and will likely foul the cats and/or O2 sensors. It doesn"t make sense that pouring what is basically friction modified 20w motor oil (ATF) into your engine's intake would be helpful. Engines I've disassembled with head gasket leaks always had clean combustion chambers and piston crowns on the cylinder the water was leaking into. I'm not advising anyone to do this. The turbo intake system is so long and convoluted the water would probably puddle somewhere.
Last edited by ebaker; 11-26-2005 at 05:46 PM.
11-25-2005, 03:31 PM
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Not sure about sucking in oil, maybe i could do this on a cheaper motor but this baby set me back
£ 104 k...Sterling.
When a came back from Germany after doing a few 190mph runs i fitted the stage 4 kit to my car and thats when i noticed quite a bit of carbon fouling in the exhaust outlets, so im not sure that hard runs actually clear it. Was hoping i could put an additive in the air inlet just past the MAF, but my main concern is i dont want to screw anything up.
£ 104 k...Sterling.
When a came back from Germany after doing a few 190mph runs i fitted the stage 4 kit to my car and thats when i noticed quite a bit of carbon fouling in the exhaust outlets, so im not sure that hard runs actually clear it. Was hoping i could put an additive in the air inlet just past the MAF, but my main concern is i dont want to screw anything up.
11-25-2005, 07:09 PM
#7
Race Car
ATF has been used for 50 years as a regular maintenance of en engine intake system. There are alot of brand named stuff, such as miracle oil, that claim to do the same thing. As far as being bad for the cats???? I guess those of you who are buring a quart of oil every 1000 miles have distroyed your cats?
The best way to clean the carbon out, without disassembly, is to use water instead of ATF. However, just a slight error in the amount of water put in the intake can immediately blow the engine. Water should be used only by someone who knows what they are doing, but works extremely well due to the steam it creates at high presure. Using ATF provides similar cleaning abilities, but without the steam. This oil softens the carbon which helps remove it out the exhaust system.
T urbo: Car's that do not burn oil do not have a carbon problem, so eliminate the oil burning and you'll be fine. Always use a gasoline additive once in awhile and the cabon build up caused by the gasoline bruning won't be a problem.
Any cleaning meathod in an engine that has high levels of carbo buildup, requires the cats to be removed so as not to clog them. Most of us have good engine that burn no oil, so there will never be a reason to remove large deposits of carbon, no matter how high the mileage gets. For those of you who have accepted as "normal" burning oil and who's engines DO burn oil, will eventually accumulate carbon buildup and should use ATF or other light lubricant at least annually if you intend to get as many good performing miles out of your engine as possible.
The best way to clean the carbon out, without disassembly, is to use water instead of ATF. However, just a slight error in the amount of water put in the intake can immediately blow the engine. Water should be used only by someone who knows what they are doing, but works extremely well due to the steam it creates at high presure. Using ATF provides similar cleaning abilities, but without the steam. This oil softens the carbon which helps remove it out the exhaust system.
T urbo: Car's that do not burn oil do not have a carbon problem, so eliminate the oil burning and you'll be fine. Always use a gasoline additive once in awhile and the cabon build up caused by the gasoline bruning won't be a problem.
Any cleaning meathod in an engine that has high levels of carbo buildup, requires the cats to be removed so as not to clog them. Most of us have good engine that burn no oil, so there will never be a reason to remove large deposits of carbon, no matter how high the mileage gets. For those of you who have accepted as "normal" burning oil and who's engines DO burn oil, will eventually accumulate carbon buildup and should use ATF or other light lubricant at least annually if you intend to get as many good performing miles out of your engine as possible.
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11-26-2005, 06:35 AM
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1999porsche911, I see where your coming from with regards to the oil burning but my car only uses 1 litre every 5000 miles. The limit on the turbo is 1.5 litres every 600 miles?
11-26-2005, 03:53 PM
#10
GM actually makes a great engine cleaner. I think its called top engine cleaner or something. I've seen it used in a pressurized setup with has an injector placed right before a vacuum line going into the intake. I've seen it used on boxsters and 996s where the back of the valves had so much carbon the cars would miss badly until it was warmed up. A bottle of the engine cleaner takes care of it every time. And its only like 10 bucks a can.
