Engine Decarbonization?

Question

The dealer said I needed needed this service. Is there a way I can do this myself? Should I buy one of those formulas they sell in bottles that promises to do this. What exactly is Engine Decarbonization. Please help, I'm trying to pass the emission test, and my license was already suspended.

Answer 1

You most likey failed from NOX testing. NOX (nitrogen oxide) is comonly caused by carbon build up on the valves and intake. Decarbon treatments are usually inexpensive and involve injecting a chemical into the intake while the engine is running to burn off the excess carbon. The stuff you add to the gas tank really doesnt perform as well as they advertise. You can do it yourself however. Go to your local auto supply shop and get a kit. The kit will include the chemical cleaner, the equipment needed to hook up to the intake and instructions on what to do.

Answer 2

What part of the test did you fail? Make, model, year, engine? Could be you have other problems and this is not going to let you pass either.
You can do decarboning yourself with GM''s Top Engine Cleaner or some guys just use a quart of windshield washer fluid, the regular blue kind---the water in it cleans the carbon and the alchohol in it supports combustion. Just run your engine at fast idle rpm''s like 1500 or so and pour the cleaner or fluid into the carb throat slowly---don''t pour too fast or it will kill the engine. You'll see lots of white smoke coming from the tailpipe but that's ok. Keep pouring and when you get to the last fifth of the can, dump it all in so it kills the engine...wait about 10 minutes, restart the car and drive it for 20 minutes or so to clean out the rest of the carbon. You probably should do an oil change right away too since some of the cleaner may get into the oil pan.

Answer 3

Do you have any driveability problems? Why did the dealership tell you that you needed this service? If you have been properly maintaining your vehicle, changing your oil as required (usually every 3k to 5k miles) with a good quality oil that is the correct viscosity for your car, using a good brand of gasoline, (by the way good does not mean high octane, only that you use the octane recommended in your owner's manual), changing your air and fuel filters as needed, etc.; then it is unlikely you actually need this service. It would be helpful to know what part of the emissions test your vehicle failed. If there is significant carbon build up in your intake system then I'd suspect that your egr system is plugged and you are failing for high NOx emissions. Most vehicles with this type of issue require some dismantling of the intake to accomplish cleaning of this nature. If you provided the make, model and year of your vehicle, I could provide more than guesswork.

Answer 4

Have you ever seen someone getting on the freeway, or trying to pass someone and the exhaust blows out a little black puff of smoke?
That's the carbon that has built up in the combustion chamber and valves being dislodged because they have the gas pedal all the way to the floor and the pure volume of air going through the engine scrubs the carbon off.

I'm guessing you are a conservative driver and never push the gas pedal to the floor.
You should try it sometimes to loosen the carbon that tends to build up durring normal driving.

Answer 5

the only thing you could add to the tank that may work is BG 44k. you can do it yourself but it does take a fare knowledge of doing this to be able to do it without messing something up. some engines can suffer hydraulic lock and major engine damage if it is done incorrectly.
if this is for a NOX failure, the most common cause is the oxygen sensor if you have no egr valve, if you have an egr valve it may be malfunctioning.