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Decarbonization of piston rings. Do-it-yourself decarbonization of oil scraper rings The best way to decarbonize an engine

The owner of the car is responsible for his iron horse. In order for all mechanisms to work like clockwork, it is necessary to periodically carry out maintenance of all systems.

The procedure for decoking a VAZ engine has become an integral part of the lives of the inhabitants of the Soviet Union, which has sunk into the past. At that time, fuel was of extremely low quality, and cleaning helped protect the pistons from harmful deposits that formed as a result of gasoline combustion.

More than 25 years have passed since then. But even now, driving at high speeds contributes to severe engine pollution. That is why, for stable operation of the car, it is necessary to periodically decarbonize the engine piston rings. It allows you to ensure stable traction even after 300-400 thousand kilometers.

Attention! Decarbonization of a Subaru engine is necessary in the same way as a Lada engine. Especially if you have often filled in with low-quality gasoline or oil.

The price of engine decarbonization depends solely on the method you choose. In any case, this procedure costs no more than 700 rubles.

Piston contamination and ways to deal with it

Inside the engine, the oil oxidizes on the cylinder walls. Over time, the oxide turns into a harmful film that interferes with operation by getting into the piston grooves. The combustion process of fuel, in turn, contributes to the production of soot. It mixes with the film, turning into a single monolith. The result is hard deposits that block the operation of the rings.

There are many ways to deal with deposits, the most effective:

  • washing with water (steam);
  • cleaning with special means, for example “Lavr” ML-202;
  • cleaning with a mixture of acetone and kerosene.

The driver can perform all these procedures with his own hands. They do not take much time, and the financial costs are ridiculous compared to the result.

Many modern drivers have abandoned decoking of a diesel engine with their own hands. Such relaxation is associated with the presence of additives in modern oils and good fuel. However, this only slows down the formation of plaque, and does not cancel it.

Attention! To improve the performance of the vehicle, do-it-yourself decarbonization of diesel and gasoline engines is carried out. The general operating algorithm remains unchanged, with the exception of certain design features of cars.

Does decoking help the engine?

There are many myths and misconceptions around this procedure that prevent drivers from soberly assessing its necessity and results, among the most common:

  1. The cleaner makes the pistons shine. In older engines, deposits hold the parts together like cement. Therefore, excessive zeal can cause serious damage to the car.
  2. Engine decoking is possible without changing the oil. This is an extremely dangerous misconception. After doing the cleaning yourself, be sure to flush the system and change the oil.
  3. It is impossible to decarbonize the engine yourself. There is nothing complicated about the procedure. On average, you can complete all the work in an hour and a half.

Engine decarbonization fluid improves compression and avoids premature wear of parts. If you are interested in how to decarbonize an engine yourself, below are the three most common methods with step-by-step instructions.

Decarbonization methods

Decarbonizing the engine with water

If you notice that the car has begun to consume too much oil, then it’s time to decarbonize the engine yourself. The expected reduction in consumption could reach 200 milliliters per 1000 kilometers.

First you need to assess the condition of the pistons. To do this, unscrew the spark plugs. Usually there is so much soot on them that it is difficult to see the pistons themselves behind it. To decarbonize an engine with water, you will need:

  • drip,
  • hose,
  • tee,
  • distilled water.

From all of the above, you will create an effective system for cleaning the engine with your own hands. Take an IV and connect it to a water bottle. Then use a hose to connect it to the BDZ.

Adjust the dropper so that no water enters the system when the engine is turned off. The liquid should enter inside only after turning on the suction from the BDZ. The optimal dripping speed is about three drops per second.

During decarbonization with water, steam will most likely come out of the exhaust pipe. If fumes appear from under the exhaust manifold, you should think about replacing the gasket. The operation is simple, so it can be done with your own hands.

Attention! Before the test drive, secure the bottle well under the hood. This can be easily done with your own hands.

To begin with, let the engine idle, only then drive out onto the highway. Water should be supplied in such quantity that the engine can barely idle. Usually the car drives sluggishly. But at 3-4 thousand rpm it accelerates noticeably.

The first metallic glimpses after decoking with water can be seen after 100-150 kilometers. Usually, for complete cleansing, it is enough to travel with a dropper for several weeks.

Important! Remember to periodically add water to the washer reservoir.

An interesting side effect could be a reduction in fuel consumption. On average, five hundred kilometers is enough to completely clean the pistons.

Decarbonization of the "Lavrom" engine

The price of the liquid is around three hundred rubles. The decarbonization procedure is carried out before changing the oil and consists of the following steps:

  1. Unscrew all spark plugs.
  2. Set the valves to the same position. For measurements, you can use a piece of simple wire.
  3. Pour 45 milligrams of Laurel into each cylinder.
  4. Install the candles. Optimal conditions for a steam bath must be created inside.
  5. Leave everything as is for 4-6 hours.
  6. Remove the spark plugs and operate the starter. Three launches of 10 seconds each are enough. In this case, the gas pedal must be fully depressed. This will help remove excess liquid.
  7. Reassemble and start the engine.
  8. Drain the old oil, wash it and fill it with new one, change the filters (oil and air).

Before checking how much compression has changed, do a short test drive. It will be enough to drive about 1000 meters. If nothing has changed, the problem may lie in the oil seals. If everything is in order, it means that decarbonizing the engine with your own hands was successful. Below is a video instruction on how to decarbonize a Lavr engine.

As you can see, all decoking operations can be carried out with your own hands. It is not necessary to have any special knowledge. Just follow the instructions and use high-quality oil.

Every car enthusiast whose “iron friend” has served him for quite a long time has encountered the problem of engine decompression. The vast majority of car services in such cases recommend making major repairs. However, this procedure is quite expensive and, as practice shows, not always really necessary. In many cases, the solution to this problem came down to a simpler question: how to decarbonize an engine with your own hands? Is this procedure really necessary and so simple that a trip to a car service is not necessary?

What is engine coking and why is it dangerous?

During the operation of a car, we, unfortunately, constantly encounter things that can subsequently create a huge number of problems for our cars. For example, constantly sitting in traffic jams is harmful not only to our nerves: prolonged operation of the engine at low speeds significantly increases the formation of carbon deposits on the walls and bottom of the fuel chamber, as well as on the valves. The same effect can be caused by using low-quality fuel or unsuitable oil, driving “cold”, etc. This carbon deposits are formed due to incomplete combustion of the fuel mixture, and then aggravated by tiny carbon particles in the exhaust gases. The formation of this carbon deposit is called engine coking.

In order to answer the question of whether decoking the engine will help, we will try to understand what the coking of the unit actually means for the car.

  • Carbon deposits increase the thickness of the cylinder walls, increasing the thermal load due to poor heat dissipation.
  • Considering that carbon deposits trapped under the valve prevent it from fitting tightly to the seat, it is quite possible for the valve to burn out.
  • The play between the valve walls and the piston rings decreases, which leads to their “stacking” - the tightness of the combustion chamber is broken, compression is reduced, in some cases the rings simply physically break.
  • The engine begins to “eat” due to decreased mobility of the piston rings.
  • Due to pressure surges in the combustion chamber, detonation phenomena occur, which quickly “kill” the engine.

In general, there is little pleasant, as they say, and almost all of the listed consequences lead to a trip to the service center for a major engine overhaul.

To the service or to the garage

If the exhaust in your car has acquired a characteristic black color, power has dropped, and fuel and oil consumption has increased - most likely your car has a problem with the engine. The verdict of most car services is a major overhaul. However, there is another option that, quite possibly, will resolve all issues in one fell swoop. This method is to remove carbon deposits formed during operation and decarbonize the unit.

How to decarbonize an engine? Is it necessary to go to a car service center or can the problem be solved with “little blood” and with the help of your own skillful hands? The question has several possible answers.

First, you need to understand what exactly needs to be done and how. If previously the “hard” decoking method was used almost everywhere, which meant pouring a special mixture directly into each cylinder, now there are more options and some of them do not involve any intervention in the aggregate part at all.

Secondly, you need to decide (if the method of complete decoking is chosen) to independently carry out this action.

If you have decided to go to a car service center, then what follows will be useful for you only from an educational point of view. If decarbonizing the engine with your own hands does not scare you, first of all you need to determine the appropriate method for yourself.

To each his own: methods for engine decarbonization

Partial decarbonization method (“soft”)

This method involves adding a special liquid to the oil shortly before changing it - after adding the liquid, you can drive this oil for a hundred or two kilometers without loading the engine, and then immediately change it. It is not possible to perform a complete cleaning using this method because the carbon remover does not enter the combustion chamber. Only the most frequently stuck oil scraper rings are cleaned. However, the method is low-cost and as simple as possible, so it can be recommended as a preventative before each oil change - such a procedure certainly will not be superfluous. It is also very important to understand that by pouring such a product, we dilute the oil, which means driving at high speeds before changing the oil will be strictly contraindicated.

Complete decarbonization method (“hard”)

This is a method that requires some effort and time. However, it is this that will allow you to completely clean the engine of carbon deposits.

Carrying out a complete decarbonization

To carry out a complete cleaning, you need to place the car horizontally (as if changing the oil) and warm up the engine to operating temperature to create a “steam bath” effect. Next we perform the following actions:

  1. Remove the injectors or unscrew them.
  2. Use a screwdriver or wire to place all the pistons in the middle position, turning. The average position of the pistons is determined by the different wear of the cylinders in height and the required amount of product. When the pistons are in a position close to the middle, there is no excess fluid consumption and it better penetrates into all the necessary gaps.
  3. Using a syringe (it’s more convenient to measure an equal amount and get it exactly) we pour a special product into the cylinders (for example, Winns or domestic LAVR ML-202), light the candles and leave the liquid in the cylinders for the time specified in the instructions. Usually this time ranges from an hour to a day, however, in the case of using special decarbonizing preparations, this time can be increased up to several weeks.
  4. When carrying out quick decarbonization (for an hour or a little more), it is necessary to periodically rotate the crankshaft in different directions by 5–10 degrees for better distribution of the product.
  5. Having previously covered the spark plug wells with a rag to prevent dirt from scattering, we turn the crankshaft to completely remove the cleaning fluid from the combustion chamber.
  6. We tighten the spark plugs and start the engine. Let it idle for about 60 minutes.
  7. Change the oil and...

Possible problems with the method

The described method was used by our grandfathers and decoking of the engine with their own hands was done quite often: the quality of fuel and oil was not at all the same as now, and Soviet people preferred not to go to services, doing it themselves. In those days, they did not pour special products, but mixed kerosene and acetone in half. In principle, the same effect was achieved, but there is a small nuance. When carrying out a complete cleaning of carbon deposits, the oil is completely washed out from the cylinder walls. Thus, the first start of the engine after draining the mixture into the crankcase occurs “dry”, which can lead to the formation of so-called scuffing and wear of the piston rings. Current tools address this problem. For example, during decarbonization, LAVR creates a special film on the cylinder walls, which prevents the formation of scuffs and subsequently significantly reduces the adhesion of carbon deposits.

It is also necessary to take into account that complete cleaning is carried out using fairly highly toxic substances, so it is imperative to provide good ventilation in the room where the decarbonization procedure will be carried out.

Another problem is related to the arrangement of the cylinders in the engine. The easiest way to use this method is on conventional in-line engines. In the case of a V-shaped or opposed cylinder arrangement, the procedure is slightly more complicated, although the general essence is the same. The differences include more difficult access to the spark plugs and the need to almost completely cover the piston with liquid. For example, when decarbonizing boxer engines, the liquid can be “pressed” by rotating the crankshaft on the compression stroke, thus ensuring that the entire volume of the combustion chamber is filled.

There is also an interesting paradox: in old cars with significant mileage, complete decarbonization may not only not improve engine performance, but, on the contrary, reduce compression. This happens when the parts already have significant wear and carbon deposits act as a seal between engine elements. By washing away the carbon deposits, we will increase the gap between the piston and the cylinder and, therefore, reduce the compression. Thus, in the case of an old car, you need to think about whether decarbonizing the engine will help or, conversely, will worsen the situation.

And the biggest problem with this method is the duration. Although express decarbonization within an hour is possible, this method does not always guarantee absolute cleaning of the entire combustion chamber from carbon deposits. To be sure, you need to leave the car inoperative for a long time.

Additive method

The simplest, but time-consuming method. Its essence is to pour a special product (for example, EDIAL decarbonizer) directly into the fuel tank, from where it enters together with the fuel directly into the combustion chamber. Penetrating into the thickness of soot, particles of the decarbonizing agent provoke its complete burnout and go with it into the exhaust.

The advantages of this decarbonization method are, firstly, that there is no need to disassemble the car and leave it inoperative. Secondly, fill the full tank with the required amount of product, you don’t think in what mode you need to drive - decarbonization occurs in this case, the better, the higher the load on the engine. Another important difference is that there is no need to change the oil after the procedure, since the product, unlike the “hard” method, does not enter the crankcase.

What's the result?

We hope that after reading this material you will not have a question about whether engine decarbonization is necessary. If the car is not old, such a procedure will either completely solve the problems with decompression, loss of power and black smoke from the chimney, or it will show that the case is completely advanced and cannot be avoided without a major overhaul.

In general, we definitely recommend that, before preparing money for capital, you try to decarbonize the engine yourself using any method convenient for you - there is a fairly high probability that you will save time and money. Many car enthusiasts, sharing their experiences, point to a decrease in fuel and oil consumption, an improvement in the dynamic characteristics of the car and the disappearance of black exhaust gases after decarbonization.

In any case, the formation of carbon deposits, in the case of periodic use when changing oil, a soft decarbonization method, will not hurt.

We wish you success, and your car smooth cylinders and shiny pistons!

In the practice of car enthusiasts, there are often situations when an unsuccessful refueling or a prolonged downtime of the car causes a loss of power and dynamism. The engine begins to respond late to the gas pedal, and acceleration takes much longer and worse than before. As a rule, the cause of such troubles is the loss of compression of one of the cylinders due to the occurrence of one of the rings. If low-quality fuel is used to operate a car, then when it burns, a layer of soot appears. This process is called coking of the piston rings. Actions aimed at returning the engine to its previous properties are called decoking of the piston rings.

What is coking and what danger does it pose to the engine?

Coking should be understood as the process of formation of a layer of carbon deposits arising from combustion products on the piston rings, and the reverse process is decoking of the piston rings. Carbon deposits can form for two main reasons: the use of low-quality fuel and if oil gets into the combustion chamber. Of course, when refueling a car, the driver cannot analyze the fuel that is poured into the tank. It is for this reason that car enthusiasts are often interested in the answer to the question of what such a problem means for a car engine. Coking itself disrupts and destabilizes the normal operation of the entire car and, in particular, the engine. If you do not begin to deal with the deposits that have formed in a timely manner, then engine wear will occur many times faster. This is why decoking of the piston rings is necessary. The following consequences of this process can be noted:

  • If a thick layer forms on the cylinder walls, due to an increase in thickness, the thermal conductivity will deteriorate, and, accordingly, the thermal load will increase;
  • Valves may burn out due to slag getting under them, which prevents them from fitting tightly into the seat;
  • The gap from the piston ring to the valve wall decreases. Because of this, the tightness of the combustion chamber is broken and compression deteriorates. In practice, it often happens that rings simply break under load;
  • Fuel and oil consumption is significantly higher than normal when the piston rings do not move. As drivers figuratively put it, the car eats fuel and oil in huge portions;
  • In coked engines, pressure surges occur in the combustion chamber, which is caused by detonation phenomena.

Engine decarbonization - how is it done and what do you need to know?

Modern inspection and repair of the main parts of the car will allow it to serve reliably and for a long time. Those who constantly comply with the requirements of the manufacturer regarding the operation of their car: complied with all standards for oil changes, maintenance, and others, may have never heard of the problem of coking, but it happens that car enthusiasts are faced with such a problem and through no fault of their own.

But a good owner always comes to his senses at the first signs of problems: as soon as incomprehensible changes in the operation of the engine are heard, the power of the engine has noticeably decreased, excessive consumption of fuel or oil. Always remember - timely preventive measures save not only money, but also the integrity of the entire car.

In order to understand when decoking of the piston rings is really necessary, you need to thoroughly understand the symptoms of such a malfunction. So, let's define the main ones:

  1. When starting the engine, you can observe a strong exhaust from the exhaust pipe and an unpleasant smell of combustion products in the cabin;
  2. Comparative increase in oil consumption;
  3. A sharp decrease in car dynamics;
  4. Uneven operation at idle;
  5. Without any problems with the battery in cold weather, the engine starts with great difficulty.

The most popular methods for removing carbon deposits

Today, experts use two main methods to remove solids from the piston ring and valves: mechanical (brushes, kerosene, acetone) and chemical (special liquids).

Mechanical method

If mechanical decoking of the engine is performed, when a solvent, kerosene or acetone is used for cleaning, the engine will be completely or partially disassembled. Cleaning of parts is done manually using any available or special devices: brushes with soft cleaning elements, cloth, liquid for removing carbon deposits, for example, kerosene, solvent, acetone and others. To do this, take a washcloth onto which solvent, kerosene, acetone and others are applied and the engine parts are wiped to remove combustion products of fuel and oil. In addition, kerosene and acetone can be applied to a cotton swab or small swab to reach hard-to-reach places with tweezers. Cleaning can also be carried out using stone chips, when fruit stones clean the piston rings under air pressure with a pressure of 4 - 5 kg/cm2, when the stones hit the surface, the accumulated soot is knocked off it. Of course, mechanical shocks can deform the surface, unlike the method that uses solvent, kerosene or acetone.

Chemical method

Chemical decarbonization of the engine is cleaning of the piston rings in a harsh way, since the piston rings are cleaned using an aggressive chemical reagent that is poured into the cylinder through spark plugs. Initially, the reagent itself is selected for this purpose, since today’s market is filled with a fairly large number of different products. Of these, several of the most popular can be named: Laurel and Hado, as a means for decarbonizing piston rings. Of these, Laurel provides a film on the surface of the motor walls, which protects against rapid adhesion of combustion products. The Laurel comes with a special syringe that will simplify the work of cleaning the engine. Hado also received a lot of positive feedback from satisfied car enthusiasts. Despite all the advantages, we should not forget that such products create a much more aggressive environment than the same kerosene, solvent and acetone. Such substances clean the internal surfaces of fuel and oil combustion products. Craftsmen have even gotten used to cleaning them with medical hydroperite.

Cleaning is performed in the following sequence:

  1. Initially, the engine warms up to operating temperatures. On average, this indicator should be within 70 – 90ºС;
  2. The power wires are disconnected. They are removed by removing the spark plugs, and for diesel engines by removing the injectors;
  3. From the side of the driving wheels, the car is lifted with a jack and shoes are placed on it.
  4. The gear lever is set to the maximum speed position.
  5. Use a long screwdriver to turn the crankshaft so that the pistons are in the middle position.
  6. Approximately 40 ml of cleaning liquid is poured into each cylinder. If you decide to clean with hydroperite, then its solution is dripped.
  7. The spark plugs are slightly screwed into the mounting sockets.
  8. Within about an hour, the engine will decarbonize. To speed up the process and perform cleaning more efficiently, the drive wheel must be periodically rotated from side to side. In this case, the liquid penetrates well into the piston rings.
  9. Then you need to make sure that the cylinders are completely empty and start the engine. The engine should continue to run at idle for about an hour.
  10. When the cleaning procedure is completed, you need to drive the car with a load of about three thousand revolutions, but you should not operate the car without changing the oil and oil filter.

A similar cleaning procedure with Laurel, Hadot or hydroperite has positive effects in terms of increasing the efficiency of the engine, namely: compression will increase, power and dynamic indicators will return, a cold car will start better, but control over the result is much less than when a solvent was used or acetone.

As a preventative measure, modern manufacturers offer car owners to use a soft decarbonization liquid. Such mixtures are used as a fuel additive and have a positive effect - removing carbon deposits. But using such additives will not help in difficult situations and will not clean the entire engine. And one of the popular methods that allows you to clean with improvised means is decarbonizing the engine with water. Decarbonization with water is performed using a simple technique and gives a good result, but also has its drawbacks.

Why is engine decarbonization done?

When fuel burns in cylinders, persistent deposits and coke inevitably form, which:
· cover the surfaces of pistons and valves;
· clog the gaps in the piston bores and hinder the mobility of the oil scraper and compression piston rings (even to the point of their “stuck”);
· clog the oil channels in the pistons, preventing lubrication of the piston pin;
· the oil drainage channels in the piston skirt become clogged, reducing the efficiency of the oil scraper piston rings.

As a result, the efficiency of the compression and oil scraper rings decreases,
· compression in the cylinders is disrupted, and, as a result, engine power drops;
· vibrations appear, including due to the resulting difference in the compression of different cylinders;
· consumption of engine oil due to waste increases;
· fuel consumption increases;
· wear of the cylinder-piston group (CPG) is significantly accelerated.

Removing contaminants as a result of engine bracing can normalize the operation of the CPG and extend the engine's life.

Is it really worth decoking the engine?

The result of engine decarbonization is directly determined by three main factors:
· condition of the engine and “negligence” of deposits;
· the effectiveness of the product used;
· adherence to effective technology.

So what result can you expect when using a good product correctly? There are 3 answer options:
· improvement (compression equalization across cylinders, improved throttle response, normalized idle speed, reduced fuel and engine oil consumption, elimination of increased exhaust smoke);
· no noticeable result (compression may level out somewhat);
· deterioration (which is rare).

What determines the result of engine bracing? First of all, at what wear and stage of contamination the procedure is performed. Three stages of pollution can be distinguished:
· initial pollution, the negative impact of which is not clearly recorded;
· average level of contaminants, which already negatively affect the operation of the engine and, at the same time, are still susceptible to the effects of the product used;
· persistent contaminants that negatively affect engine operation and are resistant to the decarbonizing agent used.

The transition from one stage to another is individual and depends on the design of the engine, the oil used, spark plugs, and operating mode. We can carefully indicate that the middle stage is from 100 to 180 thousand km, the third stage is from 200 thousand km. and more.

The result of decarbonization will be noticeable in the second stage, but not noticeable in the first and second.

At the same time, the use of engine decarbonization at the first stage (initial contamination with an imperceptible effect) is most useful as a means of preventing the above-mentioned negative manifestations and extends the engine life with regular treatment.

Decoking at an advanced stage of pollution is practically useless - a major overhaul is required with disassembly of the internal combustion engine and mechanical cleaning of persistent deposits. In this case, you can only get the piston surface cleaned and, sometimes, some mobility of the compression rings. In this case, “stuck” oil scraper rings and completely clogged oil channels in the piston most likely will not be cleaned, which means the most significant goals will not be achieved.

It is also important to understand that the liquid for decarbonizing the engine does not have a restoring effect in case of severe wear of the metal friction pairs in the CPG, and is not capable of restoring the elasticity and efficiency of valve seals. Even with a positive cleaning effect on the mobility of the piston rings after treatment, it is unlikely that a significant reduction in engine oil consumption will be noticeable, because such consumption may be caused by other, more significant factors.

This procedure must be carried out both in engines of previous generations, designed for medium-quality motor oils, and in modern internal combustion engines with their minimal clearances, high temperatures and loaded operating conditions.

What result of engine decarbonization can you expect?

Engine decarbonization with an effective formula of active components, performed in a timely and regular manner:

  • Safely cleans the surface of the piston, piston rings, surface of the combustion chamber and valves from carbon deposits;
  • cleans the lubrication and oil drain channels from contaminants in the piston;
  • normalizes and equalizes compression in the cylinders;
  • significantly increases engine life.
As a result, a clearly felt and recorded result appears:
  • the power characteristics of the engine and the dynamic characteristics of the car are restored;
  • engine oil consumption and exhaust smoke are reduced;
  • Fuel consumption is slightly reduced;
  • the engine runs smoother and quieter.
It is also important to remember that the final normalization of engine operation after the procedures may not be achieved immediately, but after some time of operation (after 200-300 km), after the final removal of the cleaning fluid and the release of the remaining softened deposits, the movement of the engine oil is restored.

How often to decarbonize the engine

Existing formulations recommend decoking the engine every 20-25 thousand kilometers, i.e. immediately before every second maintenance with engine oil change. If the equipment operates in difficult conditions, for which its manufacturer recommends shortening oil change intervals, then, accordingly, engine bracing must be carried out at intervals of 10-15 thousand kilometers.

Instructions for engine decarbonization

Processing must be carried out in strict accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. In general, the process of decoking an engine with your own hands is as follows:

  • warm up the engine to operating temperature (at least 70 degrees Celsius);
  • disconnect the ignition system (for example, disconnect the ignition coil terminal or center wire);
  • turn off the electric fuel pump (by removing the corresponding fuse);
  • remove spark plugs (glow plugs);
  • set the pistons to a position close to the middle one by turning the crankshaft by the pulley nut or by the drive wheel raised by a jack with the last gear of the manual transmission engaged, or try to “get there” with several attempts by turning on the starter (the position of the pistons is determined by inserting sticks of suitable length into the holes for the spark plugs);
  • using a syringe with an extension flexible tube, pour an equal amount of engine decarbonization fluid into the cylinders;
  • screw in the spark plugs at least a few turns of thread to create a “steam bath” in the cylinders (from this stage you can use used but serviceable spark plugs from garage stock);
  • pause according to the product manufacturer’s instructions;
  • During the pause, periodically move the pistons slightly, rotating the crankshaft by 10-15 degrees 5 times in one direction or the other using the above methods to apply forces to the piston rings, which should facilitate the penetration of liquid into contaminants, the release of the rings from their “stagnation” and release of contaminants from the grooves in the pistons;
  • unscrew the spark plugs;
  • remove any remaining dirty liquid from the cylinders by pumping them out using a flexible tube and syringe;
  • add 1-2 cm3 of engine oil to each cylinder (in the area of ​​the piston rings) with a separate syringe to restore the washed off oil film in order to ensure normal compression to facilitate engine starting;
  • cover the holes for the candles with thick cloth to catch splashes;
  • turn on the ignition and rotate the engine shaft 2-3 times for 5 seconds;
  • remove fabric and drips, paying special attention to the spark plug wells;
  • screw in used spark plugs (glow plugs) from garage stock, connect the ignition system and electric fuel pump;
  • start the engine and let it idle for 5-10 minutes until it reaches operating temperature (in this case, short-term smoke may occur due to the burnout of drug residues and deposits);
  • fill in the engine quick flush preparation, if its use is recommended by the manufacturer of the decarbonizing fluid, let the engine run according to the instructions, turn off the internal combustion engine;
  • replace the engine oil and oil filter;
  • replace the spark plugs with the main ones (immediately or, better yet, after 200-300 km).
The bracing of a diesel engine is practically no different from the one shown, except that, taking into account the design, it is sometimes better to unscrew the injection nozzles rather than the glow plugs in order to work through the holes for them.

Decarbonizing an engine with your own hands is not very difficult, as can be seen from the description. However, it is still necessary to have minimal metalworking skills and knowledge of the design.

Possible difficulties and negative consequences of engine decarbonization

Negative results with the correct selection of products and adherence to technology are usually determined by excessive wear. Removed deposits can open up larger gaps and reduce compression in the cylinders, increasing noise.

After treatment, difficulties may arise when starting the engine for the first time due to the following reasons:
· residual liquid in the cylinders (it is recommended to remove them by suction using a syringe with a flexible hose);
· washing off the oil film that provides the necessary compression (it is recommended to add very little motor oil to the cylinders in the area of ​​the piston rings - just a really small amount, so as not to “kill” the engine with water hammer when starting, since oil as a liquid does not compress);
· a weak battery, the charge of which was used for cranking during the process (before processing, it is recommended to check the battery, charge it if necessary, or ensure that you have a charger or backup battery).

Increased smoking immediately after the first start-up is not actually a negative consequence, because passes quickly.

Of course, a number of difficulties can be caused by violations of the technology recommended by the manufacturer and errors during the work - inattention when connecting disconnected wires, etc.

Separately, please note that during processing, the aggressive decarbonizer liquid penetrates the engine crankcase and mixes with the engine oil. You cannot operate a car with such a mixture, because... this is fraught with negative consequences. Manufacturers of the products directly indicate this in the instructions. Here lies a practical nuance: the procedure for direct decoking of the engine takes a long time; in reality, many car owners do not have the opportunity to spend all this time with the car in an on-site service center, where they can immediately perform a subsequent oil change. And the question arises: is it possible to directly straighten the bracing in a place convenient for yourself (in front of the house or in your garage), and then drive the car to a service station for an oil change? Taking into account the fact that in the instructions for some drugs, manufacturers recommend warming up the engine to operating temperature during the flushing stage after bracing, we can make a reasonable conclusion that a short haul is possible without negative consequences. But it is still impossible to operate the car and carry out long hauls without changing the oil after treatment.

Conclusion

Timely periodic decoking of the engine may not be noticeable by visible signs, but when using effective preparations it is an effective means of cleaning continuously accumulating contaminants and a real way to extend the life of the internal combustion engine and ensure its normal operation. It is recommended to carry out the treatment approximately before every second maintenance with an engine oil change.

Engine decarbonization gives a visible effect only when the contaminants have already negatively affected the operation of the engine, but they are still malleable and can be removed with the chosen product.

Decoking of the engine does not restore excessive wear of the cylinder-piston group parts, therefore, in case of critical wear and stuck piston rings, it is more reasonable to give preference to a major overhaul with mechanical cleaning of persistent contaminants on those parts that can still be used.

Decoking of piston rings is a procedure for removing carbon deposits from the piston grooves. It is carried out in cases where the car engine has characteristic symptoms of ring jamming, namely:

  • power drop;
  • difficulty starting the engine, especially at low temperatures;
  • abnormally high fuel and engine oil consumption;
  • thick gray or blue smoke from the exhaust pipe.

In addition to these obvious problems that carbon deposits can cause to a car owner, there are also hidden ones. First of all, because of it, heat dissipation is significantly deteriorated, and there is no need to explain what this threatens.

Secondly, carbon deposits accumulate under the valves, preventing them from completely closing, which ultimately leads to burnout.

The third problem associated with carbon deposits is that due to the loss of mobility by the rings, compression in the cylinders decreases. Due to pressure surges, the rings experience uneven, excessive stress and may eventually break. In addition, pressure surges in the combustion chamber cause engine detonation and failure.

How to understand that the engine requires decoking of the piston rings

If the machine is used regularly and the owner complies with operating requirements, this problem is unlikely to occur. Piston rings become coked due to gross violations of the car's operating instructions, such as using gasoline with a lower octane number, low-quality or unsuitable oil, or dynamic driving on a cold engine.

Decoking should be done when characteristic symptoms of stuck piston rings appear, as well as when the power unit operates unevenly at idle.

Decarbonization methods

Decoking of piston rings is carried out in two ways: mechanical and chemical.

Mechanical method

This method requires complete or partial disassembly of the engine, as in the case of replacing piston rings. Removal of carbon deposits is carried out manually with kerosene or a similar solvent (for example, acetone) and a small soft brush or piece of rags. Instead of kerosene, you can use liquid to clean the carburetor; it also softens carbon deposits quite well.

This method allows you to clean parts efficiently and quickly enough, but has a number of disadvantages, the main one of which is the need to disassemble the motor.

Chemical method

Chemical decarbonization of piston rings is carried out using strong chemical reagents. This method does not require disassembling the engine, but can take a lot of time, depending on what “potion” is used for cleaning.

“Chemistry” can be different, intended for hard or soft cleaning. Soft decarbonization is performed as follows. A cleaner is added to the engine oil, after which you need to drive the car no more than two hundred kilometers and change the oil. This method cannot completely remove carbon deposits from the cylinders, since the liquid does not enter the combustion chamber.

This method helps with stuck oil rings. However, gentle cleaning can be recommended as a preventative measure before a scheduled engine oil change. The undeniable advantages of this method are the simplicity and low cost of the cleaner. The main thing is not to forget that the cleaner dilutes the engine oil, so you should not overload the power unit.

The second method of chemical decarbonization is “hard”. It requires a lot of time and some manipulations, but with its help you can get rid of soot completely.

Before the procedure, it is necessary to warm up the engine to operating temperature and place the car horizontally, as if changing the oil. After this, you need to unscrew the spark plugs or injectors if the engine is diesel, hang up the drive wheel and engage the gear. By rotating the wheel back and forth, you need to set the pistons to the middle position (you need to insert a wire into the spark plug well to determine where the middle of the piston stroke is located).

Then the cleaner is poured equally into each cylinder, the spark plugs or injectors are applied, but not tightened, and the car should sit like this for several hours to a day, the exact time is indicated in the instructions for the cleaner. To slightly speed up the process of softening the carbon deposits, you can move the pistons back and forth a little (it is enough for the amplitude of movement to be 1 cm).

After the time specified in the instructions has passed, you need to cover the spark plug wells with a rag so as not to splash dirt all around. After this, you need to remove the remaining liquid from the cylinders; to do this, you must either turn the suspended drive wheel several times, or turn off the gear and, having connected the battery, turn on the starter for a few seconds.

Then all that remains is to screw in the spark plugs or injectors and start the engine. Most likely, you won’t be able to do this the first time; as a rule, the third or fourth attempt is successful.

The engine should idle for about an hour. At first, strong smoke with an unpleasant odor will come out of the exhaust pipe. This is fine. As the carbon burns out, the engine smoke will decrease. After this, you need to drive a car 100-200 kilometers to completely burn off the remaining carbon deposits.

It is important during a trip not to raise the speed above 3 thousand, since the mixture of cleaner and engine oil lubricates the rubbing parts less well, and the pistons in the cylinders may jam. The last “chord” after cleaning is changing the oil and filter.

To assess the quality of cleaning, it is advisable to measure compression in all cylinders before and after the procedure. The fact that the efforts were not in vain is evidenced by its increase to a normal or almost normal value. If the compression ratio has not increased or increased only slightly, the only thing that will help the engine is a major overhaul.

To answer the logical question: “Is the game worth the candle, maybe it would be better to go straight to the service station?” - you can answer this way: the cost of any reagents is several times less than the cost of the work of auto repairmen, so decarbonizing the engine with your own hands is not without meaning. If the engine comes to life, the car owner will receive big savings, but if not, the price of the “chemicals” is negligible compared to the cost of major repairs.

You can do without special reagents. In this case, you will need kerosene and acetone. Kerosene is mixed in equal proportions with acetone, and the resulting liquid is poured into the cylinders. Next, decoking of the piston rings takes place as described above.

"Chemistry" in fuel

Another chemical method for decoking piston rings is a fuel additive. This method is quite effective and simple, its only drawback is that it takes a long time, because before complete decoking you will have to travel hundreds of kilometers.

The main advantage of this method of getting rid of carbon deposits is that the driver does not need to monitor the crankshaft speed; rather, on the contrary, the higher they are, the better the quality and speed of cleaning. In addition, there is no need to change the engine oil, because the additive is poured into the fuel tank and goes directly into the combustion chamber, affecting exactly those parts that need it.

Removing carbon deposits using water

Another way to clean the engine is decarbonization with water. The essence of the method is that clean (preferably distilled) water is poured into a plastic bottle, and the bottle itself is connected to the throttle assembly with a hose. The water supply speed must be such that the motor can idle steadily.

The operating principle of the system is that water entering the combustion chamber evaporates and removes carbon deposits. You can drive a car if necessary, but it is better to do everything in a stationary car.

According to many car owners, decarbonizing the engine with water gives better results than using chemicals; in addition, cleaning with this old-fashioned method is practically free. Alternatively, water can be mixed with hydroperite at the rate of 8-10 tablets per two liters of water. This mixture has a more active effect on carbon deposits.