When buying a car, an important factor is not only its cost, but also the price of a possible repair. Many motorists think about how much it will cost to replace a timing belt or buy oil. But the idea of cleaning the engine from coke does not come to everyone. The question arises - what is engine decoking and why is it needed?
Coke in an engine is carbon deposits on the cylinder walls resulting from the combustion of fuel and oil. During normal operation of all vehicle systems and high-quality engine oil, carbon deposits are also formed, but its thickness does not exceed 1 mm. It burns out when the engine warms up to operating temperature. Usually it is enough to drive 15 - 25 km outside the city.
An increase in the formation of soot may be the result of incorrect operation of the injection and cooling system, and exhaust gases. This is also facilitated by poor quality fuel and oil, poor ignition performance.
In addition, coke can be the result of severe wear of the caps or rings that are used in the details of cylinders, pistons, valves. Due to the loss of its original characteristics, this contributes to the fact that engine oil enters the combustion chamber without obstacles.
Why is engine decoking necessary?
The formation of a thick layer of coke leads to the fact that the characteristics of the car deteriorate: fuel consumption increases, power decreases, the car “sneezes”. Soot also affects the wear of cylinders, valves, piston rings. Changing these parameters is the answer to the question "why do we need engine decoking". The machine must always be in proper condition. The safety of the driver depends on this.
If there is no time or money to carry out car diagnostics, the use of “chemistry” is an acceptable option, as it allows you to reduce the degree of carbon deposits.
How to remove carbon deposits from cylinder walls
In order to eliminate soot, various chemical mixtures are used. Such tools are distinguished by the strength of the action exerted on the burnt particles of oil and fuel. They are used for in-place cleaning of the motor. Most often, liquids with maximum coke dissolution rates are poured.
It should be understood that if increased carbon deposits are due to worn parts or incorrect operation of engine systems, then the use of coke-dissolving agents will temporarily eliminate the problem. To determine the cause of the increased “sticking” of coke, it is necessary to contact the masters. They will be able to tell exactly which part needs to be replaced. If soot is a consequence of the use of low-quality fuels and lubricants, then it will be enough just to change the oil or switch to another brand of fuel.
Methods for decoking an engine with chemistry
There are two ways to decoke an engine, which are called "soft" and "hard".
The first option involves adding "chemistry" to engine oil. It only cleans the piston rings. This method is best used when the oil needs to be changed soon. At the same time, the minimum distance that should be overcome on such a mixture is 100 km. At this time, you need to drive a car in a gentle mode, do not "spin" the engine to high speeds.
The second option cleans all the parts "participating" in the combustion process. The hard method of removing carbon deposits takes more time than the "soft" decarbonization of parts.
It is necessary to warm up the engine to 55 - 60 degrees, dismantle the nozzles and turn crankshaft. Using a screwdriver, position the pistons in the middle and pour the decoking fluid through the combustion chamber. The procedure can take up to 12 hours, depending on the manufacturer of the "chemistry". After that, you need to unscrew the candles and scroll the crankshaft using the starter. This will remove any remaining mixture.
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Do you know what piston ring decarbonization is? If yes, then I want to congratulate you, because your knowledge about the car and its maintenance is worthy of respect. And if not, it's okay, since now we will consider in detail the process of decoking the engine, as well as how complicated and useful the procedure is. And all those who do not know anything about it will be able to fill the gap in their own knowledge.
What is ring splitting? Before answering this question, let's talk a little about why there is a need to perform this procedure. When using a car in different conditions and refueling a gas tank with low-quality fuel, as well as using engine oil out of shit, there is such a problem as coking of piston rings. A hard and durable layer of soot begins to accumulate in the annular grooves of the pistons, which, as it were, glues the rings, they fall into the groove and are not able to expand. From here, as we understand the reduction in compression and loss of power, the engine stops pulling, oil consumption is possible, which further exacerbates coking. Increased fuel consumption and the starter pulling the engine in an attempt to start can also be the result of clogged annular grooves and rings stuck in them.
Replacing piston rings, boring or decarbonizing? Usually, when the engine starts to smoke, power is significantly reduced, and oil consumption increases, then we do an expensive overhaul. However, you can simply try to perform the engine decarbonization procedure. It will eliminate the soot that has accumulated over the entire time the machine has been used. As a rule, decarbonization allows you to get rid of not all the troubles, but not for a long time to postpone the overhaul. Therefore, do not rush to spend money, as you can get by with small expenses.
Engine decoking methods. There are quite a few ways to decarbonize a piston. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. In particular, the most popular option is "soft" decarbonization. For its implementation, a special flushing agent is added to the engine oil, which will clean the power unit during operation. After pouring this mixture, you need to drive some distance in a gentle mode. During this period, do not load the motor and do not spin it up to high speeds.
After completion of the specified mode of operation, it is necessary to change the oil. This method is the cheapest, but it does not involve cleaning the cylinders. Simply put, decarbonization will not be complete, even more simply, you will only wash away carbon deposits on the inner walls of the engine. And if quite frankly, rinsing the engine cavities has nothing to do with piston decarbonization, and I don’t know what kind of idiot came up with this term “soft decarbonization”, which was picked up in an instant by all auto gurus
For complete decoking of the engine, a "hard" method is used. Thanks to him, the piston is completely cleaned of plaque, but such a procedure will take a lot of time and experience. First you need to warm up the engine to operating temperature. Then you need to remove the spark plugs and set the pistons to the middle position (scrolling the crankshaft). Further, into the engine cylinders (through the holes for twisting the candles) we pour a special substance for decarbonizing, such as "Laurel", "Hado" or "Edial". All these substances are the most finished stage of chemical synthesis and have considerable oxidizing power, that soot that sometimes you rip off with a knife, these liquids turn into soft shoe polish, which then flies out into the pipe without any problems.
Next, screw the candles and leave the engine alone for a while. Usually you need to wait a little (from 1 hour to 24 hours) for the remedy to start working, read the instructions.
XADO piston ring decarbonizer. Edial piston ring decarbonizer. LAVR piston ring decarbonizer. TITAN engine decarbonizer.
Then we unscrew the candles again and turn the crankshaft a few turns with the starter so that it spit out everything that you poured into it, do not try to put the fucker under the stream! Now we install the candles in their original place, start the engine and leave it to idle for 1 hour. Then you should change the oil, as well as the oil filter, do not take shit, the stingy pays twice, saved on oil, ended up on a thorough repair.
Now you know how to decarbonize piston rings. Unlike overhaul, you do not need to disassemble the motor to carry out decarbonization. Accordingly, money and time are saved, the sediment and the feeling of approaching inevitability remains. In general, I would advise you to do decarbonization if you want to drain the car, if repair is better for yourself, although expensive, but confidently and for a long time.
During the operation of the car, thousands of liters of fuel burn in its cylinders. If it is of high quality, this does not affect the operation of the engine, but if the fuel being poured contains foreign impurities, and even engine oil enters the combustion chamber, there is an intensive accumulation of products of incomplete combustion, which cause coking of the piston rings. This extremely negatively affects the functioning of the engine, and stimulates the formation of carbon deposits such as:
How to understand that the rings are coked
If the operation of the car is accompanied by the above circumstances, soot is formed quite intensively. At the same time, its accumulation is noted not only in the cylinders themselves, but also in special grooves, where rings are located that ensure tightness. As a result, the mobility of the rings is impaired, and the oil freely enters the combustion chamber, which further exacerbates the problem. To understand that you need to decoke the piston rings yourself, you should know the main symptoms of such a problem:
It is important to understand that you should not rush to use a special tool for decoking piston rings, you should first find out how the oil "penetrates" into the engine. A common reason for this is worn out valve stem seals- in this case, their replacement will help. If the cause is in the piston rings, many experts will most likely recommend a major overhaul of the motor, although in most situations, especially when the problem is not so acute, more conservative means can be dispensed with.
How to do the decarbonization of piston rings yourself
The independent use of liquid for decoking piston rings has a rather pronounced effect, and allows you to significantly postpone the period of engine overhaul, which saves a lot of money. The additives that exist today for decoking piston rings allow you to quickly and effectively remove carbon deposits formed on the rings, and return the engine to the ability to work under normal conditions. Such products provide a soft decarbonization of the piston rings, so they can be used quite often.
The easiest way to decoke piston rings, according to motorists, is to add specially designed chemicals to the fuel or oil. In practice, this method is ineffective, and it can only be used for prevention. A more advanced cleaning method is the use of special solutions that are poured directly into the combustion chamber of the engine, for example, a means for decoking LAVR piston rings. Using such solutions is quite easy, just follow the following algorithm of actions.
After completing the above work, start the engine and leave it in the running position for up to 1 hour. After that, it is recommended to drive the car, maintaining speed in the region of 3000 / min.
Attention! Chemical decarbonization is carried out exclusively on a warm engine, the temperature of which is 70-80 degrees.
You can see how the decarbonization process is performed correctly in the video:
What tool to choose for decoking
Many drivers have heard that it is possible to decoke piston rings with kerosene, but they don’t know how to do it. This method was actually practiced before the advent of special chemistry. To implement it, kerosene is poured into the combustion chamber, but the exposure time is at least an hour. It should be noted that this method can be classified as ineffective, since it may take up to 2 days to completely remove carbon deposits.
Modern chemicals make it possible to decoke piston rings without changing the oil, for example, anticoke SURM. In addition to this advantage, it is worth noting its availability - this is a domestic product available in every store at a low price. After using special chemicals, most car owners stop wondering if the decarbonization of piston rings helps - the result will be noticeable literally immediately after the procedure.
To date, car dealerships offer a huge range of products for decarbonizing piston rings - LIQUI MOLY, XADO, IDEAL or LAVR. All of them have approximately the same chemical composition and operating principle. According to the reviews of car owners, it is quite convenient to use them, and if basic precautions are observed, it is also safe. An important point can be considered the efficiency of cleaning - it takes a minimum amount of time to carry out all the necessary work, the loss of which is incomparable with the high efficiency of cleaning.
How effective is self-cleaning
To verify the effectiveness of chemical cleaning of the engine from carbon deposits, a number of popular products were tested, which was accompanied by a compression measurement in the cylinders, as well as a subjective assessment of the engine performance by the drivers themselves. Cars of different brands, years of manufacture and with different mileage took part in the testing. The initial problems were approximately the same for everyone - unstable operation in the mode idle move, loss of power, problems with starting the engine in the cold season with a fully charged battery.
For stable operation of the engine, periodic preventive measures are necessary to improve its functionality. One of these measures is the decarbonization of the piston rings, during which they are completely removed from the carbon deposits formed. This action must be performed if the motor of your iron horse started showing one of the following symptoms:
- involuntary loss of power;
- it is not possible to start the power unit, especially in winter;
— a significant increase in the consumption of gasoline and engine oil;
— Exhaust gases are very dark in color.
All these signs can be attributed to visual, since the driver can easily identify them with the naked eye. However, the abundance of soot on the piston rings may be accompanied by some other consequences that are simply not seen. For example, the power unit begins to heat up very much during operation, which threatens to completely fail it. It is also worth noting that over time, a large amount of combustion products form under the valves, which prevent them from completely closing during the compression of the combustible mixture, which, in turn, causes burnout.
Another common consequence is insufficient cylinder pressure. The reason for this is soot on the piston rings, which reduces the level of piston patency in the cylinders. If carbon deposits are not removed in time, then detonation of the power unit may occur and its failure and the rings will fail.
Signs of the need for decarbonization
If the car enthusiast throughout the use vehicle adheres to the basic requirements of operation, then, as a rule, it does not face the need for decarbonization. Nagar begins to be deposited on the rings if the basic rules for operating the engine are not followed, the main ones being low-quality gasoline and engine oil, as well as driving a car with an unheated power unit.
Thus, if you notice that the engine began to work unstably in neutral gear, and the pistons began to lie in the cylinders, this signals the driver to clean the rings from carbon deposits.
Methods for removing carbon deposits on piston rings
There are several methods of decoking: mechanical and chemical. Each of them has its own individual characteristics and requires different equipment. Let's take a closer look at each of these methods.
Mechanical decarbonization
To remove carbon deposits from piston rings mechanically it is necessary to first disassemble the power unit, so the use of this method is not recommended for novice motorists who do not have the necessary knowledge of engine design. To clean the rings, kerosene or any other solvent is used, as well as a piece of dense cloth or a brush with a medium bristle hardness level.
Chemical decarbonization
To eliminate soot chemically, it is necessary to use special chemical reagents. One of the main advantages of this method is that it can be done without dismantling the motor, however, depending on the effectiveness of the cleaner, decarbonization can be very time consuming.
It is worth noting that if you decide to remove carbon deposits from piston rings by the chemical method, then you must take into account the fact that all chemicals are divided into two categories, each of which is designed for soft or hard cleaning. In the first case, the chemical agent is added to the engine oil, after which it is necessary to drive about 200 kilometers on it and replace it with a new one. The disadvantage of soft cleaning is low efficiency, since the cleaning agent does not directly hit the piston rings.
Therefore, soft decarbonization is one of the methods of prevention that prevents the formation of soot on the rings. It is recommended to carry it out shortly before changing the oil. The only thing to consider is that these cleaners must not be used for a long period of time, as they can harm the internal combustion engine.
Rigid decarbonization is a more effective cleaning method and allows you to completely get rid of the combustion products that have settled on the piston rings, however, it takes much more time and effort for the motorist. To do this, you need to install the car on a level place and warm up the power unit well. Next, unscrew the spark plugs and, by rotating the wheel, move the pistons to the middle position. After that, a chemical reagent is poured into each of the cylinders in an equal amount and left for a certain time specified in the instructions for the cleaner. Depending on the strength of the action, this time can be from several hours to several days.
When the specified period expires, the candle wells are closed with a dense cloth and the cleaning agent is removed from the cylinders. This can be done if the starter is turned on for a while in neutral gear. After that, you can replace the spark plugs and try to start the engine. It is worth noting that in most cases it is not possible to do this the first time.
A car with a running power unit is left for one hour so that the remnants of the chemical agent in the cylinders burn out. This process will be accompanied by very strong exhaust gases with a disgusting stench. As the reagent burns out, the smell will gradually go away, and the smoke will take on a normal appearance.
After hard decarbonization in the first two hundred kilometers, it is not recommended to raise the number of crankshaft revolutions above 3000, since the chemical agent dilutes the engine oil, as a result of which the quality of lubrication of the parts of the power unit is significantly reduced, which is fraught with a variety of consequences. After two hundred kilometers, it is necessary to make a complete change of engine oil.
If the carbon removal was performed qualitatively, then the pressure level in the cylinders should return to normal. If this does not happen, then there are certain problems with the power unit and its overhaul is necessary.
Many drivers argue that it makes no sense to independently remove combustion products from the piston rings, but instead it is better to seek the help of professionals. However, the cost of chemicals is much lower than the cost of an auto mechanic. Cleaning methods are also available without using special means for the cleaning. In this case, carbon deposits can be removed using kerosene and acetone, which are diluted in a ratio of 1 to 1, and the resulting product is poured into the cylinders, after which a similar procedure is performed, described above.
Decarbonizing with fuel additives
Another effective way to remove carbon deposits is to use special additives for gasoline. The cost of these additives is very low, and the decarbonization process itself does not require any action on the part of the motorist. The only downside to this method is that it takes a lot of time as it will take a decent amount of mileage to achieve the desired result.
It is worth noting that when using additives for gasoline, it is not necessary to limit the engine speed, on the contrary, the higher they are, the more carbon deposits will be removed faster and better. Also, when using this cleaning method, an engine oil change is not required, since the cleaning agent is added to the fuel, with which it is completely burned during the compression process.
Steam decarbonization
The essence of this method is to eliminate combustion products from the piston rings with the help of steam. To implement it, it is necessary to connect a bottle of distilled water to the throttle assembly by adjusting its supply rate so that the power unit operates stably in idle mode. Thus, water entering the cylinders will evaporate, and the resulting steam will help eliminate carbon deposits. This method is highly efficient, and the main financial costs are only for the purchase of distilled water, which is inexpensive.
You can completely get rid of the products of fuel combustion and prevent the failure of an internal combustion engine by decarbonizing piston and oil scraper rings using special tools. After all, not one power unit of a mass-produced car is immune from such a problem as a decrease in power. The main reason for this is considered to be the appearance of soot in the holes for the rings on the piston.
The topic of decoking oil scraper rings divided motorists into two fronts. Some believe that such an event is able to cope with the pollution of the driving elements of the motor. Others, on the contrary, express only a negative attitude towards such a procedure. Let's try to figure out what engine decoking is and how it affects the general condition of the engine.
Causes
The process of combustion of fuel mixtures is accompanied by the release of by-products that are deposited on the walls of the cylinders. Coking of both piston and oil scraper rings occurs due to oil seepage into the combustion chamber, as well as due to the poor quality of the fuel itself.
In turn, oil can get into the cylinder for two reasons. The first is the faulty condition of the oil seals. In this case, decoking will only help for a while. To increase engine power to its original state and improve compression for a long time, it is necessary to replace worn or defective elements with new parts. The second reason for the occurrence of oil on the walls of the cylinder is the wear of the oil scraper rings of the piston. Burning along with the fuel, the oil leads to the formation of carbon deposits on all elements of the system, including the grooves of the oil scraper rings. The solution to this problem will be the decoking of the engine and the replacement of oil scraper piston rings.
To date, there are a number of special tools that can overcome the coking of engines in just a few minutes. They have different markings, and the group of these drugs is called "decoking agents".
Coking control methods
Dozens of manufacturers of components and car care products, hoping to occupy all the niches of this market segment, produce chemicals that can remove carbon deposits from parts of internal combustion engines. The principle of their operation is different: it is either an increase in the combustion temperature of the fuel, or the dissolution of soot using certain chemical reactions. In addition, there are several ways to achieve these goals.
Fuel additives (soft decarbonization)
How to decoke oil scraper rings without extra costs and additional work? That's right, you can use special fuel additives. One of these products is the chemical agent "Edial" (EDIAL). The mechanism of use is quite simple. In the case of this product, it is necessary to pour about 50 ml of liquid into a 50 liter gas tank before visiting the gas station. In addition, this method of decarbonization is ideal not only gasoline engines but also diesel engines.
Among the advantages of this method of decarbonization, it is worth highlighting the following points:
- No extra physical activity. This method does not require the removal of spark plugs and injectors;
- Fast fluid injection time;
- It is not necessary to change engine oil after decoking;
- Protects engine elements from the formation of carbon deposits for a long time after the drug has been withdrawn.
But technology has soft decarbonization and cons, which should not be silent:
- This method is a prevention, but not a treatment for clinical cases of coking of piston and oil scraper rings;
- Additives will not cope with the coking of the cylinder walls and valves.
Simply put, soft piston ring cleaners are detergents that are strong enough to cope with light deposits on the rings and in their grooves.
Method of hard decarbonization of the engine
Motorists who consider engine decarbonization a vital event most often prefer the method of hard cleaning of rings and other elements. A clear disadvantage of this technology is the mandatory oil change after decoking. For example, consider a domestically produced product called LAVR.
The cleaning technology itself will not cause problems and complexity even for novice motorists who have at least the slightest idea about the design of the engine in their vehicle.
- The car is installed on a flat surface, starts and warms up to operating temperature. The main thing is that it should not be red-hot to the limit value.
- All spark plugs or injectors and glow plugs are alternately unscrewed when the diesel engine is decarbonized.
- Next, you need to set the pistons at the same level. To do this, you can jack up the car, set the maximum gear at the gearbox and rotate the wheel of the drive axle. Alternatively, you can turn the crankshaft clockwise with a belt.
- After that, using a syringe through the holes, a certain amount of liquid is poured into the combustion chambers. The dose of the drug is usually indicated on the package. After the candles are twisted back so that small debris does not get inside.
- The mixture must be in the engine for at least one hour, but it is better to work in the evening and leave the solution for the whole night.
- After a few hours or the next day, if the liquid was left all night, candles or nozzles are unscrewed, and a rag is placed on top of the holes.
- Next, you need to remove the remnants of the cleaning agent to prevent engine water hammer. To do this, it is enough to turn the engine with a starter for 5-10 seconds, not forgetting to first set the neutral speed. Together with the liquid, the remnants of plaque will also be removed.
- Candles are twisted, the engine starts, and it remains to work on idling literally 10 minutes.
- At the end, it remains to change the oil. If desired, you can repeat the procedure after 100 km of run.
If you are thinking about how to decoke the piston rings on the engine, you can safely choose the presented cleaning technology and the LAVR agent (or its analogues). This method is used in almost all auto repair shops, and the solution has shown itself to be an excellent and reliable assistant in removing carbon deposits.
A couple of myths about decarbonization
Myth 1. Modern cars do not need decarbonization.
Nonsense! Despite the fact that technological progress has taken a significant step forward since the times of the USSR, the problems with the formation of soot have not disappeared anywhere. On the contrary, with a decrease in the gaps between the rings, the system became more vulnerable. A thin layer of plaque is enough and the correct operation of the engine can be seriously impaired. If there is no desire to fork out for an overhaul of the engine, do not forget about decoking.
Myth 2. Decarbonizing is a cure for all diseases
Of course, modern cleaning products have excellent qualities and are able to cope with almost any severity of coking, but they are clearly still far from “living water”. Such a procedure as decarbonization is, first of all, a preventive measure, and it is not able to cope with worn engine parts.
Video on how to properly clean rings and pistons:
Improvised means - kerosene and acetone:
Super composition:
Decarbonization test:
