[Aroy]

I drive about 3k km/year, and the car gets sluggish withing three months. Then I do the "Italian tune up" - take the car for a 100km highway spin. The best part is that my FE drops to 300km/tank full (30L). After the Italian Tuneup the 100km driven are free as the FE goes back to 400.

So instead of bothering about carbon build up, just do some spirited highway driving once in a while and there will be no carbon

[racer_ash]

I just logged in after leaving my 2.5 yr old i20(P) for its regular service. The first thing that was written on my job card was Engine decarborizing. The SA was insisting that it is required every 20k KMs. Initially I thought I would give it a go but looking at the 1.6k + TAXES quote for the de-carb job alone, I said I would give it a skip. Also I was not convinced with the SA giving me his own logic of carbon build up on an otherwise modern KAPPA engine. (I have experience with some older bikes having carbon build ups, but none were 4-strokes and none were fuel injected)

However I soon started feeling guilty about not giving my car the best and thought I would call up the guy and give him the go-ahead for the de-carb job. But decided that I would consult Dr.Team BHP for a second opinion before doing so. Reading this thread came as a big releief for me. Looks like my gut feeling was correct after all. Now whenever these guys ask me for de-carb, I would simply bombard them with questions about the chemical used, the method used etc etc. I am sure they would strike off this item out of their own frustration.

Thanks SS Traveller for this useful post. You saved me and many others from unnecessary service expenses and also gave an actual insight into what really happens during de-carb.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Frequent decarbonising is a procedure best avoided, by all expert opinions. Most automobile manufacturers (Tata is an exception) don't recommend decarbonising as a routine maintenance procedure.

Just to add - even tata does not recommend routine decarbonization .

From tata motors customer care page linked in the post.
"Please note that all the above treatments are symptomatic and are to be used based on symptoms / problems as mentioned in the above table."
"Please note that these treatments should not be done if your vehicle does not have complaint and you are visiting our dealerships for availing services and other unrelated repair."

If your TASC Rips you off with an oil flush or decarbonization for every service, explicitly tell your SA not to conduct any procedures other than what's listed on the job card without your prior approval, especially any flushes or treatments, or that you will have to give negative feedback.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by racer_ash

I just logged in after leaving my 2.5 yr old i20(P) for its regular service. The first thing that was written on my job card was Engine decarborizing. The SA was insisting that it is required every 20k KMs. Initially I thought I would give it a go but looking at the 1.6k + TAXES quote for the de-carb job alone, I said I would give it a skip. Also I was not convinced with the SA giving me his own logic of carbon build up on an otherwise modern KAPPA engine. (I have experience with some older bikes having carbon build ups, but none were 4-strokes and none were fuel injected)

However I soon started feeling guilty about not giving my car the best and thought I would call up the guy and give him the go-ahead for the de-carb job. But decided that I would consult Dr.Team BHP for a second opinion before doing so. Reading this thread came as a big releief for me. Looks like my gut feeling was correct after all. Now whenever these guys ask me for de-carb, I would simply bombard them with questions about the chemical used, the method used etc etc. I am sure they would strike off this item out of their own frustration.

Thanks SS Traveller for this useful post. You saved me and many others from unnecessary service expenses and also gave an actual insight into what really happens during de-carb.

For that amount you can drive a lot 1600/80=20 liters which means you can drive at least 300km for the "Italian Tune Up"

[racer_ash]

^^ Actually once in a while, I unintentionally do the 'Italian Tune Up' whenever I drive on the Hyderabad ORR (and thats atleast once in a month). The speed limit there is 120kmph and without your knowing it, you are already doing 130 to 140. At that speed, my engine is revving a lil over 4k rpm. This particular stretch that I do is for around 50kms one way.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by racer_ash

^^ Actually once in a while, I unintentionally do the 'Italian Tune Up' whenever I drive on the Hyderabad ORR (and thats atleast once in a month). The speed limit there is 120kmph and without your knowing it, you are already doing 130 to 140. At that speed, my engine is revving a lil over 4k rpm. This particular stretch that I do is for around 50kms one way.

100 for one hour will decarbonize your engine fully.

[parijatborse]

Hi guys, i have a 2000 maruti zen lx which has done 50000 kms. Was thinking of getting engine decarbonization done for it. Is it possible for a carburetted car. If not what is an alternative for it??? And also where can i get it done in Mumbai or thane. Also it has a cng kit in it. Can the cng kit be tuned like a carb???

[BackInTheFold]

Thanks for the timely and helpful thread. My i10 was at its 30k service and I noticed that decarbonization was one of the items on the list. I insisted on just the normal flush and change of fluids in spite of repeated protestations that decarbonization had to be done for this "major service". The projected bill came down from 8000+ to 5100 thanks to removing these and other unwanted items.

What a sweet racket these folks run!

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by parijatborse

Hi guys, i have a 2000 maruti zen lx which has done 50000 kms. Was thinking of getting engine decarbonization done for it. Is it possible for a carburetted car. If not what is an alternative for it??? And also where can i get it done in Mumbai or thane. Also it has a cng kit in it. Can the cng kit be tuned like a carb???

Drive the car for 100-150km at 90-110 km/h on the expressway, and most of your carbon will disappear. Then get the engine tuned.

As most of the cars of 25 years or older vintage had carburetors, yes they can be tuned to perfection..

[parijatborse]

Hey Aroy, thanks for that i have already done step 1 : italian tune up ,
and step 2 : carb clean up and tune up. and yes it does make a difference, just wanted to know if decarbonisation can be on carb cars

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by parijatborse

Hey Aroy, thanks for that i have already done step 1 : italian tune up ,
and step 2 : carb clean up and tune up. and yes it does make a difference, just wanted to know if decarbonisation can be on carb cars

Decolonizationcan be done on any engine which burns fossil fuel and deposits carbon residue. Be it petrol, diesel or CNG, if carbon is deposited then it needs decarbonisation.

If the engine is running at its design temperature, then there is practically no carbon deposit, and any deposit that has accumulated from previous state will get burnt. It is only when (in case of a car) the car is run short distances with frequent starts, that the engine does not achieve the required temperature, and the carbon starts building up.

[civic-dk]

Originally Posted by Aroy

Decolonizationcan be done on any engine which burns fossil fuel and deposits carbon residue. Be it petrol, diesel or CNG, if carbon is deposited then it needs decarbonisation.

If the engine is running at its design temperature, then there is practically no carbon deposit, and any deposit that has accumulated from previous state will get burnt. It is only when (in case of a car) the car is run short distances with frequent starts, that the engine does not achieve the required temperature, and the carbon starts building up.

I have a Honda Civic S AT which has done 29000 kms. Do you think de-carbonizing will help? If yes, what are the improvements which could be expected.

Look forward to your inputs.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by civic-dk

I have a Honda Civic S AT which has done 29000 kms. Do you think de-carbonizing will help? If yes, what are the improvements which could be expected.

Look forward to your inputs.

Unless your engine isn't running well due to carbonizing it's not going to see any improvements.

You can read through this thread, but unless something has seriously gone wrong it would be odd that your engine would need de-carbonizing after only 29000km.

But again, unless you have indications that your engine isn't running optimal anymore. If those can be diagnosed as caused by 'carbonising' go ahead.

Jeroen

[ThE Godfather]

I need some suggestions. I am planning to go for De Card on my Toyota Fortuner, completed 58k+ kms. Reason, last service of my car was done beyond 17000kms of running. I mean I changed Oil at 28000 Kms and then 45000 and then at 52000Kms.

I am in suspicion that since the car kept running for 17000kms without an oil Change, carbon must have build up. Should I go for the Chemical Decarb?

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by ThE Godfather

I need some suggestions. I am planning to go for De Card on my Toyota Fortuner, completed 58k+ kms. Reason, last service of my car was done beyond 17000kms of running. I mean I changed Oil at 28000 Kms and then 45000 and then at 52000Kms.

I am in suspicion that since the car kept running for 17000kms without an oil Change, carbon must have build up. Should I go for the Chemical Decarb?

If the car runs fine I would not bother. Only if you your car exhibits symptoms that are clearly related to carbonizing of certain components. And even then I would check a lot before doing it.

Jeroen