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We wash carbon deposits in the engine without disassembling - the most effective ways. H2 company spoke about cleaning the engine with hydrogen How can you clean the engine from carbon deposits?

04.09.2021

The formation of carbon deposits in the combustion chamber of the engine is mainly associated with low-quality fuel. As a result of incomplete combustion of this fuel, carbon deposits appear on the chamber walls and piston crowns.

When carbon deposits reach a certain mass, a large number of problems may arise in the operation of components and assemblies.

Consider the main signs of engine pollution, how to find out about the need to remove carbon deposits, how and how to clean the power unit.

Key Signs of Engine Deposits

Carbon deposits and coke are the main products in the combustion of low-quality fuel. Under the influence of high temperature, when the amount of air is not enough for complete combustion of the fuel-air mixture, coke is formed. It settles as dense deposits on the surface of the combustion chamber walls. Small particles that separate from the coke form carbon deposits.

An important role in carbon formation is assigned to engine oil, which, in case of insufficient tightness of the engine components (piston rings, valve seals), enters the combustion chamber. Burning along with the fuel, the oil accelerates the build-up of deposits.

Carbon deposits in the engine lead to the following main malfunctions:

  1. problems with the "cold" start of the engine;
  2. a running engine smokes, does not work stably;
  3. exhaust gases mixed with burning;
  4. increased oil consumption;
  5. loss of power;
  6. increased fuel consumption;
  7. detonation and overheating of the engine at high speeds

Possible consequences of carbon deposits in the engine

It not only reduces the efficiency of work, impairs overall performance, leads to high consumption of fuel and lubricants, but also increases the risk of serious engine damage and, as a result, costly repairs. The main possible examples of such consequences are:

  • carbon deposits on the valves - the valve cannot close completely.
  • deposits on the rings - the occurrence of rings occurs.
  • the effect of potash ignition - uncontrolled ignition of the mixture from smoldering.

All of these examples can lead to critical situations. With strong coking of the valves and rings, the valve does not close completely, the rings become stuck, the compression in the engine decreases. As a result, the engine starts poorly, malfunctions, valves burn out - there is a need for expensive repairs.

Potash ignition provokes uncontrolled ignition of the fuel-air mixture in the cylinders. The fuel ignites uncontrollably, the reason for this behavior is smoldering carbon deposits that ignite gasoline or diesel fuel. The engine overheats, there is increased wear of parts of the power unit, fuel system, exhaust system.

To protect the engine from negative consequences, it is necessary to periodically flush it from accumulated deposits and slags. After the appearance of characteristic signs, you can clean the already clogged motor. Consider how to clean the carbon deposits in the engine yourself.

Carbon deposits and coke are the main ways to get rid of them from the engine

There are two main options that can be used to clean the engine, let's take a look at each of them:

  • clean the power unit with any flushing agent;
  • disassemble the engine and mechanically remove deposits

Regarding flushing oils and fuel additives, this cleaning will remove small deposits in the fuel system, lubrication system, combustion chamber and other places only if the contamination is negligible. Otherwise, in case of severe contamination, the deposits will not be washed off with such additives and the cleaning effect will not be achieved. Sometimes it is even possible to aggravate the situation and cause harm.

Many motorists are interested in the question of how to flush the engine from carbon deposits without disassembling? Therefore, we will consider a method in which the unit does not need to be disassembled.

  1. We unscrew spark plugs on gasoline cars, or potash plugs on diesel.
  2. We fill in the cylinders through the candle wells with a special liquid "decarbonization".
  3. We wait a few hours - the cleaner softens the deposits.
  4. We screw in the candles and start the engine. The softened carbon deposits are burned out and removed from the cylinders.

After carrying out this procedure, it is impossible to use the oil remaining in the engine and the oil filter, they must be replaced. Getting into the crankcase of the engine, the washed composition saturates the oil and the filter with abrasive particles that are aggressive towards the cylinders.

To achieve the maximum effect of engine cleanliness, it is necessary to use a mechanical cleaning method. Its principle is simple - the motor is disassembled and cleaned of carbon deposits and coke by hand using an abrasive tool. Then it is washed with detergents with high surface activity. This method allows you to clean all hard-to-reach engine elements, including the lubrication channels and other elements.

Benefits of cleaning the engine without disassembly

Obviously, the main advantage is that there is no need to disassemble the power unit. Mechanical disassembly is a complex and time-consuming process that requires an impressive amount of work. Performing it only for the sake of cleaning from carbon deposits is impractical. This procedure is typical when performing a major overhaul of the motor.

It should be noted that before performing the cleaning procedure, it is worth seeking advice from professional minders. A completely cleaned engine is beyond the power of even very strong chemicals, and improper use of it can cause damage.

The most common risk is clogging of the channels by particles separated from carbon deposits. Sometimes, with this development of events, it is better not to touch the engine - this will allow it to be operated for some more time. Otherwise, when trying to wash it, the likelihood of subsequent repair is very high.

The formation of carbon deposits and coke in a gasoline or diesel engine is a natural process under conditions of high combustion temperatures of a fuel-air mixture in a closed chamber. In fact, carbon deposits are a layer of unburned deposits on the walls of the combustion chamber of the power unit. Over time, carbon formation and coking of the engine progresses, at a certain point becoming the cause of a number of malfunctions and malfunctions.

Next, we will consider the main symptoms by which you can yourself determine the coking of the engine and the need to further clean the cylinders from coke, and also talk about how and how to clean the engine from carbon deposits with your own hands.

Read in this article

Carbon deposits in the engine: the main signs

As already mentioned, carbon deposits and coke are formed in the combustion chamber during fuel combustion. Coke in the engine is a dense deposit on the surface of the working chamber walls. Such deposits are caused by exposure to high temperatures in the absence of sufficient air.

Carbon deposits are small friable fractions of the same coke, which are separated from the total mass. In addition to coking of the engine, it leads to the ingress of engine oil into the combustion chamber. Typically, lubricant can enter the cylinder through the piston rings, and in the event of certain malfunctions. In the second case, valve seals (valve stem seals) become a frequent problem.

In the list of the main malfunctions that arise when the engine coking, experts note the following:

  • the engine does not start well "cold";
  • after starting, the motor is observed and / or;
  • in some cases, the exhaust has a specific burning smell;
  • oil consumption increases;
  • the engine loses power;
  • excessive fuel consumption is observed;
  • engine overheating may occur at high speeds;

During gas re-gasings, especially on a car with a faulty or removed catalyst, you can see particles of burning that escapes from the exhaust pipe. Also, the car sluggishly reacts to pressing the gas pedal, the engine "does not pull" under load, etc.

Engine coking: possible consequences

It is quite obvious that carbon deposits reduce efficiency and impair the overall performance of the motor. In parallel, there is a risk of serious damage to the internal combustion engine. For example, critical situations can be considered as those when rings strongly coke or the short-circuit () effect occurs. In the first case, the valve cannot completely close due to a thick layer of carbon deposits, a decrease in compression in the engine also occurs, the motor begins to triple, and starts poorly. Quite often, resulting in costly repairs.

As for the short circuit, this phenomenon causes uncontrolled ignition of the mixture in the engine cylinders from smoldering carbon deposits. In other words, the charge will ignite not from an ignition spark in a gasoline engine or from contact with air heated from compression, but spontaneously. As a result, the motor overheats, significant damage is caused, etc.

To prevent negative consequences, it is recommended to periodically clean for preventive purposes, that is, to prevent abundant accumulation of deposits. Also, after the first symptoms appear, you can clean the already coked engine from carbon deposits, that is, carry out the procedure for decoking the engine. Let's take a closer look at how to clean the carbon deposits in the engine yourself.

Methods for flushing the engine from carbon deposits and coke

To begin with, the engine can be cleaned in two ways, which can be roughly divided into the following:

  • engine cleaning with active chemicals;
  • mechanical removal of coke deposits after disassembling the internal combustion engine and subsequent flushing;

Immediately, we note that we will not focus on flushing oils and various fuel additives (up to connecting the engine to a separate tank with a special cleaning agent bypassing the fuel tank). The fact is that these solutions help to maintain the fuel system, lubrication system, combustion chamber and other "internals" of the engine in relative cleanliness only in the case of new or initially clean engines (for example, units after a complete overhaul). If the engine has already been coked, then such methods will not bring the desired effect and can only worsen the situation.

To clean the internal combustion engine from carbon deposits, it is necessary to carry out a more "stringent" procedure for decoking the piston rings and the engine, clean the combustion chamber as efficiently as possible, etc. We add that this method of cleaning the engine from coke and deposits is very popular among motorists due to the fact that it avoids disassembling the engine.

  1. First, you will need to unscrew the spark plugs on gasoline internal combustion engines or on a diesel engine.
  2. Next, you need to pour a special liquid (the so-called decarbonization) into the engine cylinders through the candle wells.
  3. Then the unit with the flooded cleaning is left for several hours. As a result, the coke and carbon scrubber softens engine deposits.
  4. After screwing in the candles and further starting the engine after decoking, the washed carbon deposits simply burn out in the cylinders.

The final stage of flushing the internal combustion engine is the obligatory replacement of the engine oil and the oil filter, since the aggressive composition enters the engine crankcase and makes the filled oil unusable.

You can read in more detail about the procedure for decoking the engine in, where the process of cleaning the engine from carbon deposits is described in detail using a diesel engine as an example. We also note that various means for decoking piston rings and cleaning the combustion chamber are available on free sale. The composition called "Lavr" has gained wide popularity among domestic consumers.

Now let's talk about mechanical cleaning. This method allows you to achieve maximum cleanliness of the engine, and also is devoid of those disadvantages that are present when cleaning "chemistry". In other words, the motor is disassembled, after which the coke and carbon deposits are removed from the surfaces manually, using tools by grinding, as well as using active detergents. This approach allows you to clean not only the rings and individual sections of the combustion chamber, but also the valves and other hard-to-reach elements. In parallel with this, the oil channels of the engine lubrication system are washed, the cavities in the crankcase, the oil receiver, the oil receiver mesh filter, etc. are cleaned.

What is the bottom line

It is quite obvious that the main disadvantage of the mechanical method is the complexity and impressive amount of work. For this reason, drivers rarely agree to disassemble the engine only to clean the unit from carbon deposits and carbon deposits. Most often, this procedure is performed during an engine overhaul.

Finally, I would like to add that it is highly advisable to consult with the minders before you decide to clean the engine of coke and rinse the combustion chambers from carbon deposits. The fact is that even the most aggressive chemicals do not completely remove deposits.

As a result, there is a risk of clogging of the channels by particles separated from the total mass. Otherwise, in some cases it is better not to clean the motor at all, which will allow it to be operated further for some time. If you try to wash such an engine from carbon deposits with special cleaners, then the likelihood of its immediate subsequent repair greatly increases.

Read also

How to flush the engine yourself with diesel fuel or kerosene before changing the engine oil. Advantages and disadvantages of cleaning, features of flushing the engine with diesel fuel.

  • The reasons for the appearance of carbon deposits in the combustion chamber, what is carbon deposits. How to clean engine pistons and combustion chamber from carbon deposits, cleaning without disassembling the engine.
  • Flushing oil for the engine: when and how it is used, what is included, the advantages and disadvantages of this type of flushing of the lubrication system.


  • The formation of carbon deposits and coke on engine parts and internal surfaces of its blocks is a natural process that cannot be avoided. At the same time, the appearance of carbon deposits increases the wear of the power unit and contributes to its failure. Is there a way to remove deposits without disassembling the engine? Of course! We'll show you how to do this below.

    1 When to remove carbon deposits - the first symptoms

    First of all, let's figure out how to determine that the engine needs cleaning from carbon deposits that have formed inside the cylinders and on its other parts. Fortunately, the problem manifests itself with the following symptoms:

    • cold engine does not start well;
    • after starting, strong smoke comes out of the exhaust pipe, the engine troit for some time;
    • exhaust gases have a specific burning smell;
    • the dynamics of the car decreases, the engine does not pull well;
    • excessive consumption of fuel appears;
    • when the ignition is turned off, the fuel in the cylinders continues to ignite for some time, and strong vibrations occur. This phenomenon is called glow ignition, since the ignition of the combustible mixture occurs from a hot carbon deposit, and not a spark;
    • The engine gets very hot.

    If these signs appear, do not delay cleaning the engine, as the presence of carbon deposits can lead to more unpleasant consequences, such as burnout of valves, failure of the connecting rod-piston group. To prevent carbon deposits from forming on engine parts for as long as possible, use high-quality synthetic or semi-synthetic oils and be sure to change them on time.

    2 We start with the combustion chamber - flushing the piston system

    There are two types of engine cleaning with chemical compounds:

    • mild - involves the addition of various additives and cleaning agents to the fuel;
    • hard - carried out by flushing the combustion chambers.

    Gentle flushing can only be useful as a preventive measure, so we will not consider it. If you need to wash off the carbon deposits that have accumulated in the engine in large quantities (you have noticed that the above symptoms have appeared), harsh cleaning is required. To produce it, you need a special decoking liquid. It is often sold with compressed air in a can, syringe and tube. In this case, you will not need any other tools. If only liquid is included, the syringe and compressed air must be purchased separately.

    We start flushing by warming up the engine to a temperature of at least 70 degrees. Then you need to unscrew all the candles, and also disconnect the center wire from the distributor. Be sure to mark the spark plug wires so you don't forget in what order they connect to the cylinders. Next, you need to turn the crankshaft so that all the pistons are approximately at the same level. To do this, turn the pulley nut (below in the photo) or the drive wheel, after jacking it up.

    Then in each cylinder it is necessary to pour the liquid for decoking using a syringe and a tube. The manufacturers indicate the volume of fluid required for each cylinder in the instructions. Next, tighten the plugs and leave the engine for a few hours. If the combustion chambers are heavily coked, wait 12 hours (it is advisable to turn the crankshaft periodically).

    Next, pump out the remaining liquid from the cylinders using a tube and a syringe. Then blow out each cylinder with compressed air. Then you should press the gas pedal all the way and turn the crankshaft with the starter for five to ten seconds. Finally, reconnect all ignition wires and start the engine. Let the motor run for five or ten minutes. At first, a slight smoke is possible, but do not be alarmed, this will burn out the cleaning agent that remains in the engine.

    Keep in mind that the above operation only removes carbon deposits in the combustion chambers. However, deposits appear on other engine parts as well. To get rid of them, it is necessary to flush the lubrication system.

    3 Cleaning the lubrication system - we will not leave the soot a chance

    Flushing the lubrication system can be done in several ways:

    • a "five-minute" additive;
    • oil "five minutes";

    The easiest way to flush the engine with the so-called five minutes. If an additive is used for these purposes, then it is simply added to the engine, and then the engine idles for 5 minutes, after which the old oil with the additive is drained, the filter is changed, and a new fluid is poured. The engine is flushed with a five-minute oil in about the same way, but it should not be mixed with old oil. Those. first, you need to drain the old oil and only then fill in the flushing oil. The motor should run on it for 5 minutes in idle mode, after which the flushing is drained and new grease is poured. Please note that in no case can you ride on a five-minute ride.

    A better result can be achieved with flushing oil, on which the car must travel about a hundred kilometers. This composition is filled in instead of the old oil. Please note that this grease must be driven in the break-in mode, as it has weak protective properties. Then the flushing oil is drained and the usual one is poured.

    As you can see, it is not at all difficult to clean the engine from carbon deposits, at the same time, this procedure can significantly extend the service life of the internal combustion engine. You shouldn't neglect it!

    • fuel and oil consumption increases
    • at idle, there are extraneous noise and vibration
    • dynamics deteriorates.
    • engine stability drops
    • CO-CH emissions are increasing.

    Incomplete fuel combustion, driving at low speeds, spark plug failures lead to the formation of carbon deposits on the cylinder walls, nozzle tips, spark plugs and deterioration of the engine as a whole. Regular cleaning of a car's engine helps to extend its life.

    H2 removes carbon deposits with hydrogen, which is fed into the gas-air mixture. The used proton-membrane electrolysis unit is patented in the territory of the Russian Federation and approved for use.

    The effect is felt immediately:

    • the engine runs smoother and quieter
    • reduced fuel consumption
    • the car becomes more responsive and dynamic
    • longer engine life.

    It is safe. In addition, keeping the engine in good condition saves money on repairs:

    • the catalyst is not clogged. Carbon deposits come out in the form of fine dust
    • hydrogen cleaning does not require opening the engine
    • no additives, chemicals and other additives are needed
    • no oil change required after cleaning

    Why hydrogen

    It burns out carbon deposits that have settled on the surfaces of the cylinders. Hydrogen ions react with solid deposits (soot), burn and are removed through the exhaust tract in the form of carbon dioxide, dust and steam.

    Hydrogen cleaning of engines is applied to all internal combustion engines. H2 serves automotive, motorcycle, shipping, railway locomotives, aircraft engines and generators.

    As a result:

    • reduced fuel consumption
    • harmful emissions are falling
    • reduced vibration
    • power and resource are restored
    • compression is normalized
    • cleaning of injectors and spark plugs

    For new cars, the first cleaning should be carried out after 50,000 km, the subsequent ones - every 20,000 km.

    During the operation of the car engine, coke and fumes are formed in the fuel combustion chamber at high temperatures. What it is?

    How to determine on your own that coke and fumes have accumulated in a car engine?

    Coke is the name given to solid deposits on the walls of the combustion chamber, which are formed when pierced without air entering. Fumes are small free-flowing residues of such coke. The oil scraper rings are not able to cope with this task, so there is nothing left to do how to clean the engine with your own hands.

    Expert opinion

    Ruslan Konstantinov

    Automotive expert. Graduated from ISTU named after M.T. Kalashnikov with a degree in Operation of Transport and Technological Machines and Complexes. More than 10 years of professional car repair experience.

    Coke refers to deposits of soot, burning, and tar in an engine. Coke is formed for various reasons:
    driving on low-quality fuel with a low degree of purification;
    the use of various additives to increase the octane number, for example, some car owners use additives with a lead content to increase the 92nd gasoline to 95th (despite the ban, it will not be difficult to find them on sale);
    engine oil enters the fuel combustion chambers;
    use of engine oil that is not suitable for this type of engine;
    driving on a cold engine with loads (especially important in winter);
    movement at low speeds (traffic jams).
    These factors certainly contribute to the formation of coke. But even if all of them are excluded and only highly refined gasoline is used, it is still impossible to exclude deposits. It is an inevitable and natural product of the operation of an internal combustion engine.
    Coke is dangerous in that it disrupts the operation of the engine and gradually leads to the need for overhaul. Carbon deposits on the walls of the combustion chamber lead to a decrease in the volume of the latter and the appearance of detonation, the force of which will only increase with increasing carbon deposits.
    Carbon deposits on the cylinder head interfere with normal heat dissipation, which causes overheating. Coke on the valves makes the channels for exhaust and incoming gases smaller, and this affects the drop in power and dynamics. Due to carbon deposits, the valves cannot close completely, sooner or later this will lead to their burnout. But the most terrible consequence is a decrease in compression and the occurrence of all the accompanying problems due to coked oil scraper and compression rings on the pistons.

    Note that when the engine is running, the oil from the exhaust valves is also together with the flow of the fuel mixture. The higher the vehicle mileage, the higher the likelihood that oil will enter the engine combustion chambers not only in the described way, but also through some other elements of the engine. That is why leaving this work “for later” is not worth it.

    As soon as the first signs of “decoking” appear, immediately remove carbon deposits from the engine by removing coke from the entire surface of the machine's engine.

    1. From the exhaust pipe, burns constantly fly out, and a specific smell appears in the cabin when the ignition is turned on. When a cold engine is started, a "smokiness" effect occurs.

    2. Oil consumption is constantly growing.

    3. Decreased car dynamics.

    4. The engine runs unevenly when idling.

    5. In the cold season, the engine barely starts, although everything is in order with the battery.

    De-carbonization methods

    In order to perform decarbonization yourself, you can use one of two methods.

    The first of them involves pouring pre-purchased funds into the engine cylinders through the openings of the candles, which loosen and remove coke deposits. This option is considered more effective, and it should be carried out on a warm engine.

    In the second case, the chemical should be added to gasoline or oil. This method is less troublesome, but also less effective. If, nevertheless, you choose this method, then carefully read the instructions on the liquid packaging, noting how much substance, in what order and where to pour it.

    Now let's consider the first method of decarbonization in more detail.

    Prepare a screwdriver and a purchased burn remover.

    1. Remove all spark plugs.

    6. Disengage the gear and be sure to crank the engine with the starter for at least 15 seconds to remove the fluid remaining in the cylinders. If you forget about this, the engine can be damaged due to water hammer. Before cranking the motor, fix the central high-voltage drive by creating a gap between the ground and the wire tip by a couple of centimeters. This will avoid breakdown of the ignition coil.

    7. Tighten the candles, put the drive back in place and start the car. Do not be afraid of any difficulties with starting the engine, or the appearance of an unpleasant odor after this procedure. Smoke can go on the first 10 km of vehicle movement. You can drive when the car has been running for about twenty minutes at idle.