Carbon Clean

Gilbert

Gilbert

Member
United-Kingdom
Anyone got any views or experience of the efficacy of carbon cleaning? Does it work and what kind of improvements are typical for diesel and petrol engines.

Difficult to get objective, unbiased and evidence based facts.
 
The two popular fuel additive treatments being Cataclean and Clean Drive both do improve the injectors and combustion chamber. Being direct injection the inlet valves never get cleaned but improvements are found on exhaust valves and down the exhaust system and cats.

They can be a very cost effective way - approx £20 - of improving the cars emissions especially if used timely before the MOT test.

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CLEANDRIVE® – ADVANCED FUEL & EXHAUST SYSTEM CLEANER – Eco-Motive

CleanDrive® is scientifically proven to enhance the fuel efficiency and overall performance of any vehicle by improving the combustion process and fuel efficiency of the engine. Improves fuel efficiency (MPG) up to 15% Use before an MOT to improve emission test results Brings the...
eco-motive.com eco-motive.com

If using either product then it is very important that you fully read their instructions and follow them to the letter.
 
I had an emissions fail last month. The garage used Cataclean to great effect and to ensure a pass. Since then and as the tank empties, I’ve noticed a distinct difference In drivability. It‘s not quick (by any stretch of the imagination) but the motor is definitely smoother and the throttle is more responsive. I’ve never needed to get a car through an MOT in this way, but I have been very impressed with the difference a dose of Cataclean makes!
 
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I too had an MOT fail on emissions recently ( being right in the middle of a cold snap can’t have helped ). Eventually persuaded the tester to try a dose of Cataclean - as advised on these very pages - and sailed through.
 
I've tried a fuel additive and the product you spray into the induction pipe before EGR. Both give slight improvements, the later is better but neither compare to a bottle brush and brake cleaner.
 
I had really meant the KoH mix that is designed to create the purest hydrogen possible. Hydrogen is put into the induction side, between the air filter and turbo and the engine run for an hour or so. A company called Carbon-Kings sell a reasonably priced machine. I don’t know whether it’s any good or just a money making fad that has little or no benefit.
 
@Dave M you put Merlin/Audrey through one of those external / machine driven carbon cleaning processes during your ownership - not sure whether you thought it was worth it or not?
 
I had her Terracleaned......i think i remember a slight increase in power but perhaps not worth the £100 it cost back then.
 
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I think that these are a type of preventive maintenance. You do it periodically from the get go and it benefits whatever the fuel mixture touches.

I have done the back of the valves of the fsi and there is no chance in hell that the deposits could be cleaned by anything else other than a scraper and lots of elbow grease. Or media blasting, etc.
 
Due to the A2 being direct injection there is no chance the inlet valves will be cleaned on the inlet side. Regardless the type of fuel used there will always be a build up on the inlet valves that can only be removed by stripping and cleaning. Old style indirect injection vehicles have better results.

On the other hand Cataclean and Clean Drive are both cheap and certainly do help clean out carbon on the exhaust side and the exhaust and cats. Not saying they will recover a completely blocked cat or contaminated cat but certainly worth the approx £20 and they do not harm other parts of the engine, just use in accordance with the makers instructions.
 
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