Car mechanics - I'm getting conflicting info about carbon buildup due to only driving locally / short trips, every single day - what gives?

[NicholasRedone]

I've googled the problem (carbon build up, difficulty starting unless pushed with accelerator, and sometimes wants to stall pretty often until warmed enough) - the cars certainly reaching plus 20 years old however I'm confused by Google versus what my mechanic said. *Carbon buildup is a natural process* - yet the mechanics like you gotta take the car for long trips not just to use the car as a daily driver only to X distance and back or small distances.

Lol what's the point of living in suburbia or a "15 minute city" where everything is in close drive. See my point? That means they're saying or google is also saying - you can't own a car just for the purpose of city trips. Well then why did they until recent make city small hatch-backs small city European cars and Japanese cars if carbon buildup is an engine killer / engine lifespan decliner?

Helllooooo 😂🙂😂🤭🤭🤭

It's on the way out regardless of car age

Take it for a car service they'll clean it out, should be good as new then the engine. Or back to its usual self prior to the "carbon issues".

Updates

1 y

Thanks folks - no financial advice here - it's wisdom to each to their own yet to me, I'm always actually good at numbers doing my Sums of whether "spending X amount for servicing or repairs or both" is still cheaper than spending XYZ to afford a replacement / newer car used even lol ; I'm quite happy to keep getting my humble aging Japanese ", the 6 month service it deserves and inspections and oil change" to keep prolonging it's lifespan - 😋👀🥳🥳🥳

Updates

1 y

To me it's still far cheaper to keep extending its lifespan for "a few hundred dollars servicing" versus "10 thousand for a new used car or even 5 thousand for a older newer used car" ; still I'm satisfied I'm giving the humble car the humble care it earns - to the day it can't start no more even by the auto-shop 🛠️🔧👀♥️

[Sunrising]

There's an additive that is put in the petrol that's supposed to remove carbon from engines. I've never used it, but it could be an easy solution to your car problem.

[NicholasRedone]

@Sunrising unrelatedly bought another second bottle today just to give it another self serve shot at cleaning the system - it'll be having its service soon anyhow. It's due for it anyhow before this problem was identified a few weeks ago ; after all, the old girl has given such a noble service, it's a shame or it would be a shame not to keep prolonging the vehicle's lifespan with another oil change another basic car service (likely hopefully the standard itemised / itemized report will show if any carbon identified or surely no mechanic can miss that "the engine has start issues / etc" lol visually or otherwise. The one that came over is just as good as the one to the shop we're taking it to very shortly hooray 🙌🏻🎉 in the time I've had the vehicle apart from other expenses, it's had a six monthly oil service and inspection and I've made sure of it, in total 2-3 times by now, maybe 4 almost times 👀 the time flies by - 1 year, 2 years, lol 😂😆

[NicholasRedone]

Emphasis every 6 months ♥️🙌🏻

[NicholasRedone]

To give the humble car the care (at least with servicing since carbon is inevitable as dust in life or oil leaks / radiator leak eventually fact of life, life 🧬 sigh - which it hasn't yet despite its aging lol minus the carbon issue) it deserves ♥️ - it deserves my care and it's a cheap service fee (oil change fee plus overall vehicle inspection) 😋 don't know what other countries call it - "routine car maintenance at a body shop or work shop" or "mechanic visit"

[NicholasRedone]

It's given so much to the family tree as a loyal car 🚗💋

[NicholasRedone]

Rarely ever had it fail for example is what I mean - until recently showing slowly it's aging as all things eventually - reliable as.

[Sunrising]

It seems such a minor problem, perhaps the garage wants to sell you a lovely brand new car, and they don't appreciate your love for a car that's given you such good service without breaking down.

[NicholasRedone]

@Sunrising haven't been to the garage yet

[Sunrising]

Thank you for the MHO 😃

[NicholasRedone]

You're welcome

[jamesgoldman]

Need to blast the system out, you can get chemical treatments

[NicholasRedone]

@jamesgoldman the old man and I have tried one bottle last week - seemed minimal results ; it's due for its 6 month service oil change being an older Jap car from the very late 1990s cough. Fingers crossed they'll at least give an itemised report after the usual oil change - inspection of vehicle no doubt they'll either say "yeah man there was a shitload of carbon in the engine bay" without the expletives, and whether they cleaned it or nope that's extra" lol 😆 or just give the oil change, do the inspection report, and leave as usual for us to decide where to from there" + the whole point for me of a basic car service at a repair or workshop gratefully that does them day by day is "an oil change and inspection with an itemised report of highlights needing attention or fixing" - I usually avoid saying anything more than "thank you, no need to do any work thing further, I'll just pick up the car and pay for the basic service and please take a hard copy or email copy of the itemised identified things report home" usually it's 1 or 2 pages 😀👀 a standard thing like a detailed receipt 🤭😋

[NicholasRedone]

@jamesgoldman not James - my answer comment lol may sound "varies by country" or even "varies by lingo and tech terms I used" lol 😂😆

[NicholasRedone]

@jamesgoldman otherwise besides the two or three 6 monthly services, new tyres, new belts, and a other engine sensor repair, I've actually not thrown good money after bad money. If anything it's kept the aging car (which doesn't look that old or even isn't realistically comparing a Jap car over 20 years hasn't evolved "too much" from 4 wheels and 5 doors and seatbelts and an airbag or two etc etc " lol 😆😂 : however my point is that it's up to each person if they are comfortable spending X to at least extend the lifespan of an aging noble workhorse or a vehicle even if some would say "spending more than what aging car is worth may seem counterproductive" - sometimes those repairs are still "far cheaper than the thousands thousands more to buy a replacement car aka used even" - aka 'whats 1,000 of repairs versus 10,000 for a low distance used car" - it's logic to me 🍓🤭 and I eat the strawberries smiling merrily to myself at home because "to me, it's a invest im comfortable to do" - it extends the cars life that much longer knowing there that's it's sole purpose to keep it fit for road safety and to keep it fit for reaching Kilometers after Kilometers until it's next service same in American lingo to keep extended its lifespan mile for Mile until it's next 6 months service / car inspection service etc 🔧 🛠️ bless auto workers repairers 👋🏻🎉

[NicholasRedone]

Even if some would say "oh my later model vehicle gets one only every 12 months service / vehicle that's not as old " well good for those wealthier folks lol 😆 lol or luckier folks. I'm still sitting pretty and differently, gratefully than those who bought at more 💵 💰 or earn more lol 🤭😂😋

[joehypo1]

If its carbon take a can of seafoam from parts store pull the vacuum hose off brake booster and put it in the can and start your car run it til it stalls thats and let it sit for about 30 min and put hose back on brake booster start it up and your car will smoke pretty bad because its all the carbon build up coming out , they say take it out on the interstate every now and then basicly run the throttle open to help blow carbon out this is for old cars with carbs nothing now days but if you only drive a car 25mph for life of the car you get it out on interstate and have hard time getting up to speed , when I raced motocross I start line before race I would hold throttle wide open to blow carbon this is on a 2 stroke where you put oil in gas where carbon was a issue

[BonzoInBitburg]

My mother in law had an older Acura with carbon buildup and I added a small bottle of carbon cleaner when I filled up with gas and then took it out on the highway where I could punch the gas and give the engine a workout. Cleaned it right out after a month. Italian tune-up

[Chayce]

Seafoam im pretty sure

[NicholasRedone]

Bubbles bubbles lol 🫧🫧🫧 🧼