My commute is only 11.5 miles. 6 miles of it I can run 55-65. Am I building a carbon nightmare?
I wouldn’t worry at all.
With today’s cleaner gasoline, cleaner combustion chamber burning, and your daily higher speeds, you’ll likely never have a combustion chamber carbon problem.
I agree. You likely don’t have a carbon build up problem.
The OP is just what a service writer wants to come in the door, worried. He would likely OK the $120 de-carbonization service which a big profit maker for the dealer. 6 miles at 55 mph is better than a lot of commutes and should be fine for the car.
Ford ?
Model, Model-Year ?
CSA
If a ‘Top Tier’ gas is convienient to you, I’d use it.
I’ve had a ~11 mile (one-way) commute for the last 20 years. Most of the drive is 40-50 mph with a few stops. Carbon buildup has been a non-issue, but I add a can of Chevron Techron or Seafoam to the gas tank once a year. I check the throttle body and clean as required.
A few times in the colder weather there was moisture build up in the crank case. There would be gunk and moisture on the underside of the oil cap. Both times replacing the PCV valve and the occasional longer drive alleviated the problem.
Ed B.
If it’s a car built in the last 10 years and it’s been properlly maintained, is running well, the sparkplugs come out in a state suggesting clean and complete combustion, and you’re not burning oil, you’re good to go. You need not worry. You’re good for life.
If you’re driving a '64 Fairlane you need not worry. You’re putting out some carbon, but there’s no cat converter, EGR orafice, MAF sensor, IAC or anything else to get messed up.
If you’re worried about your “carbon footprint”…forget it. People obsesssed with their “carbon footprints” will be obsessed with them for the rest of their lives no matter whet happens. There is no cure. Just remember that we are carbon based life forms and perhaps you’ll sleep better.
Thank’s. Its an 06 Ranger 4x4
That helps. As long as you keep it maintained and running properly you need not worry.
Carbon is actually the leftover carbon molecules after the hydrocarbon (gasoline) molecules split into hydrogen and carbon, each bonding to oxygen to form carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. If carburated cars, the fuel was not nearly as well “misted” as it is in modern cars, and not all of it got fully combusted. Carbon uildup was an issue. In modern cars, the fuel is misted into much finer droplets, and thet means that it’s almost totally combusted and that less of it is needed to get enough power. The more fully and rapidly you burn the fuel, the more of its power you get to use as torque and the less gets wasted.
properly operating new engines do not have carbon buildup problems.
“properly operating new engines do not have carbon buildup problems.”
…except in the minds of service writers at car dealerships, who manage to sell this outdated concept to naive and unsuspecting customers!
True. Sad, but true.