I think that's a bit over doing it. Even the dealer only suggests an 'engine flush' every 25k miles. I'm putting it in the gas every other month for injector/tank cleaning though. Also, if you put a catch can on your intake, you shouldn't need to 'de-carbon' it nearly as often... or at all.

 

Decarbonizing is done is order to remove carbon deposits from the cylnders of your engine. It is necessary to remove the carbon deposits as they can cause pre-detonation (pinging or knock), rough idle and possibly and incomplete burn of the air/fuel mixture (and other things as the car's computer tries to compensate for variables).

This may be more info than you want but ...... the carbon deposits form on the valves, pistons and in the combustion chambers due to contaminants being introduced. The contaminants are comprised of air borne particles (thru the air intake), oil that makes it past the oil control rings, poor fuel quality and EGR & PCV systems (depending on the year, make model of vehicle).

The introduction of SeaFoam thru the intake helps losen and remove these deposits, hence your car will run smoother and accelerate as it was designed to.

One major issue I think is a contributor of carbon deposits specifically in the C5's is that some LS1 engines have piston skirt knock. This is not good for the seating of the rings and the result is that oil makes it past the oil control rings. We end up with more oil in our combustion chamber than we normally would so more deposist are formed in these engines.

A suggestion may be to use SeaFoam on a regular basis ... like every 3 tanks full or so, so that you are regularily cleaning your combustion chambers as you drive. In addition, your fuel system will be cleaner as well which will help with idle quality as well as a more even spray pattern from your injectors.

Sorry I've been so long winded but a short answer wouldn't really answer your question.

G-Man

 

G-Man, thank you for the response. I have one more question based on your information. Even though I use sea foam or techron fairly regularly should I even worry about decarb if I have no knocking or pinging noise?

 

I don't think I'd really worry as much as I would just do the things necessary to keep my engine running at its optimum level. Using SeaFoam or Techron regularily will help do that. Also, keep in mind, low rpm in-town driving will contribute to carbon build-up. Once in a while you just gotta get on it!

G-Man

 

Fortunately I drive it every day and for the most part it is "highway" driving. The evenings around town a little but 50+ miles at 70 mph and then a few get on it and go efforts

Again, G-Man thanks for the response and information.

 

OK. so here's my question. When you use this stuff and all that spent carbon and crud is lifted out of the combustion chamber the next day....doesn't it go straight into your Cats?

Seems like a good way to clog up the matrix to me.

 

Its pretty much a liquid at the point when you start the car. Then it turns to smoke . Then you the go pedal and blow the out the tailpipe under load. Your tailpipe will say and then your engines teeth will look like this

 

You get an A+ for use of smilies on that one

 

Tru 2 dat. I don't think I've ever seen that many faces in a post or e-mail!

 

That's

 

Not sure about cats but myself and others have had 02 sensor failure soon afterwards........


DH

 

Thats what happens when you spend 12 hours at work doing nothing, except maybe dabling on CF.