PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - Delco X-66 de-carbonizing agent

stevebfl · #40 07-15-2001, 10:03 PM

Who me? I am normally against the use of most additives. I haven't put anything in the oil of any car I have owned in the last 30 years. The only thing I have against them is that they cost money.

But thats not the question. Actually, I'm not sure what the question is. I do believe in the product's capability to reduce carbon. This is a useful capability. I might recommend it to those with 100k on most any engine. Its great benefit is that its cheap. The BG folks make a very good product but they get near 15 wholesale for one dose.

Personally, I think the Motovac does a better job, but people gotta get a lot for the service based upon the price of the equipment.

Overuse of most additives is usually just a matter of the cost of the additives. Improper use here can cause engine damage. I think the largest risk is in the technique. If you use the aerosol the flow rate is regulated. I never do it that way and I could swear the two products do not smell the same. I only use the poptop version for the internal cleaning with the aerosol used for throttle bodies/plates. If done carefully there is little risk. The mechanisms for removing carbon include softening, dissolving and smashing. It's the smashing that is not safe for those without experience which includes everyone including me. I don't know if you read the post where I talked about the old techs at the Chevy Dealer I worked at 30 years ago. They could mechanically dispense with carbon by flooring the throttle while keeping the engine at about 3000 rpm by drowning it simultaneously with water, carb cleaner, ATF, etc whatever was handy. It wasn't the detergent that was getting rid of the carbon but the mechanical force.

When I currently do decarboning it is usually an extreme case and I use a conservative mechanical approach using high amounts sucked into the plenum at low speed (1000rpm). I introduce enough to bring the speed to near stall and maintain this till the solvent is used up. I let it sit and then run the ***** out of it.

I believe that it takes skilled personnel to know when to use the product. I don't see much point in its use otherwise except maybe as a once every 100k service. There are products like Techron that do most of the same job through the fuel tank.

I think the warnings and fun used in this discussion should have gotten the point across. Please don't use the stuff unless for good reason, our atmosphere will thank you.

[Edited by stevebfl on 07-15-2001 at 10:12 PM]