Air in fuel causes incomplete combustion resulting in a range of performance issues and a loss of lubricity and viscosity causing mechanical damage.

Performance issues

Air pockets entering the engine’s combustion chamber do not combust evenly, throwing the timing off, causing inefficient burn or “miss”. Modern fuel injection engines require a predetermined amount of fuel to be available for combustion at the right time and so are particularly sensitive to the presence of air bubbles that throw off the engine’s timing. The symptoms of air contamination include:

· Lower fuel mileage

· More engine noise

· Loss of horsepower

· Inconsistent performance

· Dead spots

· Rough idle

· Labouring while pulling a load

· Increased emissions.

· Carbon deposits in the engine.

With all engines, carbon deposits will build up in the combustion chamber due to incomplete combustion. Localised carbon build up can cause overheating as carbon tends to “hold” heat, causing engine knock. Carbon deposit build-up can be further exacerbated by:

· Using low-quality fuel which often has contaminants

· Air to fuel ratio inconsistencies

· Stop and go driving in heavy traffic or an inconsistent driving manner.

Symptoms of carbon build-up specifically include: failing sensors from fouling black smoke from exhaust system, rough idles and hard starts, engine misfires and decreased acceleration and performance. The use of X-Carbon regularly will continuously help clear out such carbon deposits, improving or maintaining near new performance and protecting the engine from further damage.

Mechanical damage

Incomplete combustion due to the presence of air in the fuel causes a build-up of carbon deposits in the combustion chamber and alongside performance issues, it can cause substantial and irreversible engine damage. Damage can include cylinder indentation and scoring, injector fouling, build-up on the intake valves, engine failure, overheating and hot spots in the combustion chamber damaging parts and mechanisms, corrosion, wear, critical component failure, air flow disruption causing engines to operate outside engine management specifications and problems caused by inconsistent air-fuel ratios affecting long term reliability.

Any area of the engine where a consistent fuel flow is required to ensure its smooth functioning can be affected by fuel cavitation damage, as fuel containing air has a reduced lubricity, increasing the chances of metal-on-metal contact. Also, entrained air can cause greater pressure in the combustion chamber.

For vehicles with injector nozzles, air can cause excessive cavitation leading to premature failure. A degree of “implosion” is also created within the injector housing, loosening microscopic metal particles from the tip’s interior. The gear pump will also experience a degree of galling and scoring due to entrained air. As the fuel goes through the injector tip at high pressure the dissolved air in the fuel implodes and explodes with great force, eroding the injector tip, resulting in breakage.

Using X-Carbon regularly will reduce the air in the fuel and improve and maintain engine performance as well as reducing engine damage, resulting in less maintenance issues.