What is the cause and solution?

[FowVay]

I routinely cut the oil filter open after I change the oil in my inlaw's Hyundai Elantra. This car always has a ton of carbon in the filter pleats and settled in the bottom of the filter housing.

What do you think causes this engine to produce such amounts of hard carbon? I have used Castrol mineral oils in the viscosity of 10w30 predominantly over the 65,000 mile life of this car. Is the oil getting cooked in the ring pack?

The car runs fine and the PCV system is maintained. What do you think causes the excessive carbon and what do you believe would help prevent this? I'm wanting to use a heavier viscosity synthetic oil for a few intervals just to see how the filter looks.

Any ideas?

 

[CharBaby]

What are the OCI's ? Is the filter being changed at each OCI ?
Try a different brand of 10W30 and maybe even a different brand of filter!
I wouldn't use a heavier weight of oil. What you are using now is perfect for that car and climate, even though Hyundai allows a 10W40 for many of their vehicles including the Elantra.


I've been to Columbus and Atlanta and it's hot this time of year but any decent 5/10W30 should do well in Georgia for 3-5000 mile OCI's. Really, I have no answers, just 02 cents. If you weren't opening the filter, there would be no questions or concerns. But since you have opened the filter(a good thing I suppose) we need to get to the bottom of this. I too am a bit curious!

 

[Rickey]

Maybe the oil is some how getting cooked as you suggest.
Changing to a synthetic might prove this theory.

Good luck Sir.

Rickey.

 

[Lonnie]

Are you running a bit rich on the mixture some where from cold start to highway driving. Before you change the oil to try and mask the problem you should get some help, from checking the air filter to a check of the fuel and smog components.

 

[Gary Allan]

Visible deposits falling out of suspension in the filter is odd. Not unheard of, but not common either. You may just be seeing backwash from a less than perfect ADBV. I would do an Auto-Rx treatment to assure that the engine is clean and see if the condition increases/decreases/stops. That will show if it's existing deposits being dislodged or those being continually produced. I'd also check out other filters to see if the condition changes.

 

[bruce381]

hot spots make coke or carbon as you call it. normal oil splash will wash off, a full syn will help or shorten OCI,s.

bruce

 

[FowVay]

Thanks for all of the input. The filters are definitely of interest. The drain interval on this car is 5,000 miles and I am using a batch of filters that came from Wal-Mart a few years ago. While the anti-drainback valve appears to be in soft, pliable condition there is no way for me to know how it's working under operating conditions.

I will definitely start using a different brand of filter and try to shorten the interval to 4,000 for starters.

 

[Tosh]

Are you really qualified to determine that it is in fact carbon? Seems possible (and maybe likely), but aren't you jumping to conclusions without an analysis?

 

[Master ACiD]

the filter is doing its job. relax.