Is is necessary to decarb your engine?

I have a '99 Explorer Sport with normal driving conditions and 54,000
miles.

I took my Explorer into the dealership today because the check engine
light was on. They hooked it up and I needed a new exhaust sensor.

They also recommended the following:
* fuel injection service
* decarbon engine
* fuel filter
* air filter
* rotate tires.

I said no to all of that, but went by Autozone after I left there and
bought an air filter. The old air filter was a little dirty, but not
even close to dirty as I thought it would be. I have never heard of
decarbon engine, would anybody recommend that? Is is a mistake to pass
on the fuel filter and injection service?

i have a 2000 xls and it as been to the dealer before the have never even
mentioned any thing like that to me it says right in the owners manuel
that the fuel filter should last the life of the engine you should go to
autozone and get the codes from that check engine light and post it on
this site i bet you that every thing mentioned above is a possible cause
for the cel

FWIW, all of the Ford maintenance literature I have seen recommends a 30,000
mile fuel filter change interval under "normal" operating conditions. You
may want to recheck...


"mab6680" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
>i have a 2000 xls and it as been to the dealer before the have never even
> mentioned any thing like that to me it says right in the owners manuel
> that the fuel filter should last the life of the engine you should go to
> autozone and get the codes from that check engine light and post it on
> this site i bet you that every thing mentioned above is a possible cause
> for the cel
>

Failures of oxygen sensors are rare, but not impossible. Typically the last
thing to suspect, but if replacing it the problem, and without knowing
anything else, we must conclude that they were right.

At 54,000 it's certainly a good idea to replace the air and fuel filters and
to rotate tires (they should have been rotated about six times by now, if
they are still original).

As for 'fuel injection service', unless they had a specific reason to
suspect clogged injectors (extremely rare these days), it can't hurt the
engine, but it can hurt your pocket. Those machines are bought by many to
make a quick buck. Put a bottle of Techron in the tank once in six months,
if you feel that cleaning injectors is going to bring you some benefit...
Decarbonize engine? Hmmm.... Any specific reason? Pinging or some such???
Guess it's a 'fringe benefit' of that injector cleaning service...


> I took my Explorer into the dealership today because the check engine
> light was on. They hooked it up and I needed a new exhaust sensor.
>
> They also recommended the following:
> * fuel injection service
> * decarbon engine
> * fuel filter
> * air filter
> * rotate tires.

i dont belive any of the filters can last the life of the car but i change
the plugs and fuel filter every 30k but it does say in the owners manuel
and the chiltons book that the fuel filter should never have to be changed