Engine Flushing

[Jersey Royal]

Hi Folks,

 

Does anyone have any experience of using a Engine Flush, one that you put in the oil to clean up any deposits within the engine, run the car a few miles then carry out oil change /filter etc.

 

Any particular product recommended?

 

I have read that its not relly a good thing to do with an older engine as it may cause more problems?

 

Any thoughts will be appreciated as always

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Guy

Edited January 30, 2007 by Jersey Royal

[Guest ron]

Guy

Personally I don't think it's a good idea, I think you could end up disturbing crud that would be better left where it is, I haven't seen flushing oil on the market for a number of years now either.

Ron

[boxer]

Dont do it i think most flushing oils are quite thin if you over rev the engine you will do the ends in.Change the oil and filter give it a good run then while its still hot change it again

Bob

[Richard Crawley]

Don’t do it; any crud in there has probably been sitting around minding it’s own business for years & the last thing you want to do is to start dislodging lumps of it to get trapped in the oil ways, especially if your giving it a pasting! Only clean the galleries & oil ways as part of a total strip down & then have it chemically cleaned!

[robgeev]

We add a flushing additive to every Land Rover we service, and have had no problems at all.

 

Ideally, additive to warm engine, fast idle for a bit. Leave draining, fresh oil and filter, fast idle again. Drain again. Replace oil+filter again.

 

Alternatively, as the largest part of the crud will be in the sump anyway, why not drop the sump and give it a proper clean? Then remove rocker shaft, strip and clean through.

 

Then give it an oil change, then another in a couple of hundred miles.

 

Rob.

[Jersey Royal]

Thanks, Ron,Boxer,Richard,Alec and Rob,

 

For all of your replys, i think that knowing my luck i would be the one to have a piece of crud stuck somewhere it shouldnt .

 

So i thinks i will drain out old oil , take off the sump , have a good look about and clean up,replace ,carry out oil change and new filter.

 

Have had a look through the rocker cover cap and the nuts are cearly visible in that a mean they are not blobs of black or coated in black. So i think it probably doesnt need a flush any way.

 

Regards

 

 

Guy

[Guest ron]

Hi Guy,

I've used it for 40 years, on dozens of engines - from 1920s to relatively modern units, petrol and diesel. Invariably with beneficial results, and some of those engines went on to do starship miles. I've also known of it being used on literally hundreds of engines.

 

 

Alex, the only thing I can ask is why? I've never used it, never felt the need to use it, I can possibly see a use in the days when oil technology wasn't what it is now [ie pre 60s] but otherwise I think it's a waste of money. Any high mileage engines I've built in the last 20 years haven't shown any great signs of having needed it anyway.

And if I remember right in the days when car hand books told you how the car worked rather than how to work the toys it was quite common to see 'We recommend you don't use flushing oil'

Ron

[RobinTR6]

Hi Guy,

I've used it for 40 years, on dozens of engines - from 1920s to relatively modern units, petrol and diesel. Invariably with beneficial results, and some of those engines went on to do starship miles. I've also known of it being used on literally hundreds of engines.

Alex, the only thing I can ask is why? I've never used it, never felt the need to use it, I can possibly see a use in the days when oil technology wasn't what it is now [ie pre 60s] but otherwise I think it's a waste of money. Any high mileage engines I've built in the last 20 years haven't shown any great signs of having needed it anyway.

And if I remember right in the days when car hand books told you how the car worked rather than how to work the toys it was quite common to see 'We recommend you don't use flushing oil'

Ron

recently 'flushed' mine and the engine had only done 4k in previous 15 years. Refilled with new oil and filter, 3k miles later still no issues so havent had a 'crud' removal problem yet. Actually thought I'd have the other problem in an engine that had dopne so little for so long hence the flush in first place

[RobinTR6]

Hi Guy,

I've used it for 40 years, on dozens of engines - from 1920s to relatively modern units, petrol and diesel. Invariably with beneficial results, and some of those engines went on to do starship miles. I've also known of it being used on literally hundreds of engines.

Alex, the only thing I can ask is why? I've never used it, never felt the need to use it, I can possibly see a use in the days when oil technology wasn't what it is now [ie pre 60s] but otherwise I think it's a waste of money. Any high mileage engines I've built in the last 20 years haven't shown any great signs of having needed it anyway.

And if I remember right in the days when car hand books told you how the car worked rather than how to work the toys it was quite common to see 'We recommend you don't use flushing oil'

Ron

recently 'flushed' mine and the engine had only done 4k in previous 15 years. Refilled with new oil and filter, 3k miles later still no issues so havent had a 'crud' removal problem yet. Actually thought I'd have the other problem in an engine that had dopne so little for so long hence the flush in first place

[dykins]

I think that I'm a little confused on this

 

I know that in my local Halfords I can buy a can of Wynn's Oil Flush (at about £3.99) which I have used every year when having my 4's oil changed. You just pour it in a warm engine - almost like you would use an additive - and run it for at least 20 minutes then change your oil as per normal. If you have had your engine recently rebuilt then surely it is a good idea to prevent the crud from forming in the first place. I accept that in an old, well used engine you might not want to do this though.

 

Some of you appear to be refering to a flushing oil which seems to take the place of the original oil. I'm not entirely sure which Guy is asking about, but I suspect it's the additive.

 

But anyway, what is the opinion of using products such as "Slick 50"? Does anyone think that that is worthwhile?

 

Regards

 

Peter

Edited February 1, 2007 by dykins

[Guest ron]

I don't think flushing oils are necessary nowadays because of the more sophisticated oil technology [if it ever was], ie if you use good quality oil, changed regularly as recommended, there should be nothing to flush, on the other hand if the engine has been neglected by previous owners for donkeys years flushing oil isn't going to cure it. Instead of using flushing oil with it's limited lubricating qualities buy a modern high detergent oil and clean it out with that. [although personally I wouldn't!]

I think these products try to take advantage of car enthusiasts love for their baby and wanting to do the best for it, there have been all sorts of concoctions marketed over the years, using the same phsychology, as far as I'm concerned they aren't needed, if they were the car manufacturers would have used them but at least in most cases the only harm they do is to your wallet.

Ron

[vanflyer]

In reply to peter's question about Slick 50, there were reports floating around that suggested that these additives actually cause more engine wear! Exactly opposite to their claim.

Make what you will of this, but I figure that the actual benefits of reduced fuel consumption, weighed against possible engine wear doesn't warrant the cost or the chance that this might be true. I am sure Slick 50 would despute the claims but if it is so good why isn't it put in by the manufacturers instead of them spending money on ceramic or chromium bores?

 

http://skepdic.com/slick50.html

[hogan1945]

Please don't do it ,good oil change several times will work just fine.

[Richard Crawley]

But anyway, what is the opinion of using products such as "Slick 50"? Does anyone think that that is worthwhile?

All you need is good quality oil to the car manufacturer’s spec. changed at least to the recommended service intervals. I believe such potions & mixtures, along with 'magic pellet' fuel catalysts, are merely designed to relieve the gullible enthusiast of their hard earned cash; you might just as well throw in some old witch doctors bones!

 

There have been numerous controlled experiments & trials carried out by various motoring authorities over the years (for the fuel catalyst in particular) & none of them have given positive results to prove the manufacturers claims. Practical Classics, in fact, would never accept advertisements for them but I’m not sure if that’s still the case.

[Jersey Royal]

Thanks Guys,

 

For all you advice, am going to take off sump and clean and a couple of good oil changes.

The engine itself does not burn oil and runs very well, i just wondered if it was something worth trying.

 

Probably the time to use an engine flush would be when engine has deteriorated etc and you have saved all your pennys just in case you are unfortunate enough to be the one whos engine gets knackered.

 

Cheers

 

Guy

[Guest ron]

The reason manufacturers recommend you don't use flushing oil is because of it's limited lubricating quantities.

When you drain an engine there is anything from half a pint to a pint or more old oil remaining in the galleries, oil ways and various other nooks and crannies. When you drain the flushing oil this remainder dilutes the lubricating qualities of the fresh new oil that the manufacturers have spent years perfecting. If an engine has been so badly neglected that the oil galleries are blocked it's a rebuild with the block cleaned in a caustic bath that's needed [or a trade in ]

 

Ron

[jemgee]

I think Ron makes a valid point about the traces of flushing oil left in the nooks and crannies. I am thinking of doing an oil change on my 7 using the the cheapo thin multigrade available from any motor factor, go for a quick 10 mile thrash, drain whilst hot and then change filter and use a branded oil. Hopefully the result will be as good as flushing oil without the risks.