Engine Flush before Oil Change

[Sooner or later]

Use premium oil and filters. Change at recommended, or lower, levels. Not need for any additives or flushes.

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

Use premium oil and filters. Change at recommended, or lower, levels. Not need for any additives or flushes.

I am not sure that's true with some of the 'newer' engines. DI, high operating temps, thin oil from the OEM, oil can get cooked in new engines.

I have never flushed an engine, but I am not positive that it's a pointless exercise. I'm still undecided.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

I am not sure that's true with some of the 'newer' engines. DI, high operating temps, thin oil from the OEM, oil can get cooked in new engines.

I have never flushed an engine, but I am not positive that it's a pointless exercise. I'm still undecided.

Watch the video linked in #10. Very informative. What's Lake Speed Jr. know? Quite a bit, actually...certified lubricate expert, formerly of Joe Gibbs racing...knock NASCAR all you like, but those "good ol' boys" are like drag racers...they know engines. I remember asking Grady Clay where he got all his engine know how...he replied that he used to hang out at drag strips. (edit) In the video he mentioned that Gibbs racing used low viscosity oils...that was a surprise to me...I'd have guessed the opposite.

[speeder]

It is extremely desirable to have a clean engine with all oil and coolant passages clear and no sludge on rings, etc. The argument is whether it is smart to try to "flush" the gunk out or just keep it clean in the first place with regular oil changes. You also cannot discount the importance of using the best filter available.

Off-brand or store brand oil, (like the STP brand in Autozone), can be 100% as good as Mobil1 or other name brand oils. You need to learn how to read the back of an oil container, where the additives and certifications are. Filters are another story, however. There can be a huge difference in filtering between brands. There are studies done that are published online showing the ineffectiveness of K&N filters, for instance. I always only use dealer filters or known OEM brands for my old Mercedes cars, like Mann and Hengst.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Watch the video linked in #10. Very informative. What's Lake Speed Jr. know? Quite a bit, actually...certified lubricate expert, formerly of Joe Gibbs racing...knock NASCAR all you like, but those "good ol' boys" are like drag racers...they know engines. I remember asking Grady Clay where he got all his engine know how...he replied that he used to hang out at drag strips.

Drag racing guys know more about building powerful engines than anyone but let's face it, endurance isn't a big factor for them. Still, some of the most brilliant engine people are in that world.

[pwd72s]

Oil science has advanced far beyond the days of when I began driving...then, mostly single weight oils with a few additives. Multi weight oil was just coming onto the market, and nobody heard of synthetic oil...although it was out there, mainly military use.

[Por_sha911]

I laugh when I see a brand of oil brag that their brand is used by a famous drag racer.
Top drag racers tear down the entire motor after each run!

I am from the stone age (late 1960's - 1970's muscle cars). Back then motor oil was not very high tech. My `67 Chevelle Super Sport ran straight 50 weight. The technology of modern motor oil and the additives already in it is a amazing. I am very hesitant to put additives in since you can screw things up more than fix things.

I've been told motor oil flush can:
-dislodge deposits which will then clog up some other place
-create a problem because the deposits are helping the oil rings seal
-be a problem if it is not completely removed (how do you get it all out?)
-be just snake oil: there is no 'miracle in a can'.

Are they true? Dunno. What I do know is that I am very careful to do oil changes myself with the right oil and a quality filter. The max time on a car that doesn't get a lot of mileage is 1 year. Cheap insurance.

[Scott Douglas]

A friend got hold of an old Chevy pickup w/200k+ on it. Was fixing it up for his son to use out at the river to get his boat to/from the water.
We put a qt of Sea Foam in the engine and another qt in the gas tank before he drove it out to the river. As far as I know it's still running OK. This was over two years ago.

[MBAtarga]

Years back a co-worker used an engine flush product prior to an oil change. It ended up clogging the filter before he got to the oil change and cost him an engine replacement due to oil starvation.

[Scott Douglas]

Originally Posted by MBAtarga

Years back a co-worker used an engine flush product prior to an oil change. It ended up clogging the filter before he got to the oil change and cost him an engine replacement due to oil starvation.

Wow, that sounds like a seriously sludged up engine.

My first car, er vehicle, was a '58 CJ5 Jeep, F-head engine. The sludge in the lifter galley was so thick it could have passed for grease. It smoked like a m-@#$% and the pistons fell out when we undid the rod caps with the engine inverted on a stand. We had a really good laugh when that happened.

[M.D. Holloway]

I do not suggest it

[NY65912]

Nope

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

I do not suggest it

Close the thread. No further comments needed.

[Missed Approach]

One more data point- I purchased Miko (2012 Acura TSX Wagon 2.4L) new in September of 2012. Now with 304K miles, I've averaged 6,500 miles between oil changes. Never did any flushing or additives. Valve adjustment is recommended every 100K, so at 300K I asked the Tech to film the valvetrain. Oil consumption is now at 1/2 qt. every 4K miles. I'm not sure if that says more about Honda 4-cylinder engines, regular oil changes, or the non-use of additives.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by mbatarga

close the thread. No further comments needed.

+1.

[speeder]

Mike knows more about oil than the rest of us put together but to be fair, no one is really advocating for oil additives here other than the type that come already mixed in. I would only throw some Marvel’s or ATF in right before an oil change under rare circumstances.