Engine Flush

[willfxp]

Are "engine flushes" still done (where they clean out all the oil and gunk in the engine)? I thought Jiffy Lube did these, but I don't think they do anymore (not on their web site). I was thinking about getting it done like that, instead of the manual way (auto-rx).

 

Thanks,

-w

[RyanZ71]

best way to flush out your engine is to change your oil, drive about 1000 miles, then change the oil again. I've heard people say that flushing your engine with the commercial cleaning system isn't a good idea, and that it's caused problems.

[asepgrad98]

The "flush" makes the oil really thin, thats great but no way it would all drain out therefore thining the next batch of oil a little.

[JayMan]

Why get those morons at J**** Lube involved? Yeah, they could bugger things up.

 

You can use over-the-counter flush solutions and do it yourself. In particular, Auto-RX is proven and has a good track record.

 

The old-fashioned "poor man's" flush is mixing 10% kerosene with a cheap 10W-30 oil into the oil capacity, running the motor for 30 minutes or so, changing the oil and filter, pour 2-4 quarts of cheap oil through to flush out the pan, refill with a cheap 5W-30 and new filter, run 30 minutes, drain and refill with the oil you normally use.

 

Is there any reason why you have to flush? Heavy sludge or varnish?

 

Remember with modern emissions controls, an engine "flush" usually creates oil smoking, and this can damage the O2 sensors and catalytic converters.

[Sierra 5150]

I agree, DO NOT get J***y Screwed involved! I personally have seen them botch up the most routine things. Anything above and beyond that would really be asking for trouble. If you change the oil regularly, it should never need flushing. I got a car for free that looked like it went a little longer than it should have between oil changes. It wasn't too bad. I did a couple of short interval oil changes with a good high detergent oil and it cleaned up ok.

[auto_god]

I'm not sure where you live, but the Costco Tire Centers here in southern Ontario do oil system flushes using a RENEW engine fulsh system. I am more partial to this type of flush due to the fact that any of the sludge & debris etc. that is cleansed from your oil system is removed from the engine prior to the engine being run again. Just adding an additive to your oil may clean some of the sludge & whatnot, but that same sludge is going to circulate through your engine again until you change your oil next time, or it plugs up your filter......not good!

[JayMan]

I'm not sure where you live, but the Costco Tire Centers here in southern Ontario do oil system flushes using a RENEW engine fulsh system. I am more partial to this type of flush due to the fact that any of the sludge & debris etc. that is cleansed from your oil system is removed from the engine prior to the engine being run again. Just adding an additive to your oil may clean some of the sludge & whatnot, but that same sludge is going to circulate through your engine again until you change your oil next time, or it plugs up your filter......not good!

Costco is right up there with J**** Screwed. Friend of mine in Winnipeg MB had some "routine" work done there once and as it turned out, he would have been much better off just pushing the car off a cliff. At least the car would have run better by just pushing it off a cliff.

 

Whether you use Auto-RX or the "poor man's flush" (Up to 10% kerosene in the motor oil fill), it will dissolve the sludge/carbon/varnish. Also commercial products like Esso System Clean. That's why it's SO essential to do immediate follow-up oil changes, as all that crap will plug the filter very quickly.

 

Get a case of the cheapest skankiest oil you can find, just because you'll need 2-3 oil changes almost back-to-back. The Auto-RX truly does work.

 

I've used synthetic oils for +22 years and have NEVER had sludge/varnish/carbon.

 

I did have a buddy with an older Cummins M series motor that ran the cheapest 15W-40 he could find. Despite my dire warnings of the soot loading that motor would experience. You know the drill: it "cost too much" to run Delvac 1.

 

He eventually experienced Bore Polishing from the thick carbon/varnish build-up in the ring land, particularly from the Top Grove ring which was obviously stuck.

 

In desperation, he drove it - barely - into my shop. We changed the oil and filters, substituting Auto-RX to the maximum dosage. Then fired that tired beast up and he left it outside the shop, with the hand throttle set at 1,500 RPM. It was smoking like one of those Mississippi river boats.

 

After 45 minutes, he pulled it back into the shop and we changed the oil and filters again. The oil had soooooo much soot it barely dribbled out. I feared we might have to drop the pan, an awful job, but eventually it all ooooooozzed out. The filters were completely plugged with a nasty black sludge.

 

We ran about 10 quarts back into the oil pan to try to flush the pan out, then refilled and put on new filters. He backed it outside and again set the hand throttle to 1,500 RPM for 45 minutes. Not near as much smoke this time, only like a coal-fired stove.

 

Back into the shop. You know the drill. Back outside. You know the drill. Repeat two more times.

 

He went through a case of oil filters and 12 pails of cheap 15W-40, but in the end it ran MUCH better. Then the final drain and refill to Mobil Delvac 1 5W-40. Although the Auto-RX couldn't possibly "cure" the Bore Polishing, it cleaned the motor up and it ran almost like new: considering what a rebuild would have cost him, he got his money's worth. He got 5 more years out of it.

 

So try not to get cheap with servicing. Remember that the API/SAE "Starburst" garbage does nothing to alleviate stuck rings. You need a good synthetic. In the end, you'll pay one way or another. Skimp now, pay later.

 

Once again, make sure to follow-up with 2-3 IMMEDIATE oil changes. Like, run the motor at higher RPM for 30 minutes or drive it for 10-15 miles, change the oil and filter: repeat. You do NOT wait until your next "normal" oil change!

[tmf6902]

I used auto RX on the blazer once, followed the directions, then I refilled the oil and let it run a while, and changed it again, just to make sure I got it all out. I really didn't see any improvement. There may have been, but it didn't make it run any better or worse.

[JayMan]

Well, in the case of that old Cummins, it was so full of soot and sludge anything would have helped. It did seem to make quite a bit of difference.

 

However, nothing in a can will compensate for tired rings, worn cylinders, etc. That's why proper maintenance is so important.

[willfxp]

I used auto RX on the blazer once, followed the directions, then I refilled the oil and let it run a while, and changed it again, just to make sure I got it all out. I really didn't see any improvement. There may have been, but it didn't make it run any better or worse.

That means you did a good job in maintaining it!

 

I bought my truck used, so I don't know how well it was maintained.

[tmf6902]

I wouldn't go that far LOL.....I bought it with about 110K miles on it, but I kept up with oil changes and all that stuff.....It still leaks like a biatch, and runs horribly....but when you got 180K on something who cares at that point.

[NothinButBowTies]

My owners manually strongly against having an oil flush done. I am just going to keep up with the oil changes and Mobil 1.

[Black02Silverado]

I used auto RX on the blazer once, followed the directions, then I refilled the oil and let it run a while, and changed it again, just to make sure I got it all out.  I really didn't see any improvement.  There may have been, but it didn't make it run any better or worse.

That means you did a good job in maintaining it!

 

I bought my truck used, so I don't know how well it was maintained.

Exactly. You took care of your vehicle and the Auto-Rx just helped keep it clean and did a little seal reconditioning along the way.

 

The Auto-Rx is one solid product that works. It does it over time, just like how your vehicle built up all that crap over time. You can't clean out the inside of a slugged up engine over a few quick fill and flushes with cheap oil. It just doesn't work that way. It would be nice if it did.

 

I would go the ARX route. It has made a difference in my father-in-laws North Star engine. Heck the treatment we did in it was just last week when we went down to Miami from here in NC. I changed his oil, put in the ARX and off on the trip we went. We got 30 mpg out of that 32 valve V8 doing 85 mph down I-95. Not bad and my father-in-law couldn't stop taling about that mileage. This was even running regular gas, even thought it says to use premium only. He just doesn't believe in running premium. (hey it is his car, I was along to provide the driving for him, he's 80yrs old) We did a total of 1676 miles down and back and that was perfect for a one time treatment of an engine under 100k miles according to the ARX site.

 

I'm waiting to see what the results are of the used oil sample I took. Will be interesting.

 

Wish they didn't stop making the Eldorado. That is one sweet ride.

[auto_god]

I have been reading this forum for a brief period of time & have been quite pleased up until this point at the lack of product bashing or dealer/service center bashing......perhaps I formed an opinion too soon. I find this type of activity pointless as the service & expertise level of different facilities can vary a huge amount from location to location. I'm sure there are Jiffy Lubes & Costcos that perform less than desireable service (these are the ones we always here about), but I'm sure there are also some very reputable Jiffy Lube & Costco locations, & I think it is unjust to those locations to lump them in with the hackers.

 

My 2 cents worth.

[RyanZ71]