Hey, I would like some feedback on wether or not a n engine flush- (the type where a vacume machine is used) would be a good idea for my max. Here are the stats.
My car is a 99 SE-L with 37.5k
I bought the car with 35k and have no idea how much care the previous owner had taken with it, although the car is incredible shape, so I would assume that some amount of reasonable care was used. i would like to switch to synthetic oil tomorrow. Because I am going on a road trip, I am getting an oil change. Would a good idea be to get teh engine flushed before I switch to sythetic? do you guys think that sludge should be a concern on a car with less than 40k?
Thanks for your help guys.

 

how much do engine flushes cost? i am considering doing it to mine, my car has 64k

 

I dunno,i ahve heard that the dealer does it for 100, but others say that a regular shop does it for about half that. For crying outloud, the dealer wants 108 bucks for a wheel alginment, so I guess the engine flush should be about 50 bucks ro so.

 

but is it really worth it on a car that only has 40K miles? If your engine already has sludge built up in it, thn I would probably go ahead and do it, but If there is no sludge, then dont do it...... lol... Thts the way I would do it......

As far as oil goes, I have switched to synthetic oil, and the car does run a little bit smoother....... Plus it gives more life between oil changes.........

 

You DON'T need an engine flush before you switch to synthetic.

No.

 

99.9% of engine flushes are BS and a total waste of money. Reminds me of people adding "fuel injector cleaner" every other fillup. There's no need.

Switch to synthetic and don't worry about it.

-RMB

 

I was told TO DO AN ENGINE FLUSH BEFORE SWITCHING TO SYNTHETIC. I used Amsoil's engine flush that you put in and let the car run for about 5 minutes then change your oil. This is what I was told to do. I have also used Gunk 5 minute oil flush before with good results. I would just go buy some gunk 5 minute oil flush and use right before your car goes into the bay to have the oil change. DO NOT PUT IT IN AND DRIVE TO HAVE YOUR OIL CHANGED. This is because it breaks the oil down as well as the sludge. Just put it in right before the car is taken into the bay.

 

Unscrew the valve cover oil cap. What does the valvetrain look like? Shiny aluminum or dark varnish? If varnished, go ahead and do it. If shiny, probably no need.

 

Baked varnish on the upper reaches of the head is not sludge. It is not necessarily an indicator for sludge. It cannot be removed with any quickie engine flush known to man either unless you want to flood the engine with hot MEK. Varnish up top also does no harm.

And for the love of God....


YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO ANYTHING BEFORE SWITCHING TO SYNTHETIC OIL.


There... now it's final...



-RMB

 

No varnish is not an indicator of sludge. But it's an indicator of infrequent oil changes and maybe abuse. WHICH IS an idicator of sludge. My old Ve motor had alot of varnish and the head bolts were FILLED with the stuff. So what has been your engine teardown experiences?

It's not 100% necessary correct. But even Amsoil's site offers the flush and even recommends it. Thus my suggestion.

Why would Amsoil and the host of other synthetic oil makers offer the engine flush and recommend it if it wasn't a good idea in some cases????

Any questions?
http://www.amsoil.com/frequent.htm#changeoil

 

Simple...same reason oil makers have us changing our oil every 3K miles...to make more money. If the car makers could benifit from frequent oil changes, they would recommend it to.

 

What kind of looney logic is that? Amsoil is the one company that avocates EXTENDED DRAIN INTERVALS. And you don't see them recommending it for ALL synthetic switches do you???

 

Well I do like to watch Bugs Bunny!

 

My car has 84,XXX miles. Yay or nay?

 

I am curious about switching though

 

I've completely torn down five motors in my time and done head work on many others.(One BMW, two dodge's, two toyota's)All were well over 100k, one Toyota at 230k. Three were run almost entirely with Mobil 1 of various weights changed every 3-7k. The other two with regular Dino oil also changed about as frequently according to the guys that drove them. None were ever flushed. All had noticeable varnish in upper head areas. The synthetics were amazingly clean otherwise. A paper thin sludge film on the pan of the Toyota's with the little Dodge motor looking almost new(if he hadn't tried compressing a cylinder of water).

The regular oil guys were much "dirtier" but there was no heavy accumulation anywhere. Maybe 2mm of sludge in the pan. In my own vehicles I've bought used, I always switch to synthetic right away. It seems the detergents in the synthetic clean most everything up eventually anyway, it just takes longer. I'd rather do that than dislodge larger pieces of stuff that could clog oil ports or whatever.

Unless you've had some problem with the PCV system or don't change your oil at least every 5-7k you should not have any problem, ever, with sludge buildup causing any problems for the average 200k life of a street engine....

Why do they sell them? 'Cause people buy them. 'Cause the most people usually see is peering in the oil filler hole and saying "Boy is that dirty". Or saying "Boy that oil on the dipstick sure is black". Same reason they sell "Slick 50" and "Duralube".

Save your $$$$$

-RMB

 

That sounds like a well educated opinion...

 

RMB. Don't equate me with the likes of people that are ignorant. I'm telling you how my motor was. I didn't get it until about 75k and I don't know how the previous owner took care of it. It had a good amount of sludge in the head bolts that the synthetics didn't clean out(after running Amsoil for over 5 years). My current low miler motors have upper valvetrains that are MUCH cleaner, indicating the owners changed their oil regularly(dino or on sytnthetics). Thus indicating a flush wouldn't be needed to switch.

Again, I didn't say if the upper valvetrain had varnish, IT MUST BE SLUDGED TO HELL, I only said it's was a possible indicator. You don't have any proof that using the flush would do any harm(only that you wouldn't do it). Your preference is not proof. It's just your preference.

Amsoil probably wants you to use their flush as to not to contaminate the new synthetic so fast(with the older oil/crap). This would set you up to use the extended drain intervals much better. If you DON'T use the flush, you would have to short changed the first oil change and THEN run the extended drains.

Again your reasons for the company to have the oil flush(at least Amsoil's product) is unfounded because they avocate the use of LONGER drains(to save $, not to have the consumer waste it).

 

Hey if it's any consequence to know, I would feel better by flushing the engine first. But that is only because I have this thing about everything being as clean as possibly and run as effeciently as possibly.