Amsoil Engine Flush

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I'm thinking about doing an engine flush on our 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. I've read every post here I could find about the topic. I know it's a hotly debated issue but my question is about the Amsoil engine flush.

As I understand it, they came out with a newer version which isn't solvent based and is really just detergents. This seems to be a lot safer to use as a flush to me.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to find a lot of posts about experiences people have had with the newer Amsoil flush.

Has anybody here used it? If so, what were your experiences?

Thanks.
 
I'm not a fan of flushes. If the engine is not terribly sludged, oil should clean it. If it is terribly sludged, then an aggressive flush could loosen too much at once and plug the intake screen of the oil pickup tube. I would just use oil, or if you are really wanting a additive, marvel mystery oil( as its less of a solvent and slower at cleaning). But mmo is not that necessary with modern oils unless sludge is present.
 
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Have you pulled a valve cover to see if it really needs a flush?

Amsoil flush is good for (and safe) for gooey sludge. If its hard or crusty or baked on, it will not do much. And there is always the chance it will loosen a hard piece of baked sludge and that will clog the oil returns to the drain pan. Unlikely buy catastrophic if it does.

Best to use a quality synthetic to do the cleaning,
 
I doubt the 3.3/3.8 is sludged.If its using oil,thats normal for the longer stroke 3.8
 
Originally Posted By: Tony_Mack
I'm thinking about doing an engine flush on our 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan. I've read every post here I could find about the topic. I know it's a hotly debated issue but my question is about the Amsoil engine flush.

As I understand it, they came out with a newer version which isn't solvent based and is really just detergents. This seems to be a lot safer to use as a flush to me.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to find a lot of posts about experiences people have had with the newer Amsoil flush.

Has anybody here used it? If so, what were your experiences?

I have used the Amsoil engine flush and liked it, but now I use the the Napa engine flush because it works great and is cheaper in price and convenient to purchase at any Napa store. (It is also not solvent based)
TOTO.

Thanks.
 
I bought a bottle but haven't used it yet. My reasoning is the bobcat hadn't had an oci in 10 years. I've changed it 3 times in 50 hrs and just this last time it wasn't completely coal black. I'm hoping it will clean it quicker.
 
I haven't pulled the valve cover so I don't know about sludge. I know we haven't taken good care of this engine in the past and I'm sort of trying to catch up.

I've recently switched to synthetic oil and I'm doing a few short (3K) OCI to try to clean the engine up a bit but I thought a flush might be a good idea between one of those changes.
 
The only flush I have ever used is 5 minute motor flush. I use it on my Dodge every oil change. Never had a problem. One day in 40k miles when I pull the valve cover we will see if it worked or not!
 
Originally Posted By: JD4440
I bought a bottle but haven't used it yet. My reasoning is the bobcat hadn't had an oci in 10 years. I've changed it 3 times in 50 hrs and just this last time it wasn't completely coal black. I'm hoping it will clean it quicker.


Unless I'm reading you all wrong, 50 hours is no time at all. I can't imagine any kind of sludge after so few hours, 10 years or not. Besides you changed the oil 3 times. I have a power washer well over 25 years old with three times the hours, the engine insides are spotless. The oil was changed every 30 hours, regardless of time, IMO you have nothing to worry about.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Have you pulled a valve cover to see if it really needs a flush?

Amsoil flush is good for (and safe) for gooey sludge. If its hard or crusty or baked on, it will not do much. And there is always the chance it will loosen a hard piece of baked sludge and that will clog the oil returns to the drain pan. Unlikely buy catastrophic if it does.

Best to use a quality synthetic to do the cleaning,





Wow. Scare tactic much.




Op
I've not used this particular product HOWEVER amsoil is in my opinion a brand that can be trusted,therefore I don't believe they would produce a junk product which could soil the name and reputation for quality that comes with the amsoil name.

I used amsoil for years and only stopped because I couldn't justify the added expense based on the intervals I choose to run.
So follow the instructions and fret not.
 
I agree with Donald. While it is unlikely for something to go wrong, on a neglected system a flush may lead to catastrophic failure. The same thing happened with transmission flushes.

While the flush manufacturers will claim that the flush will dissolve everything and is therefore safe, do they offer unconditional warranties ie no matter the state of your engine, no sludge will remain undissolved and potentially affect oil returning?
 
I often use Sea Foam at 1 oz per quart of motor oil for a flush. I have done a 20 minute idle or 20 mile low RPM drive. Never had an issue but once saw some very low oil pressure when doing the 20 mile drive. As was noted an engine would really have to be sludged up not just dirty because it had not been changed in 10 years to cause a problem I expect. Once our home generator went 18 years without an oil change but it was running the initial truly full synthetic version before the court case. It was black but there was NO sludge. Bought a 1980 used Nissan B210 station wagon in 1986 with about 50K miles that had heavy sludge under the valve cover. By removing the cover I was able to get a lot of it out and I followed up with a few short OCI. It cleared up and stay cleaned. Someone had done a lot of stop and go driving in Memphis. Most all of our trips are 20 miles or much longer and have never seen any sludging even at 7K+ OCI with dino. Now one quick change place told me they have seen a few over the years where they had to use a screw driver to get the oil to drain after removing the oil pan plug. That would concern me greatly.
frown.gif
While I have not seen it one shop said he saw an oil pump pick up sump stop up due to new oil causing sludge to start moving too fast. As others have posted a real fatal failure from sludge would be very rare in the real world but possible.
 
I would use the Amsoil flush as a test to see just how dirty the engine may be.

If the oil oil does not not darken considerably, then you have a fairly clean engine.

At least with a flush you get rid of the flush when you drain the oil, unlike some people who run flushes like MMO, between OCI's.

Quote:
...I often use Sea Foam at 1 oz per quart of motor oil for a flush. I have done a 20 minute idle or 20 mile low RPM drive. Never had an issue but once saw some very low oil pressure when doing the 20 mile drive...


Flushes aren't supposed to be driven. Fifteen to twenty minutes idles are max and then drain.

Sea foam is an alcohol in a very thin oil. Be careful.
 
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If you change your oil on time, there should't be any sludge, and as such no reason to do an engine flush.

I'd suggest an engine flush for the people that do 20k OCIs on cheap oil without any knowledge of what's going on behind the scenes.
 
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