Is running "Engine flush" before a change legit?

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I've heard of some sort of "engine flush" that you add to your oil right before you do an oil change. You're supposed to have the car warm, add the fluid, then idle for about 5-10 minutes. It's supposed to dissolve contaminates so they don't precipitate to the bottom or other surfaces.

Are these sorts of things legit? Or are they a bunch of snake oil? (Or Lucas Oil. Haha)

If this IS a good idea, what products would you guys recommend I look for?
 
I wouldn't trust 99% of them on the market. A good oil like M1/PP will clean up a good amount of sludge/deposits on their own. I'd not recommend using them at all.
 
That's what I thought.

I've used Pure Plus for every oil change since I got this car. This time I'm using the high mileage stuff, which is supposed to have more detergents as well as gasket swellers.

I'll also see about dropping the oil pan this time. Is that a worthwhile endeavor? I figured I could clean out any accumulated particles off the bottom.
 
I've tried both the Nissan engine flush and store brand flush in my sister-in-law's sludged up Nissan KA24E. If anything they made timing chain and valve noise worse.

She didn't know the oil needed to be changed once the warranty expired and the dealership stopped calling her to remind her. It went around 15,000 miles on Nissan genuine oil recommended for 3,000 mi. normal service or 1,500 mi. severe service. I changed the timing chain and she promptly went another 15,000 miles on garbage Roshfrans Racing oil, and trashed the new genuine chain. It has a Cloyes in it now that is trashed from sludge so I thought I would try flushing products before changing it again.
 
Originally Posted By: OpenClose
That's what I thought.

I've used Pure Plus for every oil change since I got this car. This time I'm using the high mileage stuff, which is supposed to have more detergents as well as gasket swellers.

I'll also see about dropping the oil pan this time. Is that a worthwhile endeavor? I figured I could clean out any accumulated particles off the bottom.


No. If you've been changing your oil regularly and using quality stuff, fuggedabout it and move on.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: mclasser

No. If you've been changing your oil regularly and using quality stuff, fuggedabout it and move on.


I would add this: AND you don't have any reason to think you have a problem.

If you are burning oil, have smoky pipes, have had a pan or VC off and seen signs of past long usage and coking, then you could still possibly benefit from it. If your car in your sig is what you are talking about, and it's always been cared for, there's little reason to do it. If you have a car of unknown history, have some worries/see some signs, etc. - it can indeed help.
 
Originally Posted By: OpenClose
I've heard of some sort of "engine flush" that you add to your oil right before you do an oil change. You're supposed to have the car warm, add the fluid, then idle for about 5-10 minutes. It's supposed to dissolve contaminates so they don't precipitate to the bottom or other surfaces.

Are these sorts of things legit? Or are they a bunch of snake oil? (Or Lucas Oil. Haha)

If this IS a good idea, what products would you guys recommend I look for?


I've used flushes before. Don't waste your time and money. Use a better oil to clean any problem engine.
 
IMO, Techron or Gumout before an oil change...yes. Engine Flush if the car is maintained...no. Years ago, I used Berryman B12 for that purpose but I'd be scared to use that in the same way today.

Oil and oil detergents have moved on and unless there's a maintenance or mechanical problem, there likely isn't a reason to just line someone's pocket and not move on with them.
 
I've done supertech oil and seafoam or ATF. Never drive it just idle it and change again. Not sure if it did actual good but it was fun to see brand new oil come out black.
 
The only way i'd even consider a flush, is if i have seen the head with the valve cover off. If there is a lot of sludge, you risk plugging up the oil pickup screen.
 
Originally Posted By: Cardenio327
I've tried both the Nissan engine flush and store brand flush in my sister-in-law's sludged up Nissan KA24E. If anything they made timing chain and valve noise worse.

She didn't know the oil needed to be changed once the warranty expired and the dealership stopped calling her to remind her. It went around 15,000 miles on Nissan genuine oil recommended for 3,000 mi. normal service or 1,500 mi. severe service. I changed the timing chain and she promptly went another 15,000 miles on garbage Roshfrans Racing oil, and trashed the new genuine chain. It has a Cloyes in it now that is trashed from sludge so I thought I would try flushing products before changing it again.


Many years back (around 2008) my youngest son was dating this girl and she had mentioned her car was getting really loud. I walked out and looked at it and out of curiosity I checked them miles on the car. Out of the corner of my eye I seen a oil change reminder 22k miles past due. I asked her if she's been changing the oil and she said yes. Figured the shop just forgot to remove it and add a new one or they where just to lazy.

Anyways I asked her when was the last time she had the oil changed and she told me when she got the car 2 year ago.. I ended up chaning the oil on the spot and never seen a drain plug so clogged in my life.
 
Originally Posted By: 3800Series
Many years back (around 2008) my youngest son was dating this girl [...]


It's funny that you caught it rather than your son, lol.

~ Triton
 
I ran an AMSOIL FLUSH at 75k when I switched from Dino to synthetic. The oil that came out was very orangish.

I now run Mobil1 and my last UOA was superb.
 
I've never understood the fascination with removing old oil; frankly, it is in the engine protecting it 1 minute before the drain plug is pulled; for some reason people think it flashes to grinding grit the moment the drain plug is pulled.

Special kudos to those who let it drain for hours. They are getting the remaining 2 drainable ounces out (the horrors of leaving it in) when there is probably 12-16oz still in the engine.
 
I used BG109 twice on the sled, around 185kmi or so. It's even a turbo motor, but no worries. I did it as a clean-up after fixing the PCV system. One of the vac hoses had broken and left the oil reeking of gas. I'd also been doing 10kmi synthetic runs, changing the oil filter every 5kmi.

It does a good job. Cut the oil viscosity to zero and it came flying out the pan drain hole like water.
 
I have used motor medic flush on old and/or high mile vehicles I have owned. All vehicles ran normal afterwards. I can only assume it did some cleaning inside the engine. I never used it more than once on each vehicle. Usually when I first purchase the vehicle (used)
 
I've used diesel on an engine that was literally filled with sludge, and got away with it...I thought it was toast, but worth a shot and it worked.

I don't advocate either that OR solvent flushes.

Talking to a mate at length today, and he mentioned his son's burnout car using a well worn (apparently not well maintained) LS...put an alky carboy on it, and started running it.

Alky obviously got past the rings, as it does, and a couple of weekends later, lost oil pressure...the alky had loosened the years worth of grunge, and the screen was plugged.
 
We use a flush at work on any car that's 10,000km or more over on an oil change, haven't lost one yet. I got my Levin with no oil on the stick, put a couple of litres of HDEO and a litre of degreaser in it, still running 6 months later. I got the Volvo with more than 30,000km on the oil, it got the same treatment and still running.
 
The fine print on most of those flushes advises to "check oil pickup screen prior to operating vehicle" or something like that. What a crock. Don't use any of that stuff.
 
I have used it without causing a problem, however, I am not sure how well it removes sludge and varnish.

On abused cars, it removes so much sludge so quickly that the oil pump screen gets covered with engine sludge and quickly ruins the engine. I saw it happen to an early Toyota RAV4 that went 12,000 miles without an oil change.
 
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