Does anyone do this during an oil change?

[synthetic_crazy]

When performing an oil change, do any of you pour through a quart of new oil after all the old oil is drained out? I have heard this is a "flush", but I think it is a waste of oil. What do you think, is it beneficial?

For those of you who have performed this, does it actually flush any more dirty oil out than what is drained during the normal oil change?

 

[Hallmark]

It's a waste of time & resources. The path of the new oil from the inlet to the drain outlet likely only touches a minimal area within the engine.

 

[TallPaul]

I have never done that because 1) it's a waste, and 2) I doubt it achieves much.

Now what I do like to do during an oil change is sniff the new oil! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

 

[sciphi]

Waste of oil. Never done it, never will do it.

Except on a 3800 suffering lower intake gasket failure. Then it's a preventative measure, since a quart of oil is cheaper than an engine.

 

[DrDusty86]

It's so insignificant..
I don't want to waste my oil that is $9/Qt...
I NEVER have done that.
To me there would be MORE benefits to evacuating you AC and replacing you dryer once a year on your car.... It is crazy but I have thought about it
How does it help the 3800 series? just curious

 

[JOD]

personally, I prefer the water flush method.

Works like a charm. No old oil in there afterwards!

 

[ahoier]

I have heard of this.....but I think the possible old oil that new oil would "push out" would be very mininal...

I could see if the vehicle took 4.5 quarts, and you buy the 5 qt jugs, sure you have a half quart "extra" essentially....I could justify adding that....but I think the benefits would be minimal...

If you're that worried, better off taking a couple low mileage back to back OCIs....i.e.: 1500 mile oil and filter change, back to back...if you were really concerned of "mixing" say a conventional oil, with a esther-oil/synthetic on a "which over" from conventional to synthetic.


Or [censored], in the aforementioned example with the 4.5 quarts, I'd be more likely to SAVE that 1/2 quart, and empty the filter say 1500 miles into the OCI, then top off with all/part (based on dipstick level) of that 1/2 remaining quart....

Would seem more justifiable to empty the filter, than try "pushing" old oil through the drain hole with "virgin" oil

Or, [censored], just save the 1/2 quart of oil, and use it for the off chance that you need a top off....


You get the jist, lol. But no, I can't see dumping new oil down the fill hole, in hopes of pushing out the old oil....

 

[cmf]

Originally Posted By: JOD
personally, I prefer the water flush method.

Works like a charm. No old oil in there afterwards!


Rofl I love the first reply.

I don't see the point of pouring a quart through. If it's really that dirty in there, save the quart and run the oil through for a shorter period.

 

[qdeezie]

The best way I see to drain old oil is to jack it up on the opposite end of the drain plug if that makes sense. For instance, if the drain plug is on the driver's side, jack the vehicle up on the passenger side to give it an angle to drip out. And let it sit and drip for an hour or 2 or even overnight until there's no drips. You'll get close to 100%.

The only other way to get 100% of the old stuff out is a short OCI

OR.....

Fill it up 1/3 to 1/2 full with the recommended amount of oil and start it up and run it for 10 or 20 mins.......lol, hey if the old lady that drives with her vehicle 3 or 4 quarts low at highway speeds and all across town can do it for weeks, 20 minutes at idle can't hurt, right?

 

[Spazdog]

I had a friend who would do that in high school. Except he would do it with 5 quarts

The purpose wasn't to flush anything. It was because he forgot to put the drain plug back in.

Then he would call me or another friend and ask us to bring him more oil.

 

[dwendt44]

Ya a waste. Tried it once, went in and right back out.

 

[HTSS_TR]

No, never did and never will. But I tried this and get few more oz of dirty oil: blow air with a hair drier into the fill hole for a minute or 2.

 

[Slick17601]

That's called the "Patman flush". He used to do that with a couple quarts of oil.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: synthetic_crazy
When performing an oil change, do any of you pour through a quart of new oil after all the old oil is drained out? I have heard this is a "flush", but I think it is a waste of oil. What do you think, is it beneficial?

For those of you who have performed this, does it actually flush any more dirty oil out than what is drained during the normal oil change?

In order, no, it is a waste, it isn't of any benefit, it won't flush anything out.
If you think that things are that dirty, run a few short changes using cheap oil.
This would do more to clean out the engine than dumping any amount fresh oil through it.

 

[Eddie]

I think it was common practice in the 40s & maybe 50s. My dad used to put a quart of kerosene after draining to get the sludge out on his 1941 Pontiac. Today that is a waste of time and money, especially with engine oil. JMO.. Ed

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
It's so insignificant..
I don't want to waste my oil that is $9/Qt...
I NEVER have done that.
To me there would be MORE benefits to evacuating you AC and replacing you dryer once a year on your car.... It is crazy but I have thought about it
How does it help the 3800 series? just curious


WHEN a 3800 Series II blows its lower intake gaskets or upper intake manifold and pukes antifreeze into the cylinders, helping the antifreeze out of the oil pan is a very good thing! It's common practice in that case to have the oil plug out, a drain pan underneath, and to bathe the lifter valley in a few quarts of cheap oil to flush out the gross amounts of antifreeze remaining in the oil pan. The minute amounts left after that are taken care of in the 2-minute oil change one does after buttoning up the motor after replacing the failed gaskets. Hopefully one was fast enough to save the rod bearings and the crank from getting grenaded by the antifreeze mixed in with the oil.

That's a very specialized case, not something to do every oil change.

 

[Jakegday]

Originally Posted By: JOD
personally, I prefer the water flush method.

Works like a charm. No old oil in there afterwards!


OMG!! THANK YOU!!!! i saw that link years ago and about a month ago wanted to find it again but for the life of me couldnt.. think i originally saw it in the grand prix forums, since thats what the guy drives now (or at least then). from what i remember theres a link in that thread to the original thread where the person told him to do this... thank you!

 

[TallPaul]

Originally Posted By: JOD
personally, I prefer the water flush method.

Works like a charm. No old oil in there afterwards!


Gotta be a fake post. Nobody can be that stupid, right?

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

I didn't read all the way through to see if there's a punch line. But if it is not a joke, I can't believe the boy posted his picture as an avatar.

 

[cp3]

WOW....just wow. Some people should have their hoods welded shut!

I used to do this sometimes....the liter flush, not the water!

I can say it pulls out some dirty oil as the oil wouldn't come out the bottom as clear as it went in, not right away at least. You could see the trails of dark oil or dirt in the clean oil coming out. I don't believe it really makes any difference at all though and started seeing it as just a waste of oil.

I agree with the other posters, if you think it's dirty a couple shorter OCIs will probably do as much if not more.