Is a top engine clean really ever necessary?
- Thread starter Darkfire
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Originally Posted By: Darkfire
Can't you just achieve the same thing by running a few bottles of Amsoil P.I., Redline SI-1, Gumout Regane All-in-One, or Chevron Techron Concentrate Plus?
Depends on the engine. Some engines like the Cadillac N* need it sometimes.
Nothing in the tank seems to help once it get to a certain point.
Can something in the tank prevent it? Possibly if you start using it when its clean.
Can't you just achieve the same thing by running a few bottles of Amsoil P.I., Redline SI-1, Gumout Regane All-in-One, or Chevron Techron Concentrate Plus?
Depends on the engine. Some engines like the Cadillac N* need it sometimes.
Nothing in the tank seems to help once it get to a certain point.
Can something in the tank prevent it? Possibly if you start using it when its clean.
Originally Posted By: Darkfire
Can't you just achieve the same thing by running a few bottles of Amsoil P.I., Redline SI-1, Gumout Regane All-in-One, or Chevron Techron Concentrate Plus?
In my opinion,
That's a debatable point and it depends on the type of engine. Everyone here posts pictures of the top of a sludged engine, when the real problem is the bottom. In 99% of cases if you drop the pan and clean the sump and oil filter screen and then do several very short OCI's with a high detergent HM or full synthetic, it will sort out a serious sludge case, assuming there is no turbo fitted.
If the engine has a turbo it must be cleaned top and bottom as per the good book, before using the HM or full synthetic, due to the danger of a blocked oil feed line, or even blocked oil filter.
The engine gurus I know have a rather negative attitude about sludge and turbos, because they say if the engine has been sludged up badly enough to need a full top end clean, the bearings have already been damaged to some extent and even if you clean the engine correctly the turbo won't last too long.
Can't you just achieve the same thing by running a few bottles of Amsoil P.I., Redline SI-1, Gumout Regane All-in-One, or Chevron Techron Concentrate Plus?
In my opinion,
That's a debatable point and it depends on the type of engine. Everyone here posts pictures of the top of a sludged engine, when the real problem is the bottom. In 99% of cases if you drop the pan and clean the sump and oil filter screen and then do several very short OCI's with a high detergent HM or full synthetic, it will sort out a serious sludge case, assuming there is no turbo fitted.
If the engine has a turbo it must be cleaned top and bottom as per the good book, before using the HM or full synthetic, due to the danger of a blocked oil feed line, or even blocked oil filter.
The engine gurus I know have a rather negative attitude about sludge and turbos, because they say if the engine has been sludged up badly enough to need a full top end clean, the bearings have already been damaged to some extent and even if you clean the engine correctly the turbo won't last too long.
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With some modern engines, they are Direct Injected only and do not have port injectors save perhaps a single cold-start injector [which, if it could be used all the time, would not be as effective as port injectors in my opinion]. So, running fuel system cleaner would not necessarily help with buildup on the valves but would still provide some efficacy on the combustion chambers. This is part of the reason why DI on the Lexus IS250, [which is DI only], has the carbon build issue. The IS350 is DI and port, so it doesn't have this problem. Lexus issued a CSP for model years 06-10 affected with the carbon build up[customer service program] that includes replacing the pistons and piston rings with tighter ones to allow less blow-by and to clean any build up on the valves.
Note that Toyota specifically uses the extra injector(s) for part throttle cylinder filling issues, not cold starting.
Back OT, many modern engines can develop a carbon knock, sounds remarkably like piston slap in some. These engines need periodic top end cleaner introduced through the fuel to clean the combustion chamber.
Probably most here would never need it.
Back OT, many modern engines can develop a carbon knock, sounds remarkably like piston slap in some. These engines need periodic top end cleaner introduced through the fuel to clean the combustion chamber.
Probably most here would never need it.
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