LC piston soakers and LC flushers come in

[Shaman]

I have seen a few people that have done this(TheTanSedan). Please post
Car
Mileage
Piston soak or flush
Was it effective
How did you do it(pull the spark plugs, etc)

I have not seen a post assigned to this, and wanted to see how widely used it was.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Piston saoks are very effective with any solvent! I have done it mostly with lawn equipment and tractors but it works well on cars adn trucks as well!

The flush I am not so sure about. I did it the first time I used lube control but cut it back to 8 onces because one engine (2003 Toyota Camry)only had 16,000 miles on it and the other(1997 Buick Lesaber) had been through an Auto-Rx treatment at 109,000 miles and a solvent flush at 120,000 miles!

It did not make any difference in the new engine at all because their is nothing to clean out! In the old engine it was running fine so their was no problem to solve either. It did turn the oil really dark really quickily in the older car. The older car that has had the Auto-Rx had a lot of varnish in it especialy the head area when I bought it. The Auto-Rx did not touch the varnish at all but the LC did a nice job of reduceing it. None of my engines have any sludge.

I think the key to useing LC properly is to think of it as a low dose longterm preventive maintence item!

 

[oilpan49]

I've been wondering about this myself too. Don't quote me on anything here but I'm almost sure that the dosage for a piston soak is supposed to be 2-4oz in each cylinder. Let it sit overnight then fire it up and let it run for about 15mins.

I know I'm not exactly right here so as said before, don't quote me on any of this. I would love to try this and see how well it improves my truck,,,,,AR

 

[Dr. T]

I'm really wondering why all this poo-pooing of 5 min. flushes when auto-rx can't seem to touch varnish???

The bottle of Gunk 5min. flush I have says "use at every oil change"...it can't be that harmful...and something out there has to be able to dissolve varnish...

 

[oilpan49]

Dr.T, Auto-rx doesn't contain any solvents. It's a natural cleaner and therefore can't touch stuff like varnish which requires a solvent to remove.

This is where LC comes in. It does contain solvents but not so much that it'll eat up gaskets and seals.

Both products are very good at what they are designed to do. But when your talking about varnish, depending how heavy it is on your engine, then a solvent based cleaner such as LC would be in order.

Don't know much about "Gunk" so can't really comment on it much. Other than won't it dilute the **** out of your oil and make it really thin?? I've learned most OTC engine flushes do this. But this is just me. Sorry to get off topic,,,,,AR

 

[Shaman]

the only thing i hvae seen first hand is a friend cleaning his lower intake and fouling his plugs. He pulled them out and covered the plug holes with paper towels. That was some nasty stuff, and it was only about .5 oz each piston for maybe 10 minutes. the only question I have is how will soaking a v-shaped motor(plugs on the side, facing downward, differ from inlines(plugs facing up) I would be interested in trying it on my next vehicle, right before doing a plug and oil swap

 

[TheTanSedan]

Yes, I've used it successfully on a number of cars: old, carb'd jobs and the OBD-II current ones.

The latest was an Olds Intrigue V6-3.5L (new sparkplugs, air filter, PCV and fresh oil change) brought a long-distance return trip to highest mpg yet. Hope to see high oil consumption come down.

The vehicle most posted on, 2001 Jeep Cherokee, is ready for third annual air filter/sparkplug/LC overnight piston soak. Then a change to dino with ARX treatment.

Have an '01 Dodge Ram V8-318 with 92k (new to me) that has had 6-ozs initial and 3-oz 750-mile renewals of LC since purchase 6k ago. As much compression braking as traffic and safety allow.
That, and FP, have definitely sharpened throttle sensitivity. Can't wait to pull sparkplugs. Just have to finish a house remodel and get sale closed next three weeks.

The original "MolaSoak" thread from 2002 is the basis for this, and is done without the fear of products like "Gunk" simply cutting dirt. LC dissolves it. No valve covers removed on newer cars, but observed dirt is largely gone.

 

[MolaKule]

quote:

---

the only question I have is how will soaking a v-shaped motor(plugs on the side, facing downward, differ from inlines(plugs facing up) I would be interested in trying it on my next vehicle, right before doing a plug and oil swap

---

I first used the "MolaSoke" on my 350 V-8, since it started using a biit of oil and I suspected a few stuck rings and valve stem steals slightly hardening. After removing spark plugs and oil pan drain plug, I poured about 2 ounces of LC into each cylinder. I also poured LC onto the pushrods, the lifter and lifter bores, and the valve stem seals and guides using a Turkey Baster. I let it soak for one hour and then turned the crank by hand about one or two complete revolutions. I then poured in about two ounces more per cylinder and onto the valve train as above, and let it soak overnight.

The next morning, the LC had run past the rings and the remaining oil that had come out of the rings and the crankcase was absolutely black.

Make sure all the LC in the cylinder has run past the rings before replacing spark plugs.

And oh yea, replace the oil and filter before firing up the engine.

 

[Shaman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by MolaKule:

quote:

---

the only question I have is how will soaking a v-shaped motor(plugs on the side, facing downward, differ from inlines(plugs facing up) I would be interested in trying it on my next vehicle, right before doing a plug and oil swap

---

I first used the "MolaSoke" on my 350 V-8, since it started using a biit of oil and I suspected a few stuck rings and valve stem steals slightly hardening. After removing spark plugs and oil pan drain plug, I poured about 2 ounces of LC into each cylinder. I also poured LC onto the pushrods, the lifter and lifter bores, and the valve stem seals and guides using a Turkey Baster. I let it soak for one hour and then turned the crank by hand about one or two complete revolutions. I then poured in about two ounces more per cylinder and onto the valve train as above, and let it soak overnight.

The next morning, the LC had run past the rings and the remaining oil that had come out of the rings and the crankcase was absolutely black.

Make sure all the LC in the cylinder has run past the rings before replacing spark plugs.

And oh yea, replace the oil and filter before firing up the engine.

---

Alot of good info in there, but a few questions. YOu let the oil drain overnight? Did you dilute the LC, or did you go through half a gallon. Would diluting harm anything?

 

[SyntheticShield]

Im glad I ran across this post, I was kind of thinkning about this myself, but have some questions.

1. I add 2oz of LC to each piston and let it soak over night. I just start it up the next morning right? Do I need to change the oil after wards? Im using Amsoil 0W30 with a dual remote bypass system in a 2000 Ford Focus.

2. Is there going to be any harmful effects on the catalytic converter?

3. Wouldnt steady use of FP do the same thing, or is that not going to have an effect on cleaning up the combustion chamber?

4. Is this going to foul my plugs and require that they be changed out as well?

5. How often should this process be done?

Thanks in advance for the help and insight. Ive heard people talk of doing this before and had always wondered about its benefits and such but just never had enough information (didnt ask a lot either or Im sure I would have learned) to go on to do it myself.

 

[MolaKule]

quote:

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You let the oil drain overnight? Did you dilute the LC, or did you go through half a gallon. Would diluting harm anything?

---

I let the oil "drain through" overnight. Diluting reduces the effectivenss of the carbon solvency.

Never assume you can just start the car up after this procedure. Always check to see if the LC has run past the rings, or you may get hydrolock.

Problems with plug fouling? No. After you start the engine up you run it until it quits smoking and let it warm up and take it for a drive.

No cat problems after complete warmup and short drive.

FP will probably keep the CC carbon in check but only the LC soak would clean the rings and piston crown.

I only do this procedure if say after changing plugs, the borescope indicates a lot of carbon of buildup or I have low cylinder pressure readings.

I would recommend using ARX before this procedure to try and free up the ring pack and condition the seals. This procedure is very smelly and potentially messy, especially if you turn the crank and LC is pushed out by the pistons on a V-6 or V-8.

The reason I had to do it was because I had a Rochester carb on a Rodded Burb get rich on me and carbon up everything. Replaced the Rochester with a Holley Spreadbore.

[ January 28, 2005, 09:50 PM: Message edited by: MolaKule ]

 

[Shaman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by MolaKule:

quote:

---

You let the oil drain overnight? Did you dilute the LC, or did you go through half a gallon. Would diluting harm anything?

---

I let the oil "drain through" overnight. Diluting reduces the effectivenss of the carbon solvency.

Never assume you can just start the car up after this procedure. Always check to see if the LC has run past the rings, or you may get hydrolock.

Problems with plug fouling? No. After you start the engine up you run it until it quits smoking and let it warm up and take it for a drive.

No cat problems after complete warmup and short drive.

FP will probably keep the CC carbon in check but only the LC soak would clean the rings and piston crown.

I only do this procedure if say after changing plugs, the borescope indicates a lot of carbon of buildup or I have low cylinder pressure readings.

I would recommend using ARX before this procedure to try and free up the ring pack and condition the seals. This procedure is very smelly and potentially messy, especially if you turn the crank and LC is pushed out by the pistons on a V-6 or V-8.

The reason I had to do it was because I had a Rochester carb on a Rodded Burb get rich on me and carbon up everything. Replaced the Rochester with a Holley Spreadbore.

---

Couldn't you just pull the plugs and turn it over a few times to get most of it out through the plug holes?

 

[SyntheticShield]

Originally posted by MolaKule:

quote:

---

Never assume you can just start the car up after this procedure. Always check to see if the LC has run past the rings, or you may get hydrolock.

---

Thanks for your post MolaKule. I dont have a scope to look down in the combustion chamber, but I guess a pen flashlight would suffice for a general inspection.

What would one do if the LC has not run past the rings?

I would like to try Auto RX, but Im getting some good long term data on the 0W30 and bypass system and I hate to drain that stuff out right now and I figured this would be an interm thing until I get down the road a ways in mileage and decide to change out the 0W30.

 

[MolaKule]

quote:

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What would one do if the LC has not run past the rings?

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I would rotate the crankshaft again both CCW and CW to get the rings to flex a bit and to allow the LC to work on the ring pack some more.

And don't use the starter to rotate crankshaft. If there is LC in cylinder, it may be slung out as a spray or squirt and make a mess.

This is a procedure that calls for patience and some vehicle down town time, so schedule accordingly.

 

[SyntheticShield]

Thank you MolaKule. I definately plan to take the vehicle out of service for a day or so and let the LC do its job. Im curious as to just how much it cleans out.

I got a full flow filter change coming up in about 1000 miles so I figured this as good of a time to do it as any. Get all the junk cleaned out and hopefully trapped by the oil filter and then change it out and add the make up oil.

Okay MolaKule, thanks for your insight and help and for all the information in this thread from everyone. Is there anything else I should consider before taking this on. Id like to report back with some results and what have ya, but I dont think I could get very good pictures for visual reference, but I'll try and get some info back and post here, if there is anything else I should consider, then post it up. If not then I think this afternoon I'll offline the vehicle and start the treatment.

 

[T-Keith]

Anyone think this would be a good idea for this engine if the problem is Blow-by?

 

[MolaKule]

Your main problem is fuel dilution and extended drains, not blow-by.

Could be cold weather or O2 sensor. Use FP or Techron or something and do another UOA.

 

[T-Keith]

quote:

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Originally posted by MolaKule:
Your main problem is fuel dilution and extended drains, not blow-by.

Could be cold weather or O2 sensor. Use FP or Techron or something and do another UOA.

---

Just researching some possibilities. There is a FP in it now, and the fuel system has been tested. I haven't found other UOA with that much fuel, so nothing realy to go on.