Oil rinsing, not flushing

[oilstained]

Did a search with no significant results.

In a previous vehicle, I performed 2 engine flushes using a brand name Engine flushing agent. This is the type of product where I pour it in the engine, run it for a number of minutes, then drain. Refill with new oil and filter.

Fast forward to now, I thought about not flushing, but instead rinsing. And what I mean by rinsing: First, drain out old oil, refill with new oil and filter (Call this Batch 1) and run the engine for a number of minutes, then drain. Second, refill with new oil and filter (Batch 2). I'm also intending to keep Batch 1 oil and filter set for a future rinse.

 

[Zee09]

I'd just shorten your oil change intervals. I see no benefit to this other than more wear and tear on the vehicle.

 

[userfriendly]

I think that you would be better off running an oil for a thousand miles instead of the rinse cycle you described.
I’ve performed rinse cycles on neglected diesel engines using good used oil from a gasoline engine for the rinse oil.
The engine oil drains out like black paint, the first rinse not quite so black and the second rinse still black, but transparent.
Drain until the last drop has dripped and refill with your favourite engine oil or Rotella.
To clean up an old gasoline engine, I’ll do a short run of a thousand miles or so with a HD group one SAE 30 or 40 like Delo 400, weather permitting.

 

[berniedd]

Did a search with no significant results.

In a previous vehicle, I performed 2 engine flushes using a brand name Engine flushing agent. This is the type of product where I pour it in the engine, run it for a number of minutes, then drain. Refill with new oil and filter.

Fast forward to now, I thought about not flushing, but instead rinsing. And what I mean by rinsing: First, drain out old oil, refill with new oil and filter (Call this Batch 1) and run the engine for a number of minutes, then drain. Second, refill with new oil and filter (Batch 2). I'm also intending to keep Batch 1 oil and filter set for a future rinse.

As an experiment, I have tried your proposed method exactly as you described it. Ended up using the rinsing oil 3x on my engines before I deemed it too dirtied and spent (I figure about 3/4 quart of old oil remains in the engine that mixes with my rinse oil) . To be on the safe side, I filtered that rinse oil thru 3 layers of paper napkins inside a large funnel to remove particle contaminants (yeah, I got a lot of time) and then reused it as top off oil in another engine that used a quart every 2000 miles. In the end, I thought it was too much work and I never did it again.

 

[himemsys]

I've done something similar when I had leftover oils that I wanted to get rid of. I wasn't going to use them and rather than dump them, I filled my crankcase, took the car for a 50 mile highway drive, dumped the oil, then filled up with my intended oil.

 

[PontiacHO]

That does nothing. As mentioned several short interval oil & filter changes are better. Why that though??
Is the engine sludged?

 

[JavierH19]

There's always going to be some amount of oil in an engine. Lets say it takes 5 quarts known as the wet/service fill but dry/rebuild fill is 6.5 quarts. There's 1.5 quarts of oil in that engine that stays behind and some think it's productive to dilute that with fresh oil and drain again but it's silly. It does nothing and it's only necessary in lab conditions where you need to reduce contamination. And even the most aggressive engine flushes won't do anything in just a few minutes. The professional strength kits are ran for an hour or more. I'd stop and use a more detergent oil like Valvoline restore and protect 5w-30 and run it for 5k or less.

 

[ElectroMechanoMan]

I had to clean out an IH 504 tractor engine that had a blown head gasket. I used the cheapest straight 10 I could find and ran 2 “rinses” with that oil. Cleaned up nice and no engine damage from the coolant in the oil. It was about the only way I had to clean it out. In really old engines, they used to use either diesel fuel or kerosene to do an engine flush. I certainly wouldn’t recommend that today, but a light weight oil on a short interval would be OK.

 

[Fordiesel69]

What you describe is excellent to rid a contamination issue. Such as a water or antifreeze mixing with the oil. Otherwise run the oil 1 or 2 k miles and change it out. Curious what you are trying to solve? Did you perform a piston soak or something similar?

 

[Rand]

Did a search with no significant results.

In a previous vehicle, I performed 2 engine flushes using a brand name Engine flushing agent. This is the type of product where I pour it in the engine, run it for a number of minutes, then drain. Refill with new oil and filter.

Fast forward to now, I thought about not flushing, but instead rinsing. And what I mean by rinsing: First, drain out old oil, refill with new oil and filter (Call this Batch 1) and run the engine for a number of minutes, then drain. Second, refill with new oil and filter (Batch 2). I'm also intending to keep Batch 1 oil and filter set for a future rinse.

if your oil is so crusty you think it needs flushed or rinsed just change it earlier IMO.
The only rinse I've ever done is with oil I was going to discard(age) and neglected OPE type engines.

 

[FoxProTwisty]

Why not just change the filer instead? Dump oil, change filter, run fresh oil for a half dozen heat cycles, change filter again.

 

[Ride_Red]

What are you trying to achieve?
Are you are just rinsing the old oil out to have a 100% clean, fresh fill?
Or are you trying to clean the engine? If cleaning, then pour a bottle of Rislone in with your "rinse oil" and drive it for a while.

 

[barkingspider]

Try your rinse plan and let us know if you can tell a difference

 

[oilstained]

No, I’m not experiencing or notice any engine issues. I just didn’t find much info on this topic here. I’m going to avoid supplemental chemical treatments when possible.

Lots of good responses from all of you. My 1 time rinsed used oil can top off DW’s 2007 RAV4. It has the oil burn issue and goes through 1 quart per thousand miles.

 

[Oliveoil2]

Did a search with no significant results.

In a previous vehicle, I performed 2 engine flushes using a brand name Engine flushing agent. This is the type of product where I pour it in the engine, run it for a number of minutes, then drain. Refill with new oil and filter.

Fast forward to now, I thought about not flushing, but instead rinsing. And what I mean by rinsing: First, drain out old oil, refill with new oil and filter (Call this Batch 1) and run the engine for a number of minutes, then drain. Second, refill with new oil and filter (Batch 2). I'm also intending to keep Batch 1 oil and filter set for a future rinse.

Why?

 

[Sberry]

Good way to end up with a problem you didn't have before you started. I can find something wrong on most cars without having to invent one.

 

[Cmobile]

@ Oilstained

Short OCI is better, oil temps get hotter, higher RPM slings oil under valve covers. Even 300 mile OCI


when I have done a few short OCI's on a used car purchase i do a modified flush.

• Drain used oil
• Replace oil filter
• Refill with cheapest oil 1 grade thicker. 5w30 to 10w40, or even higher
• Add your favorite engine flush and follow directions
• Then perform oil/filter change as normal.

My reasoning is, I don't want to add flush to used oil and potentially loaded oil filter.
Clean oil, new filter and flush is my choice.

I rarely do flushes , but when I do, it is with clean oil.

 

[Plawan]

Did a search with no significant results.

In a previous vehicle, I performed 2 engine flushes using a brand name Engine flushing agent. This is the type of product where I pour it in the engine, run it for a number of minutes, then drain. Refill with new oil and filter.

Fast forward to now, I thought about not flushing, but instead rinsing. And what I mean by rinsing: First, drain out old oil, refill with new oil and filter (Call this Batch 1) and run the engine for a number of minutes, then drain. Second, refill with new oil and filter (Batch 2). I'm also intending to keep Batch 1 oil and filter set for a future rinse.

Waste of time and oil. I personally like to do an engine flush once in a while. Never let my engines get sludged or cruded up though so I don’t have the concern of excessive large chunks breaking off do to the flush.
If your engine isn’t super dirty I’d just do the flush.

 

[blain450]

Old school...
1. Drain oil
2. Run oil through a loaf of bread
3. Replace drain plug
4. Pour filtered oil back in engine
5. Top off oil level with new oil out of can
6. Be on your way