Recommend engine cleaner
- Thread starter jdmfish
- Start date
What is a "high detergent" oil that cleans? Detergents in oil do not clean.
Valvoline Restore & Protect. Maybe change the filter halfway thorough on a vehicle with unknown history.
Do us a favor. If you opt for the Valvoline R&P or HPL EC route, just follow the directions and DO NOT try to "improve it" by adding something else like MMO or god knows whatever.
If you're looking for an additive for cleaning try Rislone's Engine Treatment.
I suggested that not too long ago and got blasted.
MMO like an old pedal moped. Fun to use until your friends find out your riding one.
I don't know if its fun to use or not, but it does have a solvent in it, regardless what some might say. That alone infers some sort of cleaning ability. Its so cheap compared to the other boutique products I put it in the "can't hurt - might help" catagory. JMO
Did you get blasted from the members that used it or from the members that did not use it?
It was not all at one point, but several here who don't use it took exception to it. They argued it does not clean, it is not a solvent, etc. Recently it was said its worth 75 cents, stuff like that.
Again, I am not necessarily a strong advocate for it. I don't think is magic or anything, but I do think its cheap and worth a try in some cases. Its been proven very safe when used as directed. "Can't hurt - might help".
Again, I am not necessarily a strong advocate for it. I don't think is magic or anything, but I do think its cheap and worth a try in some cases. Its been proven very safe when used as directed. "Can't hurt - might help".
Not necessarily, no.So you're looking for a solution to a problem that you may not have . Well , that's BITOG for sure .
It's no different than taking a vitamin for "maintenance" purposes because it could have positive effects. Or getting a tune up in a HVAC system. Or going to the doctor for a physical. Or, or, or.
You see, I rely on my body, to take care of my family. I rely on my vehicle to get me to work, so I can provide for my family. And vehicles are the absolute worst purchases anyone can make: and therefore, I want what I DO have, to last as long as possible, with as few problems as possible.
I think you're taking this a bit out of context. I'm looking to POSSIBLY spend $15 to potentially improve the condition of my engine in unknown condition because I just purchased it 2 months ago used.
It wouldn't be any different than going to a doctor, looking for a solution to a problem you may or may not have. Keep on keeping on brother
Trust me, I'm definitely not seeking financial advice from you
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
Well, yeah … only have one that is soon to approach the century mark - been using great motor oils - but it’s GDI and driven the hardest. I wanted to see or feel some confirmation around the pistons and rings. Plugs were funky at 90k …
Two rounds of EC30 with clean filters - now on VR&P …
I’m not even going 4X to upset/please the howler monkeys here …
Going to 3.5 HTHS after this …
I've used it in crankcase and fuel tank but don't know if it ever did anything.
My more concern now after reading many years is that it thins out the oil. I would rather have a regular better lubricating oil (or additive) if I have it in for longer term. I still have no issue doing a BG EPR flush, maybe the BG Dynamic if I thought other concerns.
From all here at BITOG a true piston soak with Berryman's if needed.
From my experience the HPL EC30 (and their oil) works for cleaning slowly. I don't have any motors that haven't had many things and recently HPL EC30 to try the VPR in. I did use VPR in FIL's Jeep but that motor only has 4700 miles on it. I'll probably keep running that since the old motor started using a lot and then got replaced. It also did have multiple syn blend and possibly conventional oil over teh years at indy dealer
My more concern now after reading many years is that it thins out the oil. I would rather have a regular better lubricating oil (or additive) if I have it in for longer term. I still have no issue doing a BG EPR flush, maybe the BG Dynamic if I thought other concerns.
From all here at BITOG a true piston soak with Berryman's if needed.
From my experience the HPL EC30 (and their oil) works for cleaning slowly. I don't have any motors that haven't had many things and recently HPL EC30 to try the VPR in. I did use VPR in FIL's Jeep but that motor only has 4700 miles on it. I'll probably keep running that since the old motor started using a lot and then got replaced. It also did have multiple syn blend and possibly conventional oil over teh years at indy dealer
Detergent, in this case, doesn’t clean. This isn’t laundry - the detergent in motor oil keeps things in suspension, but once sludge and deposits form, those same detergents have little to no effect.
The alkylated Napthalenes, and Esters, because they’re slightly polar, have better solvency of other polar compounds, like those in sludge and deposits. Better than say, PAO or mineral oil, and thus will break up those deposits, albeit very slowly.
The detergent additives are not the mechanism by which oils dissolve sludge.
So, the choice for the OP is to either use a solvent, like an engine flush, to dissolve and remove any potential deposits, or to run an oil, like HPL, or now, Valvoline restore and protect, with base stocks that are better at dissolving deposits.
VR&P , Rislone Engine Cleaner (both available locally) or HPL (via online) added to new oil are in order what I would consider . Products also available locally like Seafoam , MMO , etc. are perhaps best used in the gas tank and not in the oil .
I've more or less tried them all, I've never owned a sludged up motor but I have owned several high mileage vehicles bought second hand with noticeable varnish.
For laughs I made the most recent purchase (neglected 8th gen Accord 195k miles deep gold varnish) a test mule, ran Pennzoil Ultra Platinum with Rislone EC drained at 2k miles (because short trips and 1.5 years since change).
No noticeable effect on varnish.
Next I ran the new Mobil 1 EP blend with HPL EC 4.5k miles (really tried to put miles on it this time) replaced and cut open filter at 2k miles spotless, cut open second filter at drain basically spotless, a spec of carbon every few pleats but still clean filter and still looking new.
No noticeable effect on varnish.
Ran another Mobil 1 EP this time with MMO Synthetic (because why not) for 2k miles just to see what it would do and maybe clean out any look build up from the previous run with HPL EC. At 2k miles I decided to use a bottle of Liqui Moly engine flush, filter was clean no carbon no anything.
No noticeable effect on varnish.
Now I have an older bottle of Mobil 1 ESP when it still had the ester in it, I combined this with 2 bottles of Rislone EC, currently at 2.2k miles going to change at 3k. So far looking down the dipstick tube varnish is still as golden as ever, and I physically couldn't spot a difference if I had before and after photos from when I bought it to now.
I plan next to use Valvoline RP because why not, but from my experience what ever you see on the top end is always worse on the bottom end. Either this car has a deep varnish with no build up in it at all from 200k miles worth of dealership 8k-10k OCI or nothing really makes a noticeable difference quickly. Don't get me wrong not knocking anything I'll personally try what ever for the fun of it but I've yet to see anything which touches varnish personally.
I don't really like flushes, but I wanted to see if it would at least do something to the varnish, I'm debating on throwing in a bottle of BG EPR at the end of this OCI but I also kinda want this OCI to be a gentle rinse with esters without breaking chunks loose or clogging any of the VVT components in the motor. I only considered LM flush because every filter was coming out basically spotless, little to no carbon, no filter discoloration from the OCI's ever filter looks basically new (was using Fram Ultra).
My personal opinion is try whatever you want, but don't expect any miracles, tho I do like Rislone for the price and availability. Maybe try two bottles.
For laughs I made the most recent purchase (neglected 8th gen Accord 195k miles deep gold varnish) a test mule, ran Pennzoil Ultra Platinum with Rislone EC drained at 2k miles (because short trips and 1.5 years since change).
No noticeable effect on varnish.
Next I ran the new Mobil 1 EP blend with HPL EC 4.5k miles (really tried to put miles on it this time) replaced and cut open filter at 2k miles spotless, cut open second filter at drain basically spotless, a spec of carbon every few pleats but still clean filter and still looking new.
No noticeable effect on varnish.
Ran another Mobil 1 EP this time with MMO Synthetic (because why not) for 2k miles just to see what it would do and maybe clean out any look build up from the previous run with HPL EC. At 2k miles I decided to use a bottle of Liqui Moly engine flush, filter was clean no carbon no anything.
No noticeable effect on varnish.
Now I have an older bottle of Mobil 1 ESP when it still had the ester in it, I combined this with 2 bottles of Rislone EC, currently at 2.2k miles going to change at 3k. So far looking down the dipstick tube varnish is still as golden as ever, and I physically couldn't spot a difference if I had before and after photos from when I bought it to now.
I plan next to use Valvoline RP because why not, but from my experience what ever you see on the top end is always worse on the bottom end. Either this car has a deep varnish with no build up in it at all from 200k miles worth of dealership 8k-10k OCI or nothing really makes a noticeable difference quickly. Don't get me wrong not knocking anything I'll personally try what ever for the fun of it but I've yet to see anything which touches varnish personally.
I don't really like flushes, but I wanted to see if it would at least do something to the varnish, I'm debating on throwing in a bottle of BG EPR at the end of this OCI but I also kinda want this OCI to be a gentle rinse with esters without breaking chunks loose or clogging any of the VVT components in the motor. I only considered LM flush because every filter was coming out basically spotless, little to no carbon, no filter discoloration from the OCI's ever filter looks basically new (was using Fram Ultra).
My personal opinion is try whatever you want, but don't expect any miracles, tho I do like Rislone for the price and availability. Maybe try two bottles.
Surprised that you have varnish and nothing tried to date was making any engine cleaning difference at all ?
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