Synthetic oil clean better than engine flush?

[HBCALI]

Originally Posted By: J_Sap
Synthetic oil will clean an engine just much slower then an engine flush. The advantage of using synthetic is a slow clean that will probably not dislodge something that could damage the engine.

Even if the synthetic cleans away something that was hiding a leak the seal will start to get conditioned and will slow down eventually.


Very True. Most vehicle manuals do NOT call for "flushing". Flushes are usually something automotive shops like to push on "soccer moms" who dont know thier vehicle's requirements. In the defense of soccer moms, even some mechanics are oblivious to OEM reccomendations.

NO. Dont flush your engine or transmission unless your OEM or the OEM service department reccomends it. Flushing (if done poorly), could pottentially harm the engine with a sudden surge of contaminents. I would run a high detergent oil with short OCI's instead.

 

[AnarchyX]

Sorry about that guys.

I have an '02 GMC Envoy since it was off the showroom. i've changed the oil religiously every 3,000 miles and this is the first time I have gone over that (5,400 right now). I have never had leaks, but it does consume about a quart every 1,500 miles. So I guess I am just worried that going longer than I'm used to will cause sludge due to the long interval of changing the oil completely, or the filter of course.

 

[Durango]

Originally Posted By: AnarchyX
Just wondering what would be the point to doing an engine flush if every new synthetic says it'll clean out the engine on it's own.

Or are the flushes only for those who have actually had sludge or clogged engines/oil screens?

Just wondering because a flush seems like it could save money over going full synthetic, but at the same time, maybe it would be safer to get the same result from using synthetic.

Just wondering what the gurus and gear heads think.



AnarchyyX,

Flushing would depend on allot of factors in my book. If I bought a used car with no paper history of how it was maintained I'd give it a good flushing and stick in a semi synthetic and use it until the mileage indicates to change it to what I like is a full synthetic. This is all assuming the engine needs no major work.

Durango

 

[sxg6]

Can anyone here prove that synthetic oils do any sort of cleaning, or are we just talking out of our rear ends here? Probably #2, but I'll give people a chance to back up their statements.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: hisilver
Originally Posted By: electrolover
check out my wifes fill hole
......


Ha.



Uhhhhh......Hey Beavis,maybe you should have worded that a little differently.

 

[kcfx4]

maybe a few short ocis on mobil clean 5k or havoline dino?

 

[Audi Junkie]

I think a solvent flush is a good way to begin the process, followed by more dino oil and yes, synth...eventually.

Keep the solvents mild and the engines just at idle. You want to drain the sludge out after it 's dissolved, not spread it around while the solvent evaporates. The thinned oil cannot support the loads of normal driving at all.

 

[fdcg27]

I would not use a solvent flush in any engine.
My reasoning is that you may loosen up a lot of crud, which may then block the oil returns from the head, as well as the oil pick-up screen.
Bad deal.
Regular changes with any oil will clean up a sludged engine, if it can be cleaned up without a little surgery.
Removing the vlve covers and the oil pan is usually not easy, and I would avoid this minor surgery if I could.
If I thought I had a sludged engine, I would use a HDEO on 3K drains for a few changes.
That should clean things up pretty well, and you would then at least know whether the engine will clean up without some disassmbly.