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Engine oil flush required or not?


harryd

Engine Flush  

4 members have voted

  1. 1. Engine flush after 60k - 80k is required or not?

    • Yes
      0
    • No
    • Yes, but after 100,000 Kms
    • Yes, but after 150,000 Kms
      0


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I have Accord with 84,000 kms and every time I send for service since a year, the service adviser ask for engine flush and I say no. I have done my independent research on this issue as engine flush like Bilstein, Gunk Motor Medic, 3M, liqui moly etc. and other products are required or not and every time answer comes with 60% (No) and 40% (Yes). Some says that engine oil regular oil change is best cleaning agent than running thru any flush. Engine flush guys says that engine oil filter cant soak particle less than 25 microns so over the period of time, its good to use engine flush to get properly cleaned. Other guys say that this little slug is good and if engine flush remove all slug in one go, then engine might run rough or in some extreme cases break down and require rebuilt even.

So this never ending puzzle is hitting my head on every service and I like to know what you guys are doing here? 

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Hi harryd,

There are times when engine flush can help, such as when there are visible deposits of sludge, but after treatment, the cause of the sludge formation must be found and corrected. 

The problem with engine flush additives is that it thins out the oil, and some of it remains behind in the engine, where it thins out the new oil as well. Another problem is that sometimes, the engine flush does not fully dissolve all the sludge. In some cases, it only loosens the sludge, or breaks it up into smaller pieces that can block the oil pick-up, starving the engine of lubrication, so yes, it can destroy your engine. 

Sludge can never be good for any engine, no matter how little there is of it, and you are right in saying that regular oil changes is the best way to keep an engine clean. Stick to one brand of oil, and it should never be neccessary to use any sort of engine flush, and certainly not after 80 000 kms. The service adviser is just trying to make some extra money, so don't let him put engine flush into your engine unless there is a very good reason for it.

Remember though that using different brands of oil can cause serious sludge formation, because of the fact that the additives used in different oil formulations are often not compatible. When additives are not compatible, they cancel each other out, which means that the detergents that should keep the engine clean, stop working.

 It can also happen with additives that are designed to reduce friction. If these additives cancel each other out mechanical wear is increased, resulting in premature engine failure.

The engine flush guys are wrong when they say that oil filters cannot filter out particles smaller than 25 microns. Good quality oil filters can filter out particles as small as 5 microns (and sometimes smaller), but it depends on the type of filter media. Filters that use paper don't work as well as filters that use polyester wool, but in all cases, a good quality filter should catch anything between 5 and 7 microns in size.

Some cheap Chinese oil filters let through particles as big as 30-40 microns, so avoid cheap filters like the plague. 

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Hi VijeshRedronic,

A quick question- how do these flushing machines remove all of the engine flush liquid from the engine? How can the operator be sure that there is none remaining in the oil pump, crankshaft, camshaft(s), or in the variable valve timing mechanism? 

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Stick to one brand of oil, I have heard this point before and thanks hanif, for making a reference for me to reassure I do that.I am using always original Honda oil filter and change Oil little earlier than the kms advised.

@VijeshRedtronic can you please share the contact of any good garage who do this, I need to check few more stuff. Thanks.

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Engine flush is only (MAYBE) needed after 100k kms, when you have so much chances of engine building the sludge or deposit retention of micro particle. Usually engine oil filter if you are using original filter will do very good job in filtering those micro particle. And any reasonably good engine oil as per car manufacturer specification will provide enough cleaning and lubrication required.

If you skipped some service, or delayed it noticeably then you might get an engine flush otherwise no need IMHO.

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  • 5 months later...

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