Engine Flush...?

[Jon Bradbury]

Can anyone tell me how I can flush gunge from my engine without dismantling it? I was thinking of filling it with turps and cranking it for a while.

 

Sounds pretty wild I know, but its done 100k and probably needs it...

 

Its a 2.0l DOHC jobbie, and it hasn't got any ancilliaries attached (apart from the starter & gearbox) - its just sitting in the chassis at the mo'

 

Cheers

 

JonB

[Big Jim]

I can only tell you what an Oil Company Chemist told me once. When my daughter bought an old Fiesta, and asking me to "give it a service Dad" After dropping the oil, I couldn't get any new oil into the top of the engine, so deciding to take the rocker cover off, I've NEVER seen anything as bad in my life (& I have worked on some pretty grim stuff) there was carbon built up that much, you couldn't see the rocket shaft. she didn't want to spend any money on it, so stripping and rebuilding it was out, as she'd paid very little for it, just for a knock about for a few months. Anyway I got onto this Chemist type person who worked for a petroleum company that ryhmes with Hell, he said the best way, with an old engine, once you've scrapped away as much crap as possible, is to run it on the cheapest 20 - 50 oil you can get your hands on, and change it every 1000 miles, with the filter every 2000 for as long as it is still washing crap out when you drain the oil. Once happy, use some decent 20 - 50 stuff.

[Joel]

You can buy an engine flush from the usual places (Halfords etc), that you add to the old oil and run the engine for 10 -15 minutes before draining.

 

I used one on the donor sierra before I took the engine out, and it doesn't seem to have done it any harm.

[Big Jim]

yes, but it won't move the crude that's been hidden in that little corner for ages.

What happens is that whilst your engine is noisily reving away, pushing you pride & joy around those love sweeping curves....... (I digress!) it is producing carbon deposites, which wash around in your oil, until there is too much for your oil to carry, when it then starts to fall to the bottom of whereever it is, especially where the oil isn't moving too fast, or the flow isn't that much to start with, once it starts to build up it progresively get worse very quickly. Flushing out with flushing oil will remove some, because it's thin, it "runs" around the engine much faster, picking up the carbon as it goes, finally dumping it in the sump, where the oil is at it's "slowest" that's fine, but if you've got crud that's been there for some time, it won't go in 10 mins with flushing oil, it takes time.

 

The best bet is to change your oil more regularly than is recommended.

[Guest Ant]

I'd go with the frequent oil changes and cheap oil for a bit. Wilko 20-50 is about 3 quid a gallon and does the job nicely. I definitely wouldn't put turps in it - mainly because you'll never get all of that out afterwards either!

 

Ant

[Jon Bradbury]

I wasn't thinking of running it with turps in there, just cranking the engine over for a while. Its not got any ancilliaries fitted yet anyway. I reckoned I could get away with this if I subsequently did what Jim says and ran it with flushing oil. I was hoping I'd get a head start by using what would effectively be a solvent first.

 

On the other hand, the engine's in pretty good nick if what's under the cam cover is anything to go by...

[Longboarder]

I would suggest biting the bullet and at least pulling of the sump and cam cover to inspect and clean them. That would remove a fair percentage of the gunge. Then use a new filter and cheap oil to get the circulation going again. When hot, drain and add the flushing oil and run as per the instros on the can. Drain, new filter and refill with your favourite lube.

Nigel

[Jon Bradbury]

I have cleaned the sump and cam cover already. What I'm concerned about is the possibility of partial blockage of some of the narrower oilways in the engine. I think the best thing to do is forget about using a solvent and go with the flushing oil idea - but it'll have to wait until I have it running (oooh, say in about 2 years' time...?)

 

In the meantime I suppose I should fill it with the cheap oil and crank it over a bit in order to clear out any old oil that's left in there. I've fitted a new oil filter already.

 

Thanks

 

JonB

[Dave R]

detergent oil will sometimes work (desiged for diesels) but if its too bad it will just block the oilways when it loosens all the crap

watch a chevette die this way

[Guest Simon cooper]

Hi guys,

The best flusher on the market is made by "Forte". You marm the engine, pour in the can and run for a further 15 minutes. DO NOT drive the car as the oil gets so thin and so hot that the protection is minimised. This stuff cleans as much gunge as is possible in one hit. When you drain it be very carefull as it comes out like boiling water and has the same effect on skin as "Napalm".

Not easy to get hold of as it is only available through trade outlets. You will not find it at Halfords or any retail store. Ask at a local garage who the local agent is, anyone can buy it, you do not have to be a trader. It is the best stuff money can buy. Their injector cleaner is also the best.

Don't even think about cranking it with anything other than oil in as you will damage the bearings and cam lobes.

Simon

[Guest Stuart Ainslie]

Gents,

 

I was advised to add a litre of gearbox oil to the lubricating system on my old Range Rover. I was told that it would loosen and then suspend any crud in the engine - it seemed to have the desired effect, as afterwards a sticky hydraulic follower never was heard again and it certainly dropped out some muck from the sump...

 

Stuart

[Guest Ant]

I reckon you could be asking for trouble with gearbox oil. It's too thick. This will put a large strain on the oil pump, and may not pass through the narrow passages to the cam followers at all.

 

Up to you, but I'd be either using a proprietry engine flush, or running on cheap 20-50 with regular oil changes for a bit.

 

Ant