General question about an engine flush:
Is it a good idea?
Here is what a local oil change place said:

"We have a synthetic oil with stronger detergents in it than regular sythenthics and conventionsal oils. What we do is put this oil in and run it for 10-15 min., then drain it out, run normal oil in for 5 min. and then drain that out, then fill your car up with regular oil and a new filter and you're on your way."

They go through three filters in the process. The first one for the stronger oil, the second for the normal oil, and a third that I keep. lol. All this is done for about $100. To me it sounds too high and a little shady. Any thoughts?

 

Scam... Good oil change and filter every 3,000 miles or follow the oil life monitor.

 

[align=center]Hi `Ryan, and Member's,[/align][align=center]Had the below article in my file on this subject,[/align][align=center]check it out[/align][align=center][:-][/align][align=center]© Vincent Ciulla[/align][align=center][/align][align=center]In the last few years you were probably asked, or told, by you dealer or quick lube place that you need an engine or transmission flush, because the engine oil or transmission fluid is very dirty. They will tell you that it is recommended that you have it done because your engine or transmission will last longer if it is flushed clean. In that they are correct, a clean engine and transmission will last longer. But is flushing the best way to get a dirty engine clean?[/align][align=center]Flushing is the high pressure forcing of fluid back against the normal flow of the fluid. In other words if the normal flow is left to right, the flush would force the fluid right to left. This is accomplished by connecting a machine that will force special solvents back through the engine and transmission. The idea is that by forcing cleaning solvents backwards through the system, it will get all the junk and garbage that has formed over time and "flush" it out of the system. In theory this may be sound, but in actual practice, it's dangerous.[/align][align=center]Flush machines do what they say; they force high pressure cleaning solvents back through the engine and transmission and clean out some of the accumulated junk that has formed. Now engines have small passages and galleries through which oil or automatic transmission fluid flow and there are one-way valves that keep the fluids from backtracking for whatever reason. By using an aggressive cleaning procedure like flushing, large chunks of accumulated sludge are broken off and forced backwards through these galleries and valves and, more often than not, lodge tightly and block them. This cuts off the normal flow of the fluid and causes lack of lubrication in an engine and abnormal or no shifting in a transmission. The results are expensive repairs, or more often, engine or transmission replacement.[/align][align=center]The shops that want to sell you the engine or transmission flush charge anywhere from $49.95 to $99.95, not including a new engine or transmission. Those are extra. And they state quite emphatically that it is recommended that it be done. But who actually recommends that it be done? I checked with GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Honda and several other new car manufacturers and not one recommended an engine or transmission flush as routine maintenance. In fact, they specifically don't recommend it at all!! The new car dealerships that do sell them use the implication that since they are the dealer that it must be the factory that recommends it. And if they do say the factory recommends it, they are flat out lying to you.[/align][align=center][b]The only ones who do recommend flushing as a maintenance procedure are the companies that sell the flush machines and the

 

 

Thanks for the insight (and articles)24_48fan and 'Space....I asked because I am still getting condesation on my oil cap and I just had the upper/lower intake gaskets done...I talked to my mechanic and he said that will happen for a little while, but he suggested to put seafoam in, so I did...I've read some good things about that stuff here already so that's why I did it. Take Care!

 

Some condesation is normal and depends how far you drive and how often the engine reaches operating temperature.

 

I drive about 40 minutes to work, and every time I drive the car reaches normal operating temperature. It's DEFINITELY a LOT less condesation than when the intake was leaking. )

 

Sea Foam is some amazing stuff. I used to do work on lawnmowers and other outdoor powered equipment. Here`s what I found that works well....in ALL power equipment use high test fuel and mix Sea Foam to it. It`s a fuel stabilizer and keeps carbon buildup to a minimum. I use it in our 2 Montes as well as the Blazer in the fuel system and the oil system. It will clean out the fuel system and your engine. My `98 had a tick in it when I bought it a few weeks ago. Changed the oil and filter and added the Sea Foam to the oil and after around 200 miles the tick is gone. One more thing, had a lawnmower given to me that would`nt run. Hade sat up for about 5 years. Carb was toast with varnish and dirt. Took it off and dropped it in a coffee can full of Sea Foam. Three days later I put it on the engine and it fired right up. Cut grass for three years with it till I sold it. Cool huh?