Engine flush

Had the oil and filter changed on my Discovery today and on the bill it said engine flush - £11:00

I've seen the stuff in Halfords etc. but never thought much of it. A friend, who's a fairly handy mechanic (but 300 miles away or he could have carried out the work) says he thinks it's a bit of a con.

What's the general concensus folks?

My brother-in-law has just done this with his Shogun and reckons that loads of crud came out when he released the sump plug (albeit burning his arm with the hot oil!).

Unfortunately, not long after he's blown the turbo and head gasket! not sure if thats related though.

DiscoTim said:

Had the oil and filter changed on my Discovery today and on the bill it said engine flush - £11:00

I've seen the stuff in Halfords etc. but never thought much of it. A friend, who's a fairly handy mechanic (but 300 miles away or he could have carried out the work) says he thinks it's a bit of a con.

What's the general concensus folks?

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Never had the need to flush any of my vehicles, if the engine oil is changed regularilly then the engine should be clean. My last vehicle did 250,000 and was still running fine until a dick pulled out in front of the wife. The only positive thing about it was that a new exhaust I had bought was still sitting in the garage. The trucks at the work went around the clock several times, million miles perhaps.

Guess you should be asking the garage why they flushed the engine, for all they know you could have flushed it yourself a trillion times.

I have flushed engines, but only because they have been sludged up with emulsified water following a head gasket failure, and to be honest I dont like to do it, I dont think it's a good practice.

I vaguely remember reading on another forum that flushing the engine is not really a good thing to do. I suppose it is a question of whether or not it is really sludged up and messy in there. i would agree with David451, don't do it unless there is good reason, regular oil changes should keep everything in good order.

My engine has been "flushed" at each oil change firstly by the dealer and now by myself. Now eleven years on and I have had no problems. and the same goes for my previous Land Rover.

The product is supposed to to remove carbon and any lacquer build up, so I assume that if a worn engine is depending on carbon build up to seal things and keep up the compression, then by removing the carbon it would be a bad thing.

The product would not be allowed on the market if it was detrimental to an engine and it's been around a long while.

In the black and white days we used to use flushing oil at each oil change.

discool said:

My engine has been "flushed" at each oil change firstly by the dealer and now by myself. Now eleven years on and I have had no problems. and the same goes for my previous Land Rover.

The product is supposed to to remove carbon and any lacquer build up, so I assume that if a worn engine is depending on carbon build up to seal things and keep up the compression, then by removing the carbon it would be a bad thing.

The product would not be allowed on the market if it was detrimental to an engine and it's been around a long while.

In the black and white days we used to use flushing oil at each oil change.

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I would have thought that the engine oil does all that, and I'm not disrespectful but you are nuts, what a waste of money, and I might add cleaning off all the stuff you mention I would think shortens the engines life.

I worked in the motor trade all my life and never flushed engines as part of the service schedule.

And there is loads of **** sold in halfords and other places which is a total waste of space. I guess somebody has to buy it.

But just my opinion.

Hi david 541, Just had look on the can of Wynn's engine flush that been sitting on the garage shelf, it dissolves varnish and removes sludge and other contaminants from vital engine parts and it's beneficial for hydraulic valve lifters, so now I remember why I use the stuf.

This will be the last time.

regards

discool said:

Hi david 541, Just had look on the can of Wynn's engine flush that been sitting on the garage shelf, it dissolves varnish and removes sludge and other contaminants from vital engine parts and it's beneficial for hydraulic valve lifters, so now I remember why I use the stuf.

This will be the last time.

regards

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Did a google on the engine oil bible, it seems that flushing an engine does clean it, quoting "marvel at the gunk that comes out", however it goes on to say that it can dislodge crap which can become stuck in a vital part causing failure, also failed scraper rings, head gaskets and valve lifters and various gaskets. And more importantly engines failing a month after using it, allbeit higher mileage ones.

There is a great deal of interesting stuff on oils and such worth a read though if you are into it.

My own experience on fully synthetic is it ran out of our trucks, and we went to semi.

Hi dave again, do u have any info on the site u were lookin at ?

Re the fully synth oil I have been using it (5w 40) for 12000 miles the good thing is it stays light brown colour through out, it did leak out the rocker covers and the sump gasket but a little nip on the bolts stoped that. The bad news is only that I need to top up with .5 ltr (that's 2 pints to me) between oil changes, didn't need do that with mineral oil.

I will be doing a engine oil change tomorrow so I now have the oil but next time I will try the semi synth oil, and also save money.

Regards

discool said:

Hi dave again, do u have any info on the site u were lookin at ?

Re the fully synth oil I have been using it (5w 40) for 12000 miles the good thing is it stays light brown colour through out, it did leak out the rocker covers and the sump gasket but a little nip on the bolts stoped that. The bad news is only that I need to top up with .5 ltr (that's 2 pints to me) between oil changes, didn't need do that with mineral oil.

I will be doing a engine oil change tomorrow so I now have the oil but next time I will try the semi synth oil, and also save money.

Regards

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I googled engine oil and found a site called engine oil bible.

I dont know if all this is just a racket, they say that you have to change your oil every year regardless of mileage because it deteriates, but in all the years I have run cars, bikes etc I have never had an engine fail. Regular oil and filter changes, and use the proper viscosity.

Loads of the guys on here have gone synthetic, but I dont think it's worth the cost in an old landie, an evo perhaps.

david451 said:

I googled engine oil and found a site called engine oil bible.

I dont know if all this is just a racket, they say that you have to change your oil every year regardless of mileage because it deteriates, but in all the years I have run cars, bikes etc I have never had an engine fail. Regular oil and filter changes, and use the proper viscosity.

Loads of the guys on here have gone synthetic, but I dont think it's worth the cost in an old landie, an evo perhaps.

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Ferkinell!! Ah could've swore ah saw this post earlier

bustersbus said:

Ferkinell!! Ah could've swore ah saw this post earlier

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Probably, I'm an old duffer, talkin a load of pish as usual, but I'm intertaining meeself, he he

Thanks for the replies guys.

I'm asking because 20 years ago I helped a friend change the oil on his Chevette and he insisted on using engine flush beforehand. A week later it started to sound like a bucket full of bolts and promptly developed a deathly bottom end knock. After that I swore I'd never touch the stuff again.

What brasses me off is the Disco I bought is one owner, 64,000 miles, FSH and completely unmolested. I took it to the 'specialist' for a simple belt change and oil filter and the buggers take it upon themselves to steam clean the thing and use engine flush when it simply doesn't need it.

I feel a strongly-worded e-mail coming on.

On the plus side I'm down in Cornwall on hols with the missus and kids. Well that's not the plus-side really! What I meant is we've driven down here in the Disco and it's feckin' lovely. The best motor I've owned by far.

Regular oil changes with a good quality oil/filter are all you need worry about.
Engine flush could move a lump of crud which may block an oil gallery (long before it gets near the filter) and starve a component of lubrication.
Engine oil stays cleaner for longer if you run on LPG as well.

DiscoTim said:

Had the oil and filter changed on my Discovery today and on the bill it said engine flush - £11:00

I've seen the stuff in Halfords etc. but never thought much of it. A friend, who's a fairly handy mechanic (but 300 miles away or he could have carried out the work) says he thinks it's a bit of a con.

What's the general concensus folks?

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It can be a con, as the garages get it for about 3 quid, often they don't flush at all, but you still get billed, same for 'brake cleaner' just a way of cranking up the profit without it appearing on the hourly rate , screenwash can be another one, these 3 things can boost the bill by over £20

I have had cars and bikes for 25 years, and have had a few engines go on me, usually down to driving style!, but I would only tend to flush if I have doubts about when last it was changed, on my purchase usually, or its condition, that type of thing,

Regular oil and filter changes and you don't need it.


Cheers