Engine Flush

[SV Gary]

Is it worth doing an engine flush (here) prior to an oil change 🤔

 

The lead dog always gets the best view.

[dannylt]

If nobody else does, then why bother with the extra hassle and possible risk? I doubt any Caterham engine has any 100,000 mile type sludge built up in it!

[Normans_Ghost]

Gary, I change my oil and filter every 3000 miles. I remove the dry sump tank, split it and clean. I remove the oil coler and flush it (also the oil thermo).

 

The oil in the engine is drained whilst very hot and left to drain overnight. I then pour a litre of cheap oil throught to get the last dregs out.

 

The reason I do all this. To get the bits of swarf out before they do more damage. The Mobil One is still usable after only 3000 miles.

 

^{Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Reg: B16BDR, Mem No 2166, the full story here}

You and your seven toThe French Blatting Company Limited

[Gordon C]

I'm also of the opinion that regular oil changes are the way to go.

 

Use a flushing agent and i honestly believe that all that goodness that has built up on the surfaces over a period of time gets washed away.

Heard it so many times before.....flushed engine through only for a few hundred miles latter dreadful noises heard and then bang.....bearing failures etc.

 

Wouldn't use the stuff myself to be fair. But then thats me.

 

 

 

_________________________

Gordon.

 

 

[Phil]

All the so called goodness built up on the inside is burnt oil, varnishing.

 

All this does is create hot spots where the oil is unable to lubricate properly, this is the problem that causes the noisy tappets on the "K" and blocked breathers.

 

The only reason old oil deposits used to help in very old engines was that it helped to seal the crap oil seals available at the time and flushing used to clean these, possible leaks would occur.

 

Modern engines [inc the crossflow] have better seals and gaskets and they work better and for longer when clean.

 

OLD style flushing oil was a basic mix using paraffin as a base, not the best for a modern engine.

 

NEW products use the engine oil you have as the lubricant, the flush then cleans and bonds the deposits to the oil, when you drain the oil it comes out quicker which helps.

 

If the engine is dirty and you do not use a flush, the new oil cleans the engine for you but you have not got a fresh start and a dirty filter plus any metal deposits will now be free and ciculating in the oil.

 

Because most Caterham owners run synthetics and stick to regular oil changes, there should not be a big build up of thick black sludge found in normal abused tin tops.

 

Nverona, I do the same as you, using some oil to flush through after as a precaution, cheaper than an engine rebuild.

 

If you can afford to, change the oil as offten as possible but do not skimp on the quality as this will be a waiste of your time and money.

 

FreeRange7

 

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2404840560089816983khvSRw

 

[Jason Plato]

The reason I do all this. To get the bits of swarf out before they do more damage.

 

I'd be more concerned as to the origin of this swarf 😬

 

here is my Duratec R .... C7 TOP

Taffia joint AO with Al

 

[Normans_Ghost]

Dave, all engines create swarf. It's from bearing surfaces and pistons. Fit a magnectic sump plug and you'll see it.

 

In itself, it's not a problem. It becomes a problem when it circulates around the oilways and creats microscopic scratches, and more swarf. For some reason the filter doesn't trap all of it.

 

^{Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Reg: B16BDR, Mem No 2166, the full story here}

You and your seven toThe French Blatting Company Limited

[Jason Plato]

Fit a magnectic sump plug and you'll see it.

---

 

have done for years

 

never seen bits stuck to it unless the bearings are picking up or the time the valve went through the piston.

 

 

 

here is my Duratec R .... C7 TOP

Taffia joint AO with Al

 

[SV Gary]

Ok - did the oil change at the weekend (and sump replacement due to a prang). Left oil to drain out overnight from sump Apollo drain plug and filter mount. Did not have magnetic sump plug but did have magnetic apollo drain plug. Very,very small amount of fine swarf on the apollo drain plug which I removed.

 

One point of note was that I have changed oil type from the Halfords 5w50 (£36) to Comma 5w50 (£22 from Westell Motor Factors in Towcester - nice people and with 7.5l in the combined engine/appollo - it's worth the saving) anyway - noticeably higher oil pressure when running with Comma.

 

The lead dog always gets the best view.

[Stuart McGill]

I thought the Halfords Motorsport Fully Synthetic 5w50 was Comma?

 

Well, thats what I had been told.....

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Certainly CC's is Comma ... I thought Halfords was ?

 

 

[MADMALC]

I have a Magnatron unit attached to my filter housing on my SLR which has a seriously large powerful magnet in it and I have never seen any bits of anything stuck to it.

 

Conversly my Rover Mini Italian Job has the standard magnetic sump plug and this looks like a Xmas tree everytime I change the oil.

 

The bits are from the gears as they are in the same oil that the engine uses.

 

 

 

S7MAD