best way to do an engine flush

[djknowledge]

i have heard different way of doing an engine flush.

one way is to use gumout engine flush but take apart the oil pan before and after you do it and clean it. i believe you are supposed to clean it after you drive it like 500 miles. use a fresh oil filter before you do the gumout and a new one after.

second way is to use a quart of transmission fluid and run it for like a half hour instead of the gumout.

3rd is some bilstien machine that is supposed to connect some hoses to the engine oil filter and the oil pan plug and its supposed to clean the engine with some mineral spirits. dont know too much about this one but i heard pep boys does it so i am skeptical?

i didnt buy my car new so i dont know to much about its maintanance history but since i got it i change the oil regularly at 3000 miles with full synthetic oil.

any recommendation?

 

[Jim Henderson]

If the engine has regular oil changes with oil meeting specifications, you should almost never have a need to do a flush.

Engine flushes are for old abused engines where the oil had time to get sludgy or gritty. This is very rare now assuming even modest maintenance.

I have never tried the machine flushes such as Pepboys or at dealers, but I have read it does a very good job. But it is expensive, so dealers love it.

Jusat my opinion,

Jim Henderson

 

[djknowledge]

flush

thats exactly it i dont know the maintanance history. i have the manual and from what it tells me it has done some oil changes and inspections. i just dont know if he was the same fanatic i was. so you think i should even bother with the flush or just stick to my every 3k oil change and regular maintenance.

 

[lseguy]

Totally unnecessary. If the car is running fine, gets the proper MPG, then leave it alone and now proceed with your own maintenance schedule. I'd start off with fresh plugs, filters, and fluids and go from there.

 

[joegr]

thats exactly it i dont know the maintanance history. i have the manual and from what it tells me it has done some oil changes and inspections. i just dont know if he was the same fanatic i was. so you think i should even bother with the flush or just stick to my every 3k oil change and regular maintenance.

Your changing the oil every 3K is doing a better job of flushing the engine than any of the other ways that you asked about.

 

[lseguy]

i agree with joegr. each time you change the oil, the fresh oil has fresh, new detergents

 

[brentalan]

Try this stuff:

https://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Mobil_1_High_Mileage_5W-30.aspx

It's supposed to have added detergents to clean up sludge and if you do short oil changes it should clean up a pretty dirty engine.

I do agree with the other folks above, if it's been getting regular oil changes this is uncecessary.