Engine Flush?
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Kentucky
Engine Flush?
I must agree that I would not put the AV in my engine. I also think that the oil is doing it's job by keeping the dirt in solution and allowing it to be drained at change. One thing to note is that some oils are darker when they are put in the engine originally. If this is the case it will be darker when you change it. Take a look before you put it in, and maybe even take a bit in a clear glass jar and save it till change time. Do the same with some of your used oil. Hold them both up to the light and see if there is actually a huge difference.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
From: Big Canoe GA
Engine Flush?
Who said anything about avgas, read the post it says jetfuel which means kerosene which has oil base and I also said to leave it idle.
Moderated. Do not use symbols to mask expletives.
Moderated. Do not use symbols to mask expletives.
Last edited by horsepuller; Jul 15, 2003 at 05:16 PM.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,600
Likes: 4
From: Iowa
Engine Flush?
Neither do I care what you do with yours. Just keep up what you've been doing and the junkyard will have good business, and I'll get a better price down the road. 
Jetfuel will not lubricate, and you'll score pistons, wrist pins, and bearings. You'll have metal to metal contact. Contrary to popular belief, there are loads on an engine at idle. There is a tremendous force created on the whole bottom end simply by compression and reciprocating forces from the pistons and rods. Hundereds of pounds of force are concentrated on the camshaft throughout the valve train. The power strokes simply to keep the thing turning add to the forces on the pistons, rods and crank.
What do you think this does for your oil pump? Get all that sludge stirred up and ran through the pump, and what's gonna happen?
You may not notice the wear right away, but I'd guess you did about 10,000 miles worth of damage in a few minutes of idleing with jetfuel.
Jetfuel will not lubricate, and you'll score pistons, wrist pins, and bearings. You'll have metal to metal contact. Contrary to popular belief, there are loads on an engine at idle. There is a tremendous force created on the whole bottom end simply by compression and reciprocating forces from the pistons and rods. Hundereds of pounds of force are concentrated on the camshaft throughout the valve train. The power strokes simply to keep the thing turning add to the forces on the pistons, rods and crank.
What do you think this does for your oil pump? Get all that sludge stirred up and ran through the pump, and what's gonna happen?
You may not notice the wear right away, but I'd guess you did about 10,000 miles worth of damage in a few minutes of idleing with jetfuel.
Last edited by horsepuller; Jul 15, 2003 at 05:17 PM.
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Kentucky
Engine Flush?
Skywagon, sorry you feel that way. I think most folks really do care what happens to others vehicles. The individuals that disagreed with you were simply doing what they thought best to advise a fellow enthusiast. If we somehow misconstrued what you intended to say, please clarify so we can better understand. I have never used Jet Fuel, but every fuel I have ever used would not be a good substitute for lubrication in the crank case. Please don't be offended by our inability to grasp your intended concept.
Junior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 86
Likes: 1
Engine Flush?
I've heard of pouring in a quart of kerosene before (with the old oil still in of course) changing and letting it idle a few minutes. This probably wouldn't hurt but I wouldn't do it to my engine. As others have said if you change every 3,000 miles and the oil is dirty it's doing it's job and flushing should never be necessary.....Van
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 692
Likes: 1
From: Saratoga USA
Engine Flush?
I've never read anything from an auto manufacturer that suggests flushing is a good idea, have any of you? I've had lots of cars over the years (Chevy, Ford, Mopar, and AMC), always changed the oil at 2-3K intervals, never had one fail due to a lubrication problem. And yes, even used Fram filters.
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Kentucky
Engine Flush?
I have never flushed either. Never really thought about it before. The only engine I ever tore down that was excessively dirty was a 1978 305 chevy. That one was bad. I have never had to tear one of my Ford's down completely so I will just assume that they are okay. I have had some run over 300k
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
From: Dyer TN
Engine Flush?
I've read where some of the quick oil change places now have oil system flushing machines and that the flushes are basically scams and are harmfull to your engine, especially older engines with lots of miles.
Basically, when you flush, you're breaking loose lots of built up junk in your oil passages. And there's no way you can sure to get all those chunks out. Think of 'em as a loose blood clot in an artery. The best you can hope for is that they'll make it back down to the pan and end up getting caught by the filter.
The best single thing to keep your engine clean inside is to change your oil and filter reguarily using a good quality oil and filter. In my '85 Bronco II, I use Valvoline with a stock Motorcraft filter.
*****
Basically, when you flush, you're breaking loose lots of built up junk in your oil passages. And there's no way you can sure to get all those chunks out. Think of 'em as a loose blood clot in an artery. The best you can hope for is that they'll make it back down to the pan and end up getting caught by the filter.
The best single thing to keep your engine clean inside is to change your oil and filter reguarily using a good quality oil and filter. In my '85 Bronco II, I use Valvoline with a stock Motorcraft filter.
*****
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: A cold city in the Great White North
Engine Flush?
I've tried all of em. ATF, Diesel and the engine flushes. I've never had any problems with any of them and my truck runs better than ever. I also use WalMart Tech 2000 20W-50 oil and Fram filters. Ive had many cars that have lived long and I seemed to be the only one who ever took care of them. 1- 79 Dodge Volare, 318 under the hood and it ran good until 487k until the tranny went. 2- 84 Dodge Airies, 2.0L croaked at around 300k from damage done before I got it. 3- 87 GMC S15, 2.5L still runs great at 287k, just in the garage waitin on my 350 sm blk swap. And now the 85 B2 with the 86 2.9L. Runs great and I've had no problems with anything yet except the plugged O2 sensor when I got it.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 763
Likes: 0
From: home
Engine Flush?
Back when I was a kid some people bought their vehicles with out oil filters as they were too cheap to buy the option. They also did not buy heaters as Mississippi was warm most of the year. These people flushed their engine crank cases with kersosine every now and than. I also remembered the engines burned oil early in life at 40 k miles or less. I would never use flush in an engine. I know of some people who used flush in todays engines and they than had lower oil pressure following addition of new oil. Their engine bearings were most likely already in sad shape and the flush only compounded the situation by increasing the bearing clearance. 
Tuned
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 307
Likes: 1
From: South Florida
Engine Flush?
You guys are worried about dirty oil. Have you ever had a propane truck. After 3000 mi the oil looks like you just put it in. Most of the gunk is coming from the gasoline and the oil is keeping it suspended so you can drain it out. Just like it's supposed to. Change the oil often.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 279
Likes: 1
Engine Flush?
On those flushing machines. I heard a fairly comprehensive explanation for how they work from a mechanic that read many of their sales brochures and listened to some of their salesmen.
The conclusion reached was that they are a scam. They don't hurt anything, but you can get the same benefit at lower cost by changing your oil, driving it for a day, then changing it again.
The conclusion reached was that they are a scam. They don't hurt anything, but you can get the same benefit at lower cost by changing your oil, driving it for a day, then changing it again.
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