flushing oil system

[Joe400]

Just change it. 9 times out of 10 flushing your engine is going to cause more harm than good. A lot of places stopped doing them all together.


If you are really determined though, you might just want to add some seafoam to the oil.

 

[superdave1984]

If you do go the flush route whether you use a product advertised for it or the kerosene/diesel method, you still will need to remove the pan and clean the pickup afterward. Like everybody has said, the crap from the engine and the pan will get sucked into the pickup screen. If the engine is so nasty that doing these things is an option, you probably want to start saving your money for a rebuild.

 

[north44]

Maybe in the "old days" - these days there are so many "purpose-made" chemicals available that it doesn't really seem necessary.

I've even heard of "old-timers" pouring some ATF into the coolant to lubricate the water pump.

I have also heard how ATF is useful (again from the "old days") as a rustproofing/undercoating agent to slow down corrosion - it's thin enough to creep into all those various folds and crevices.

This kind of makes more sense to me than putting any kind of automotive fluid anywhere in the engine/transmission/differentials/radiator/steering/brake system it wasn't meant to be.

I don't think I would risk my truck to that sort of treatment.

 

[Sidewalk]

Only proper way:
http://www.mustangforums.com/forum/5-0l-general-discussion/368307-im-done-with-this-car.html

Seriously, some of the ideas posted are idiotic. The oil has detergents, if you want a flush, change the oil. You can just change the oil sooner for a few cycles.

 

[Captain Ledd]

We use Gunk Motor Flush every oil change, on every vehicle. Over the last 20 years only one vehicle has bit the dust via the engine, our Taurus with a pushrod 4.0, of which was a head gasket (common problem I've heard) and not really of any fault of the oil. Over all of our vehicles we're talking easily 1,000,000+ miles.

The flush is fine if you do it every change since you've owned the vehicle new (or less than say 30-40 thousand miles). I've replaced valve cover gaskets and the top of the cylinder head was only a very slight amber color. Aside from that you'd say it looked brand new (150,000ish miles - '01 Saturn).

But really if you put decent oil in it and make sure to change it regularly it should be more or less fine.

 

[CheapThrillB2]

We use Gunk Motor Flush every oil change, on every vehicle. Over the last 20 years only one vehicle has bit the dust via the engine, our Taurus with a pushrod 4.0, of which was a head gasket (common problem I've heard) and not really of any fault of the oil. Over all of our vehicles we're talking easily 1,000,000+ miles.

The flush is fine if you do it every change since you've owned the vehicle new (or less than say 30-40 thousand miles). I've replaced valve cover gaskets and the top of the cylinder head was only a very slight amber color. Aside from that you'd say it looked brand new (150,000ish miles - '01 Saturn).

But really if you put decent oil in it and make sure to change it regularly it should be more or less fine.

4.0L taurus

 

[LearjetMinako]

There is a few ways to flush the oil system.
1. Buy the flush (Chemtool B-12, etc.) and flush according to the instrustions.
2. Just change every 3k miles
3. Run a full sythentic oil for an oil change period or conutine to use it.

I've done the Chemtool B-12 once before I switched to full sythentic. Never had a problem and engine conutines to run great even with 114k miles on it.

Theres also two types of build-up, Sludge and Carbon. Sludge is easy to remove and be done easily with just an oil change. Carbon is not so easy. It sticks to everything and usually comes off in chunks. Which can clog the pick-up screen. Carbon is best dealt with either, A. Remove the oil pan and clean, B. Change oil more often and let it slowly break-down, or C. Run a thinner like diesel or B-12 and pray it doesn't clog the pick-up screen. I would choose B. since it is the least costly and more benefical for the engine.

 

[Captain Ledd]

4.0L taurus

I'm pretty sure it said 4.0 on it. Had some special engine package thing, it hauled ass.

 

[north44]

from other posts etc, some people seem to say to use transmission fluid (ATF) to do so. However, I'd like to know more on this procedure. How much to replace the current oil with. Like drain a qt of oil out, and put a quart of trans fluid in. How long do I drive it with the ATF in the oil? Will this damage my 3.0L engine? Any adverse effects from using it?

thanks
ati190

Overall, I don't think anyone disagrees with the concept of looking after your engine by flushing it out, using proper methodology and the right chemicals.

Only you can decide if you want to use ATF for that purpose.

As stated earlier, with so many purpose made chemicals out there now, I wonder, Why would you want to use ATF as an engine flush?

 

[LearjetMinako]

As stated earlier, with so many purpose made chemicals out there now, I wonder, Why would you want to use ATF as an engine flush?

ATF in fuel made my crappy lawn mower work better. It smoked, but at least it stayed running.

 

[86ford]

4.0L taurus

 

[86ford]

I'm pretty sure it said 4.0 on it. Had some special engine package thing, it hauled ass.

SHO

i dont know off hand what motor it ran. if i had to GUESS i would say a 4.6

86

 

[Confederate Forge]

SHO

i dont know off hand what motor it ran. if i had to GUESS i would say a 4.6

86

Never heard of a Taurus with a 4.0 or a 4.6. I thought the SHOs all had either 3.0s, 3.2s or 3.4s. I had a 90 SHO with the 3.0 and 5 speed. Nicest car I ever had. I want another one bad. That thing would haul ass.

 

[north44]

ATF in fuel made my crappy lawn mower work better. It smoked, but at least it stayed running.

Yeah, but would you put ATF in the gas tank of your truck?

 

[LearjetMinako]

Yeah, but would you put ATF in the gas tank of your truck?

I was looking forward to destroying that worthless hunk of scrap. But oddly enough, it made it work better. Over-reving and extreme heat finally killed it. As for if I would put it in my Ranger's tank, no. A diesel engine fuel tank, maybe.