Cleaning the engine ???

[hilltopfarm]

I recently bought a 2003 4.0L fx4 truck. I want to clean the engine out as the oil is black from the previous owners neglect. I bought some Gunk engine cleaner to run through the oil for 5 min right before I change it. My question is this, Will the Gunk hurt my timing chains/nylon tension-er? Since this has the three timing chains (2 in front, 1 in back) I do not want to risk hurting them by running this cleaner stuff through.

Thanks,
-Anthony

 

[daniel3507]

If I am thinking of the the stuff you are thinking of, it will really hurt the engine since Gunk engine cleaner is meant to clean the outside of the engine. Best thing you can do is just change the oil and filter and just do a solid tune up.

 

[hilltopfarm]

If I am thinking of the the stuff you are thinking of, it will really hurt the engine since Gunk engine cleaner is meant to clean the outside of the engine. Best thing you can do is just change the oil and filter and just do a solid tune up.

I am not talking about the Gunk engine de-greaser, I am talking about the Gunk engine flush.

 

[adsm08]

I'm not a big fan of "engine flushes". If you really want to clean it out good change the oil and filter for a cheapo filter and store brand oil with one quart tranny fluid and 4 quarts 5W-30. Run it for a week or 500 miles, change the oil again with a Motorcraft filter and some good oil. Castrol or Valvoline.

 

[hilltopfarm]

I'm not a big fan of "engine flushes".

Why are you not a big fan of engine flushes? How will it harm my engine?

 

[chandymanusa]

A lot of times commercial cleaners will destroy the rubber parts of a previously run engine. It will also break sludge lose and not dissolve it and plug oil galleys. By running trans. fluid with oil it breaks down these particles and does not hurt the rubber or anything else. But you do not want run over 500 miles with it in motor.

 

[matticus420]

I'm not a big fan of "engine flushes". If you really want to clean it out good change the oil and filter for a cheapo filter and store brand oil with one quart tranny fluid and 4 quarts 5W-30. Run it for a week or 500 miles, change the oil again with a Motorcraft filter and some good oil. Castrol or Valvoline.

what does that do as far as cleaning the engine...?
ive always used seafoam
put a 1/2 can in oil run it for 10-15 min then change oil
put some seafoam in the vacuum hose on the brake booster
if i have any left i put it in the gas tank

 

[Tedybear]

If you are concerned? Pull the valve cover and look. If everything is in fair shape? Give it a solid change as adsm suggested, because it's one of the better methods. Oil gets black quick in any engine. It's just the nature of the beast. Back in the day we used to do "Kero-Flush" on engines. Yep...Drain oil...and add Kero to the crank...run for 10 minutes...flush out...refill with oil...run....flush out...refill with oil...final flush out and use fresh oil and new filter.

In todays engines? That's a sure fire way of laying it to waste. Very tight bearing clearances and tiny tiny oil passage ways...Sometimes the only thing holding the oil pressure? Is the varnish build up on the bearings and such.

S-