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car just passed 70K miles
- Thread starter Aharami
- Start date
FrustratedUser
Lifer
No need to.
FrustratedUser
Lifer
I have no clue. Why flush it?
You change the oil right?
You change the oil right?
ThisIsMatt
Banned
How much does an engine flush cost? Put half of that money in an envelope and send it to me, use the other half for a decent dinner and call it a day.
Zenmervolt
Elite member
When it's taken out of the car, torn down, and re-built. Otherwise never. If you need to flush it before it dies, there are some major problems that need to be addressed.
If the engine is feeling sluggish, run some fuel system cleaner (I recommend Chevron Techron) through the car. An oil system flush should never be necessary.
ZV
The Stigenator
Lifer
if anything.. just put in some fuel injector cleaner....
techron stuff is good.. 8bucks a bottle.. otherwise i doubt anything is needed. When you go in for your 80K service, they will replace your fuel filter.. whihc i suspect is part of your problem.
techron stuff is good.. 8bucks a bottle.. otherwise i doubt anything is needed. When you go in for your 80K service, they will replace your fuel filter.. whihc i suspect is part of your problem.
SuperPickle
Golden Member
You might consider a transmission fluid flush if you have an automatic transmission. 70K is around the time IIRC. Cheap enough anyway...can't be bad for ya.
Zenmervolt
Elite member
It's a way for dishonest mechanics to get $60 for no real work.
ZV
Zenmervolt
Elite member
That depends entirely on the car. My Lincoln is every 60,000 miles. Many newer cars are 100,000 miles or more.
ZV
http://auto-rx.com/
The only stuff I have ever used that really works.
The only stuff I have ever used that really works.
lobadobadingdong
Lifer
Doug's rules of thumb for general maintenence; a tranny flush should be done every 30k, oil and filter every 3 to 5k, front, rear diff and/or transaxle(assumes axle drive) every 30k, most fuel filters every 15-30k (depends on many factors) brakes every 60k (depending on driving style in town or hwy miles). if you use platinum spark plugs, every 100k you need a tune up if not every 30-36k you need a tune up. check your air filter every oil change, as well as your pcv valve. Battery (you can wait longer, but you may get stranded unexpectantly later on) and radiator flush every 3 years (I don't care what GM says that red stuff gets mighty dirty after 3 years even if the coolant is still good, the sludge will still build up in the engine and water pump.
Get your transmission flushed right, take it to a fast lube place (usually far cheaper than a dealership for the exact same job) where they have the proper equipment. same goes for all of the above if you don't already know how to do it, don't try to learn on your own, get someone to teach you. If your getting your transmission flushed because it is slipping don't even bother it will just speed up the process, save up some quickly to get a new transmission because you have more than likely already ruined your current one.
from what you describe it's more likely you need a trany flush and a fuel filter and possibly an air filter to get back your lost performance. remember if you take care of your car it will take care of you. My last truck had 160,000 miles on it (in 3 1/2 yrs) when I traded it in (love those 1999 ford rangers, hope my dodge will hold up as well), the only problem I every had out of it was I wore out the plastic grip on the steering wheel. everything else was just general maintenence.
Thegonagle
Diamond Member
Never use an engine oil flush. Never. (Many products like that are solvent-based. Because they're so thin, they could actually be dangerous.) Every time you change your oil, you're "flushing" that engine.
You should, OTOH, have your automatic transmission (if it's an auto) flushed every 30,000 miles (with NOTHING other than auto trans fluid), and your cooling system flushed every two years (with NOTHING other than water and anti-freeze).
The occasional use of Techron in the fuel system isn't really bad, but it generally shouldn't be necessary, and it won't fix anything other than slightly clogged (or possibly slightly leaky) fuel injectors. Fuel system maintenance mainly involves changing the fuel filter at the recommended interval.
If it seems just a little sluggish, you'll probably notice the most dramatic improvement by changing your spark plugs, air filter, and automatic transmission fluid, if applicable.
You should, OTOH, have your automatic transmission (if it's an auto) flushed every 30,000 miles (with NOTHING other than auto trans fluid), and your cooling system flushed every two years (with NOTHING other than water and anti-freeze).
The occasional use of Techron in the fuel system isn't really bad, but it generally shouldn't be necessary, and it won't fix anything other than slightly clogged (or possibly slightly leaky) fuel injectors. Fuel system maintenance mainly involves changing the fuel filter at the recommended interval.
If it seems just a little sluggish, you'll probably notice the most dramatic improvement by changing your spark plugs, air filter, and automatic transmission fluid, if applicable.
Thegonagle
Diamond Member
At that mileage, it's perfectly reasonable to expect an engine to burn a little oil. If it's not visibly smoking, and it's only using a quart every 1000 or more miles, a fix usually niether necessary nor cost-effective. Engine wear is a long, slow process. Ideally, just keep changing the oil, in addition to keeping it full, drive reasonably (no habitual, unnecessary red-lining allowed!), and it won't get worse very quickly. (If it does get worse quickly, it's probably something other than the normal wear process, and it should be checked out.)
Thegonagle
Diamond Member
OK. 😀
I see we have a new tech posting in OT, hey Thegonagle, how long have you been a tech or are you just a avid backyard grease monkey ?
I agree with most of your assesments except for the Techron one, Techron not only cleans your fuel injectors, it removes built up carbon on the backside of the intake valves, it thoroughly cleans the combustion chambers and removes all the deposits on the top ring land and ring(s).
I do not recommend flushing your oil system, this can be very detrimental to your engine, first off this dilutes the oil and thins it thus reduces the oils ability to properly lubricate, cool and maintain proper bearing distances (keeping the crank, rod and cam journals from coming into contact with thier respective bearings).
Second, it removes the varnish build up on those very same bearing surfaces, now this may sound good to the average car buff, but it is not, let me explain.
As time passes (and the miles and running time) bearing wear occurs because of continuous abrasion from the high pressure oil (bearing surfaces and bearings only, for those of you not in the know, engine bearings never touch each other, they are held apart by high pressure oil), as this wear occurs, varnish build up keep these clearances in the bearings relatively stable, when you flush the oiling system, these varnish deposits are removed thus increasing bearing clearances, lowering oil pressure and increasing oil consumption (oil throw off from the bearings saturate the cylinder walls, the oil control rings cannot hold back the increased amount of oil on the cylinder walls, thus oil gets past them and into the combustion chamber).
You must also take into account the debris that are going to be set loose in your oil galleys, thus causing more damage, I have had many a vehicle in my shop with a blown engine because the customer decided to use a flushing agent.
I agree with most of your assesments except for the Techron one, Techron not only cleans your fuel injectors, it removes built up carbon on the backside of the intake valves, it thoroughly cleans the combustion chambers and removes all the deposits on the top ring land and ring(s).
I do not recommend flushing your oil system, this can be very detrimental to your engine, first off this dilutes the oil and thins it thus reduces the oils ability to properly lubricate, cool and maintain proper bearing distances (keeping the crank, rod and cam journals from coming into contact with thier respective bearings).
Second, it removes the varnish build up on those very same bearing surfaces, now this may sound good to the average car buff, but it is not, let me explain.
As time passes (and the miles and running time) bearing wear occurs because of continuous abrasion from the high pressure oil (bearing surfaces and bearings only, for those of you not in the know, engine bearings never touch each other, they are held apart by high pressure oil), as this wear occurs, varnish build up keep these clearances in the bearings relatively stable, when you flush the oiling system, these varnish deposits are removed thus increasing bearing clearances, lowering oil pressure and increasing oil consumption (oil throw off from the bearings saturate the cylinder walls, the oil control rings cannot hold back the increased amount of oil on the cylinder walls, thus oil gets past them and into the combustion chamber).
You must also take into account the debris that are going to be set loose in your oil galleys, thus causing more damage, I have had many a vehicle in my shop with a blown engine because the customer decided to use a flushing agent.
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