what did you do to your car today?

[losh1971]

I run 10k oil changes and mine is really clean, including inside the sump.

 

[losh1971]

.... it came with what HSV advertise that it had (on the oil filler cap)
and every 5,000 I throw in the Penrite equivalent to 5W-30 HPR5
then it goes back to the HSV dealer for a check over, safety check etc
and another sumpful of Mobil1 at the next 15k service
Remembering this is my daily drive, 5,000km oil changes are not over the top
(nor are my 15,000km gearbox and diff oil changes too)

Do they use flush, when they change the oil?

 

[Skylarking]

Do they use flush, when they change the oil?

I know the question wasn’t directed at me and I’d like to hear what Smitty has to say on yje subject but last I looked, most vehicle manufacturers don’t recommend additives and flushes as in their opinion they just increase running costs with no benefits As I see it, a well serviced, especially over serviced engine simply won’t need a flush during an oil change

Here’s just one of the many YouTube videos with a view that I’m sure is unsurprisingly contradicted by some other video…

 

[Ginger Beer]

I only do a flush on a new to me car if it looks grubby inside

Sometimes once, sometimes twice, then it's every 5k Km religiously, and yearly for trans, diff, brakes, power steering and coolant, but, as I've stated, my love of servicing and my OCD means I do stuff for fun, and to keep everything "even", not technically because it needs to be done, but, it needs to be done.....

 

[losh1971]

Toyota dealer used to use flush on our old Camry. Most garages I deal with use flush on cars they service.
I was told it helps keep the lifters clean which are a known issue on the LS. I don't know what Motors do, as I don't get to see the invoices. Although I could ask. I could probably ask if Toyota bills us for flush on the Corolla's at work.
My engine runs very clean with 10k changes, which is 2500 more than most JC members do. Hard to know if mine runs clean because of flush or 5k less than factory recommended services or if my improved crank case ventilation. Or if all three. I don't know if I'm wasting money but I'm not about to stop using it to see if my sump is clean like it is now in another 100k without it.
That AmOil bloke would probably know as he seems to like busting myths but by using proper tests.

 

[losh1971]

Sometimes once, sometimes twice, then it's every 5k Km religiously, and yearly for trans, diff, brakes, power steering and coolant, but, as I've stated, my love of servicing and my OCD means I do stuff for fun, and to keep everything "even", not technically because it needs to be done, but, it needs to be done.....

I've been changing my diff oil at 10k but am thinking of moving to 15k which is recommended for my Kaaz. 10k the oil is only slightly grey so probably a waste. Although Penrite mineral diff oil is pretty cheap, so I may just do 10k changes ongoing so it coincides with the engine oil changes. I pay to have my coolant changed, so it gets done when it's no longer in spec. Plus I don't think it's ideal to just dump it on the ground like I used to do when I replaced my own.
I reckon the T56 is probably due again in another year, I've probably put 60k on the oil so far. But it is Penrite GL4 full syn, so does hold up better I suspect than the recommended synthetic trans fluid.

 

[J_D 2.0]

I know the question wasn’t directed at me and I’d like to hear what Smitty has to say on yje subject but last I looked, most vehicle manufacturers don’t recommend additives and flushes as in their opinion they just increase running costs with no benefits As I see it, a well serviced, especially over serviced engine simply won’t need a flush during an oil change

Here’s just one of the many YouTube videos with a view that I’m sure is unsurprisingly contradicted by some other video…

Realistically any decent brand of modern oil has enough detergents in it to keep the engine clean and the detritus suspended in the oil.

As long as you’re changing the oil on a regular basis you shouldn’t ever need a flush, your flush is dropping the sump plug when the used oil carries all the contaminants out of the sump and into your oil dump tray.

 

[Smitty]

I know the question wasn’t directed at me and I’d like to hear what Smitty has to say on yje subject but last I looked, most vehicle manufacturers don’t recommend additives and flushes as in their opinion they just increase running costs with no benefits As I see it, a well serviced, especially over serviced engine simply won’t need a flush during an oil change
...................

I know that dealers (that I have used) don't.... and I don't with my interim oil/filter changes. As I found, no need.. as you can see from my previous pics.
Oils today are much better at keeping engines clean plus the modern engine ventilation systems work to help this

That is not to say I have never used a pre-oil change engine flush. Long story ... but once a few years ago, I did a pro-bono vehicle safety check +
engine oil/all filters change on a Honda CRV for a single mum (3 kids no job ... you get the idea) friend of one of my kids and when you pulled the dipstick
what looked like road tar was hanging on it. I asked when the Honda was last looked at... and she replied when I still had a husband 5 years ago!

It got TWO bottles of Penrite oil flush treatment added and I went for a 20min drive (also found that the brake pedal was rather ineffective and boy
... it was wandering all over the place that not helped by the tyres being around 20psi)

All that was sorted .. a brake fluid flush/bleed meant it stopped like it should, the black sryupy goo that came out the sump plug replaced with
new Penrite 10W-40 (from memory) and a new genuine HONDA oil and air filter. Tyres pumped up to 36F/32R and it drove like a new car

HTH

 

[losh1971]

To flush or not to flush has certainly been debated a lot. I guess it probably is no real biggie either way unless doing it in a fairly sludged engine which could cause a pick up to block.

I'll probably air on the side of caution and continue with it as advised by the place that works on the LS engines every week. Might be overkill but it makes me feel better and it's only an extra $25 every 10k.

Don't know if I'd get away 10k oil changes if I didn't use it? So maybe for me it's not a bad idea?

 

[Ginger Beer]

Gunk in the sump is only one issue with modern engines, VVT has extremely small oil galleries for this

I found this with the VTEC in the K24, it wasn't activating correctly due to gunk, one joint wanted to replace the actuator, another joint said to flush it a few times

2 flushes and about 500 km later, the VTEC actuator is working properly again and all the internals are nice and clean again