Is oil flushing over maintenance when replacing engine oil?

clive0510

In the main if you change your oil regularly as per the manufactures spec you shouldn't need to flush the system.oil technology like everything else,has advanced so far in recent years, meaning the oil will last longer,which is a good thing when you consider the cost of it. 
We use to use engine flush quite a lot ,particularly if we done a major job such as engine rebuild or a head gasket but these days the engines are so good we they dont go wrong like they used to. 
so basically change your oil and filter regularly and thats all you should need to do. 

ElephantBoy57

When I change my engine oil, I like to make sure I get as much of the old oil out, so drain when the oil is warm and leave to drip, I have been know to even crank the engine over for a couple of turns.

facade

ElephantBoy57 said:

 I have been know to even crank the engine over for a couple of turns.

If you get air into the oil pump, and it won't self prime you will be in trouble   

Mercdriver

what does our resident expert say on the matter, Freds?

fred246

It's never been on any of my cars service schedule. Seeing that I change my oil a bit more than strictly necessary I have never had any problems with sludge. So no I have never flushed oil. If you bought a second hand car with stamps in a book where you don't know if the garage had ever changed the oil or not, then I might on my first service.

Mutton_Geoff

Even if there was, say, 200ml (1/3rd pint) of dirty filthy old oil left lurking in the galleries, it's going to be diluted at least 20 to 1 when 4.5 to 5 litres of new oil goes in. I wouldn't worry about it, just drain the old oil when warm and get on with other service jobs whilst it's draining. Don't forget a new washer for the sump plug.

AdrianC

facade said:

ElephantBoy57 said:

 I have been know to even crank the engine over for a couple of turns.

If you get air into the oil pump, and it won't self prime you will be in trouble    

Chances of that are slender.

I was once changing an exhaust box on the ramp at a mate's workshop. Got everything back together, reached up and started it, back underneath to make sure no joints were blowing... and then lowered the ramp.

As the engine bay came to eye-level, still merrily idling, my gaze was captured by the lid of the oil filler flapping... Then the drain bolt sat next to a boxed oil filter. Oh. Right. I don't think I've ever moved so quickly in my life to switch an engine off.

No ill effects were suffered - that engine ran fine for another couple of years before I sold that car.

MinuteNoodles

AdrianC said:

MinuteNoodles said:

That warranty period is now knocking on the door of 100,000 miles with many manufacturers. Even for manufacturers like Ford who have a 3 year 60,000 mile warranty for their Mondeo that manufacturer's warranty is increased to 100,000 miles for business purchasers so even Ford think that their engines will last longer than the 60k the retail purchasers get. 

And, yes, it probably will last for three years of 30-odd thousand miles per year.

But will it last ten years and, say, 150k?

In my experience with my last two cars, I sold at 168k and 155k to friends and family I see no reason why they shouldn't. In fact given that I had a 1996 VW Passat with 250,000 miles on and my wife had a similar age BMW525 with 200,000 miles on I see no reason for a car serviced to the manufacturer's schedule not to easily do 150k . Mine were merely serviced by the main dealers at their recommended intervals.

AdrianC

And what were those intervals? 10k...?

MinuteNoodles

forgotmyname said:
We used to take the lorries in for a service every 6 weeks so not huge mileages between oil changes.

Those were 6 weekly safety inspections, literally the equivalent of a "MOT Lite", recorded in the vehicle service log as a safety inspection, not services and no oil change done unless it was a coincidence it was due a service.