Engine Flush

[ripspeedtimmy]

Hey guys, question time, just want to know what everyone reccomends to do an engine flush, mine is due for its oil & filter change, i would just like to know what everyone uses to flush all the old manky oil out of their engine before puttin in the shiny new stuff :D . Also is it worth me using 5w40 fully synthetic oil instead of the standard 10w40 part synthetic. Or is it all a gimmic. The car is 10 years old and has done just over 66,000 miles. Its a 1.3 engine with sports stainless exhaust and induction kit. Cheers guys!

[Twincam.GTi]

I would not do an engine flush. I would just do an oil and filter change every 3000 to 4000 or twice a year (which ever is sooner).

Engine flushes have been known to 'dislodge' the odd carbon/rsidue deposit and cause other problems on older engines.

[KidKoala]

As twincam suggests, do not flush the engine unless there has been a problem (such as a head gasket failure) leading the build up of "mayo".

If you flush the engine you could be looking at a burst radiator and other problems.

[ripspeedtimmy]

Cheers for the help guys. What about using the fully synthetic oil compared to the standard semi synthetic which is reccomended for the car. I have noticed in the past that wen i did an oil change with fully synth it was drinking oil big time

[Twincam.GTi]

Stay with semi-synthetic of around 10/40 grade.

Yes I too have known of an older vehicle that has had fully-synthetic put in it and then started to burn oil.

I would say fully synthetic is only good if the engine has had it from new.

[RedAE102]

Is 10W-40 recommended in the owner's handbook? I'm curious about this, as most every Toyota that has found a home in the family fleet has recommended 10W-30 (5W-30 for more than occasional operation below 0ºC), including both E10 Corollas that we've had. Since our climate here is generally hotter than over there, one might think it would be the U.S. market that used the thicker oil. I, personally, use 10W-30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance full synthetic oil in my car at 15,000 mile intervals. Have used Mobil 1 at 10,000 miles since 120,000 miles and am now at 153,000 miles, still burning about a litre every 5,000 miles or so. It had been run on regular 10W-30 at 3,000 mile intervals since new, and burned about the same amount on dino oil.

[Twincam.GTi]

The oil life/ whats best etc... is down to personal choice/experiance.

Personally my own experiance is as follows,

For European and Japanese Cars built after 1980 (unless it's a British mini or Russian Moskvich or Volga) then I would use mainly10W-40, also 5W-40, 5W-50 or 10W- 50 I have used; usually in semi-synthetic, never would I use 20W-50.

For cars built before 1980 (and 'old design cars' built after that date like the British Mini, Russian Moskvich, etc.) then I would use 20W-50 standard Multigrade which I feel is ideal in a 'good ole 70's and 60's Banger'.

For cars built in the 50's and before (Austin Seven, Humber Hawk, Willys Jeep etc.) that have never had an engine rebuild (lucky them) then I would try to use the old single grade oils such as SAE30 and SAE40.

The other factor for long engine life is regular oil changes, which is why I change my oil (and filter) around every 4000 miles or twice a year, which ever is sooner.

It shocks me that in the last 6 years or so manufacturers claim that engines can now run to 9000 and 12000 miles between oil changes!

I think I will stay on the safe side and spend that extra 'tenner' and stick with regular oil changes.