Flushing Oils (to clean engines)

[zcacogp]

Chaps,

I'd be interested in some points of view on this one ... my S2 has slightly noisy tappets when started from cold. (As an aside, I am of the impression that if you take it for a really hard drive, then park it while still hot, the tappets sound worse the following morning than if it was a fairly normal daily drive. But that's an aside.)

The car is due for an oil and filter service, and I some people have suggested that using a flushing oil may help ... does anyone have any views on this?

It also seems that there are two types of oil flush. First type is a 300 (or so) ml can which you add to the old oil befopre draining it. Add the flush, run the car at idle for 15 minutes and then drain, change filter and refill.

The second type is a very thin oil which you add after having removed the old oil. So, drain old oil, replace sump plug, add thin flushing oil, run at fast idle for 15 minutes, drain, change filters and fill with fresh new (normal) oil.

Has anyone used either of the above products, and if so, do they help with tappy-tappets? Are they any good, are they snake oil, do they damage the engine?

All (informed) opinions welcomed! Thanks.


Oli.

 

[cococola]

Going back a while my wife had an old metro that rattled its head off top end and I was given an engine flush to use called revite flush.After I had used this and put in fresh oil the noise virtually went(something that was common on rovers).
Not needed to try on my Porsche though[8|]

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: cococola

Going back a while my wife had an old metro that rattled its head off top end and I was given an engine flush to use called revite flush.After I had used this and put in fresh oil the noise virtually went(something that was common on rovers).
Not needed to try on my Porsche though[8|]

Hmmm, interesting. Was this an additive, or something you take the old oil out to use?


Oli.

 

[cococola]

It was a flush that you put in your oil,run up to temperature and then drain off replacing with new oil and filter.
I have a contact name who is very helpfull and would give advice if you like as he works for the company?
Alan

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: cococola

It was a flush that you put in your oil,run up to temperature and then drain off replacing with new oil and filter.
I have a contact name who is very helpfull and would give advice if you like as he works for the company?
Alan

Contact could be helpful - thanks. (Although 'works for the company' may implyu biased opinion ... !) Do you want to PM me? ogp(at)deep - green . co . uk (remove spaces).

Thanks again.


Oli.

 

[chrisg]

To put my penny's worth in.... I'm not and never have been convinced by flushing agents that contain all sorts of nasty abrasive stuff.

Its always struck me as the best way to flush the muck out of an engine is just to run it through with the cheapest Halfords/tescos bog standard oil you can find.

Get the engine up to temperature then drain it out and replace with appropriate synthetic oil.

Yours

C

 

[944psi]

My S2 also had noisy tappets.

As the oil looked pretty disgusting and I had no idea when the oil had been changed I used the following 2 products
£4.99 and £6.99 from Halfords.

Then

I was a little worried about using the flush as it effectively thins out your oil. My camshafter cover had a slightly leaky gasket and it leaked a little more with the flush treatement in it.

The Hydraulic Valve Lifter Treatment was recommended by Rick (I think) some time ago as he had used it in baby WUF. My noise from the top end was significantly reduced. I'm not sure which product out of the flush, fresh oil or the treatment did it, but it worked.

Hope this helps,
Phil

 

[cococola]

Oli
Although he works for the company he is totally unbiased and more a friend that I went to with my engine problem.He gave me the treatment foc[]
I can email tomorrow if you want contact number?
Alan

 

[944cabby]

I agree with phil 944psi - i've used both and the lifter treatment really quitened my tappets.

 

[cococola]

Wynns is good stuff[]

 

[zcacogp]

Chaps,

Thanks for your input - all. Sounds like I need to find some lifter treatment (I didn't know such a thing existed.) Phil - you said you used two products - did you ptu them both into the old oil before you drained it? (i.e. you didn't put one product in, then drain the oil then refill with clean oil, add the other product, drain again and fill again with more clean oil?)

ORIGINAL: cococola

Oli
Although he works for the company he is totally unbiased and more a friend that I went to with my engine problem.He gave me the treatment foc[]
I can email tomorrow if you want contact number?
Alan

Alan, that would be great if you could - thanks. My eMail address is on a post up there ^^^^. Or use the PM function on the forum.


Oli.

 

[Indi9xx]

Find a local "Forte" approved service centre and by a can of their "Engine Flush" and "Hydraulic Lifter treatement"

The engine flush is not abrasive, its a mixture of solvents and detergents that beak down the varnish and deposits which cause noisy lifters... Not sure how the lifter treatement works... But it works.

Those two products are recommended by Vauxhall and Audi to main dealers to resolve issues with lifters within the warranty period.

Stripdowns of engines reveal that using two particular brands of engine oil tend to cause massive amounts of varnish and deposits (I call it black death) everywhere within the engine. Including the lifters.

 

[Guest]

ORIGINAL: Indi9xx


Stripdowns of engines reveal that using two particular brands of engine oil tend to cause massive amounts of varnish and deposits (I call it black death) everywhere within the engine. Including the lifters.

[] Any chance you could name those particular two brands?

Regards

John Daly.

 

[zcacogp]

Yes, I'd be interested in those two brands of oil ... (hopefully not Audi and Vauxhall, as they are the oil types I use most of!)

Also what is a "Forte" approved centre?


Oli.

 

[dlknight]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

Yes, I'd be interested in those two brands of oil ... (hopefully not Audi and Vauxhall, as they are the oil types I use most of!)

Also what is a "Forte" approved centre?


Oli.

I believe its been mentioned before... Castrol GTX Magnatec ?

I was thinking about using engine flush and was also concerned about damaging the engine, so last time I changed the oil (3 weeks ago) I just got the engine nice and warm to aid draining the old oil. I've changed to Mobil 1 Motorsport as well (previously using Castrol), I believe the Mobil 1 has a slight detergent action ?

Cheers

Dave K.

 

[944psi]

Hi Oli,

It was engine flush in first, run for time specified on the product (think the wynns was 15 mins);
Drain oil, fit new filter, sump plug and refill
Add lifter treatment. Can't remember if the engine (oil) had to be hot before adding the treatment.

There was a tip I used when taking the old filter off, which was to get an old sock (sports sock), cut the end off to make a tube and slide it over the old oil filter. As you loosen the filter move the sock down to soak up any oil coming out of the filter.

Phil

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: 944psi

Hi Oli,

It was engine flush in first, run for time specified on the product (think the wynns was 15 mins);
Drain oil, fit new filter, sump plug and refill
Add lifter treatment. Can't remember if the engine (oil) had to be hot before adding the treatment.

There was a tip I used when taking the old filter off, which was to get an old sock (sports sock), cut the end off to make a tube and slide it over the old oil filter. As you loosen the filter move the sock down to soak up any oil coming out of the filter.

Phil,

Thanks. Is the lifter treatment left in the new oil for the next 5,000 miles then? You didn't mention using it for 15 minutes or so and then throwing it away, which is what I assumed you did (as with the engine flush).


Oli.

 

[944psi]

Lifter treatment stays in. At least it does now I've done the rms!

Phil

 

[zcacogp]

Chaps,

OK, local motor factors sold me a bottle of the Wynns lifter treatment yesterday (£8.99p ... more expensive than semi-decent whisky!) so I'll be trying it out. The plan was to change the oil and filters today but looking at the rain I'm thinking maybe not ... however when I do change it, I'll put the lifter treatment in the new oil and see how it gets on.

Thanks to everyone for your input. I'll keep you posted.


Oli.