Finished installing new short block on my series V and car is running great. Looking at the utube on rebuilding, they used flushing oil after the initial break in. I changed oil after 1/2 hour and now have about 500 miles on her. Is it a good idea flushing before changing to the Rotella T6 I intend to use? Some reports say this can cause more troubles than not. Anyone with experience here?
-
Welcome to the new SAOCA website. Already a member? Simply click Log In/Sign Up up and to the right and use your same username and password from the old site. If you've forgotten your password, please send an email to membership@sunbeamalpine.org for assistance.
If you're new here, click Log In/Sign Up and enter your information. We'll approve your account as quickly as possible, typically in about 24 hours. If it takes longer, you were probably caught in our spam/scam filter.
Enjoy.
Flushing oil
- Thread starter Clark
- Start date
RootesRacer
Donation Time
Flushing oil is not a great idea these days. Its super thin oil/solvent mix and doesnt provide adequate lubrication to protect a running engine. In the olden days, its sludge removal was probably worth the risk to the engine, but with modern oils, you are better off just draining the oil with a normal oil change.
If you are using and changing oil filters, what is left to be flushed? I'm with RR on this. Back in the early days of detergents, flushing was done to remove the thousands of miles of sludge that had built up in old engines that had been using non-detergent oil. The flushing agent was usually a mixture of engine oil and kerosene. Even back then, it was considered a sketchy routine.
Bill
Bill
Tim R
Silver Level Sponsor
Just to be different! We always use flushing oil at every oil change. It may even have been our video that you watched on YouTube.
In the engine rebuild video on the Sunbeam Alpine Channel on YouTube you will see how much rubbish flushing oil removes from a 100% clean, totally rebuilt engine that had only covered a few hundred miles while running-in. We use a magnetic sump plug swarf catcher on all of our Alpines and Filer magnets on the oil filters.
In the video we dropped out the running-in oil and cleaned the magnetic sump plug. We then filled the car with good quality pure flushing oil and ran for 20 minutes at tick-over. (It is not a good idea to drive the car or place the engine under heavy load when it only has flushing oil in it). Then we dropped the flushing oil out and again cleaned off the swarf that had been freed, it was a surprising amount. Then we proceeded to change the filter and put new oil in (modern classic car oil with a high ZDDP content).
Without flushing the engine you slowly build up the amount of deposits all around the engine. The new oil also tends to stay golden for longer rather than immediately turning black. If you flush a new engine every 3,000 miles when you change the oil you will keep it in very good condition internally and protect your investment. If you suddenly flush an engine that hasn't been looked after or flushed previously you could well cause yourself problems because you may cause large amounts of built up dirt to be released quickly.
Tim R
In the engine rebuild video on the Sunbeam Alpine Channel on YouTube you will see how much rubbish flushing oil removes from a 100% clean, totally rebuilt engine that had only covered a few hundred miles while running-in. We use a magnetic sump plug swarf catcher on all of our Alpines and Filer magnets on the oil filters.
In the video we dropped out the running-in oil and cleaned the magnetic sump plug. We then filled the car with good quality pure flushing oil and ran for 20 minutes at tick-over. (It is not a good idea to drive the car or place the engine under heavy load when it only has flushing oil in it). Then we dropped the flushing oil out and again cleaned off the swarf that had been freed, it was a surprising amount. Then we proceeded to change the filter and put new oil in (modern classic car oil with a high ZDDP content).
Without flushing the engine you slowly build up the amount of deposits all around the engine. The new oil also tends to stay golden for longer rather than immediately turning black. If you flush a new engine every 3,000 miles when you change the oil you will keep it in very good condition internally and protect your investment. If you suddenly flush an engine that hasn't been looked after or flushed previously you could well cause yourself problems because you may cause large amounts of built up dirt to be released quickly.
Tim R
Tim R
Silver Level Sponsor
The microscopic particles that the magnets attract are caught before they reach the oil pump by the sump magnet or after they have passed through the oil pump by the filter magnet. Why wouldn't you want to get this stuff out of circulation and keep the new oil that lubricates your engine as clean and pure as possible?
Tim R
Tim R
The question was not about the wisdom of using sump magnets. I have no problem capturing metallic particles with them. However, captured particles are no longer in circulation. Why should particles be put back in circulation in order to be removed from the system? Also, why are the flushed particles not captured in the filter? I think it is because they never truly circulate. Just move around on the bottom.
Bill
Bill
Warren
Bronze Level Sponsor
Wow , can't pick a side here. But having read the label on a flushing oil and seeing kerosene and naphtha that caused me to change my mind about using it.
As for a magnet on the drain plug that's not a bad idea. I think you still see those on lawn equipment and small motorcycles and boat motors, Even those without real oil filters and screens like early Volkswagens. Despite the pita of a Tiger stock oil filter are, I've changed it three times in under 500 mi. while doing my best to get it overheat before by partially blocking the radiator.
It's probably a way better idea to just drop the oil pan and clean it out on an old motor.
As for a magnet on the drain plug that's not a bad idea. I think you still see those on lawn equipment and small motorcycles and boat motors, Even those without real oil filters and screens like early Volkswagens. Despite the pita of a Tiger stock oil filter are, I've changed it three times in under 500 mi. while doing my best to get it overheat before by partially blocking the radiator.
It's probably a way better idea to just drop the oil pan and clean it out on an old motor.
Or what works for them. I have purchased a lot of cars and drove them into the ground. Engine wear is not the reason they get the good bye kiss. The payback for flushing would be exactly zero.
Bill
Warren
Bronze Level Sponsor
Ha tell that to the Lucas brother's and about 30 producer's of the product. Interesting to see one for helping to get salt out.
Ever run into a guy old enough that swears by non detergent oil? Let's add oil to the religion politics banned list cause some can't disagree nicely which is a really big problem today.
Let's go back to the LoL Honda engineer splaining why the oil filters are so small these days.
" Because we build better engines." So maybe these high tolerance antiques could benefit from bumping up the oil change interval, that's my flushing method.
And lastly California and other states reward you for your scrap oil . State law says all auto parts store should pay I think it was .24 cents a gallon we pay .
They never say a word and dispute you if you ask. It's the principal of it not the pennies.
Some recycling centers pay more according to the websites.
Ever run into a guy old enough that swears by non detergent oil? Let's add oil to the religion politics banned list cause some can't disagree nicely which is a really big problem today.
Let's go back to the LoL Honda engineer splaining why the oil filters are so small these days.
" Because we build better engines." So maybe these high tolerance antiques could benefit from bumping up the oil change interval, that's my flushing method.
And lastly California and other states reward you for your scrap oil . State law says all auto parts store should pay I think it was .24 cents a gallon we pay .
They never say a word and dispute you if you ask. It's the principal of it not the pennies.
Some recycling centers pay more according to the websites.
