I have been thinking of doing an engine oil flush on my ’84 6.2L. I have been looking at the chemical flushes at the auto parts stores that say to add the stuff to the oil and run it for 5 minutes, then drain and change the filter. I was just wondering what everyone thought of these products and what you might recommend.

I wouldn't recommend it. A friend of mine bought an 80's diesel Blazer and figured it would be a good idea to flush it out before changing the oil. I'm not sure what brand he used, but it was one he got locally. He followed the directions and started it up. It ran normally for a little bit then revved WAY up. He tried to shut it off but it just kept running. The vapors from the oil flush were getting into the combustion chambers (either past the rings or through the CDR?) and burning at a high rate. After a few scary minutes it burned itself out and finally quit. The motor ran fine for several years after that, so I guess it didn't hurt it but the oil flush certainly didn't do what it was supposed to. I wouldn't risk it unless you can find a non-volatile diesel specific oil flush.

OH WOW!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't think about the vapors and it being a diesel. I have read about people using solvents to clean thing and then the engine running wild. Trash that can of stuff!

Thanks

Good diesel oils have a lot of detergent in them to keep the inside of an engine clean. Make sure you are running a good grade of oil, Delo 400 or Rotella and if your oil gets dirty fast, change it sooner. I have torn down 6.2's that had impropper oil used(10/40 not rated for diesel) and the inside of the engine was horrible. All of the engines that I have torn down that had good oil run in them and regular service intervalls, looked very clean.:rolleyes:

I check in over at BITOG (http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi) on a regular basis, & they sure speak highly of Auto-RX (http://www.auto-rx.com/index.html). I've never used it myself, but I've been thinking about it. It even says on the Auto-RX FAQ page that it doesn't work like the "inexpensive solvents" that you find in auto parts stores, & has been extensively tested on diesels. Kinda pricey, though.

JM2C