To Flush or Not to Flush?

[kkh120]

That's the question, so to speak.

Old engines , should you flush?

[Judderi]

I would take a chance and say yes. Because if you dont flush you run the risk of an oil way clogging. But if you do flush you run the risk of dislodging a blob from elsewhere in the engine and blocking an oil way. My advice would be to add some engine flush and run around with it in for as long as possible i.e a day or 2. That way all the clumps should be well and trully disolved.

[Daz...]

The other way to look at it is that if you do flush it then it may dislodge something that is keeping the oil from going where it shouldn't...

[Judderi]

Then that problem should be fixed.

[kkh120]

Its the circular problem. Some take the view, if it ain't broke....

On a fifteen year old engine I think the gunk is better out than in.

[Si]

I always flush.

[rubjonny]

I always flush out the oil & water, but every time I've done so its shown up problems somewhere

In my driver the radiator started leaking after a flush, and in my GTI the oil cooler started leaking.  But the way I see it, even if you don't flush the system out 'in case something brakes' the worn parts are gonna start leaking sooner or later so you might as well do it all early on!  If you're buying a MK2 then plan on at least replacing the radiator & oil cooler in the near future

[rowlers]

if it helps - I flush with Wynnes engine flush and it ahsn't caused any probs! Plus its only a couple of quid if you have a wlikos near you!!!

[KKK]

Don't flush.  My 8v had an engine full of cr ap at 135* when I bought it.  I changed the oil every 4k (silver Synta) untl 155k, then every 5k.  I just changed oil at 190k and she still pulls like a freight train on viagra.

I reckon changing the oil regularly cleans the cr ap out slowly and harmlessly.  Flushing could bug ger all sorts of things up.

KKK

[Judderi]

Yeah but you got no proof to back all that up. How do you even know it was full of crap in the 1st place? But i agree it is also a good idea to do regular oil changes. My rule is that if the oil has turned black or is turning then it needs changing.