The benefits of flushing a CRD motor

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2014 4:03 am

I just gave my CRD a 15 minute motor flush before an oil change

Used this stuff: http://www.bardahl.com/products/oil-add ... gine-flush

I was surprised to find hard bits of black carbon at the bottom of the catch pan and noticed a smoother running motor with a more sensitive throttle response and a quieter lifter/rocker sound.

flman · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:48 am

racertracer wrote:

I just gave my CRD a 15 minute motor flush before an oil change

Used this stuff: http://www.bardahl.com/products/oil-add ... gine-flush

I was surprised to find hard bits of black carbon at the bottom of the catch pan and noticed a smoother running motor with a more sensitive throttle response and a quieter lifter/rocker sound.

I don't know, any thing less then the proper oil, I am not putting it in my crank case? My catch pan is enclosed and dirty, so I can not vouch for bits of carbon.

LS12FAST4U · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:28 pm

If I recall correctly it says specifically on the bottle of motor flush to not use it on turbo equipped vehicles...

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:50 pm

Not so with this formula.

Flushing our CRD motor should be part of our maintenance, it may reduce the top and lower end failures by dissolving the sludge and carbon deposits around rings, rockers, seals, etc.

The crunchy black crud that came out of my engine was an eye opener, even if it was a minimal amount. I am sure that there was more dissolved crud that came out along with the varnish and sludge.

The oil had 5000 miles on it and it was thick black soot.

Follow directions, idle the engine for 10 to 15 minutes, don't drive it, drain well, replace the oil and filter soon after you perform the flush and you will notice a considerable difference in how well the motor runs.

Check out the Amsoil website regarding motor flushing: http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/o ... ion-flush/

This stuff is for big boys who know how to maintain their vehicles and keep their Diesel engines clean.

If you're a scary cat and don't know what you're doing, then stay away, a flush is not for you.

Yes, doing it wrong will destroy your engine.

The main thing to remember is that you cannot drive your vehicle during the flush, rev the engine or extend the time frame as indicated on the directions.

Auberon · **Posted:** Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:44 am

X2 resoundingly what racertracer said.
An essential practice even without EGR let alone with it.

flman · **Posted:** Tue Mar 11, 2014 7:02 am

racertracer wrote:

Not so with this formula.

Flushing our CRD motor should be part of our maintenance, it may reduce the top and lower end failures by dissolving the sludge and carbon deposits around rings, rockers, seals, etc.

The crunchy black crud that came out of my engine was an eye opener, even if it was a minimal amount. I am sure that there was more dissolved crud that came out along with the varnish and sludge.

The oil had 5000 miles on it and it was thick black soot.

Follow directions, idle the engine for 10 to 15 minutes, don't drive it, drain well, replace the oil and filter soon after you perform the flush and you will notice a considerable difference in how well the motor runs.

Check out the Amsoil website regarding motor flushing: http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/o ... ion-flush/

This stuff is for big boys who know how to maintain their vehicles and keep their Diesel engines clean.

If you're a scary cat and don't know what you're doing, then stay away, a flush is not for you.

Yes, doing it wrong will destroy your engine.

The main thing to remember is that you cannot drive your vehicle during the flush, rev the engine or extend the time frame as indicated on the directions.

Okay, you can do all the R&D for us. :mrgreen:

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Mar 11, 2014 1:38 pm

Racer, you are a braver man than I am. Then again, I have seen the insides of more than just my own engines, and the need for a flush is dubious at best. The engines I have seen the top ends on have all been beautifully clean and carbon-free, so I have no idea where that "crunchy stuff" you found could have come from.

Anything that isn't oil shouldn't be in the oil passages however - don't forget, my engine #2 blew the bottom end after 3 oil changes at 3000 miles each and it came apart and stuffed the rod end through the wall of the block while at idle.

FYI: I am overdue for an oil change on my TDI (with the EGR disabled) and at 294,000 miles and about 9k on this oil change - The oil was still partially transparent on the paper towel. It was mostly opaque on the dipstick, but nothing like what the CRD would be after just a few hundred miles.

Yes, obviously these engines produce lots of sooty carbon... But I think that the oil is stressed even more by the way the oiling system was designed. Unfortunately I don't have a good solution for that problem yet.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

racertracer · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:32 am

I have noticed that my MPG were increasing during my commute. So last night I decided to take the CRD out on the highway to see how well she does MPG wise.

I like to do this during the evening since the highway is less congested, I 95 in the Northeast corridor is always packed.

Traffic is light at that time of day and it allows for uninterrupted cruising speeds, a good way to test MPG.

The distance I traveled one way was 34 miles, 68 miles total round trip.

My MPG highway have always been between 21.8 - 23.6. I didn't want to trust the EVIC MPG so I filled up the tank to the brim before the trip and refueled again to the brim at the end of the trip, I manually calculate the results.

Last nights trip indicated I was getting 28.8 MPG and would have continued to increase had I traveled further than 68 miles. The EVIC indicated a digit increase every few miles traveled and would have continued to increase if I hadn't ended the trip.

Throttle response was very sensitive and the engine felt it had increased power, cruising speed was 67mph about.

The EVIC indicated close to 31 MPG and it would have kept increasing had I traveled further than 68 miles.

It's incredible.

Here is what I did:

1. Oil change with 5w40 Delo - Chevron and new Bosch oil filter, after flushing with the product above.
2. Fuel additive CRC Motor Treatment 16-oz 05316 to clean the fuel system applied in the tank at the start of the test.

flman · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 8:17 am

ITS A MIRACLE!! :pepper:

RJM · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 9:50 am

Hard bits coming out of the crankcase is a cause for concern. As far as the motor flush goes, I never have done it and never will. A good quality diesel rated oil with the proper soot loading qualities makes this completely unnessesary :2cents:

MRausch82 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 9:55 am

RJM wrote:

Hard bits coming out of the crankcase is a cause for concern. As far as the motor flush goes, I never have done it and never will. A good quality diesel rated oil with the proper soot loading qualities makes this completely unnessesary :2cents:

+1.

BlackLibertyCRD · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:41 am

Can I add another :2cents:

to this so we have a nickle?

car0430a · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:23 pm

I routinely flush my engine with sea foam. Maybe every other oil change or so. Have been doing so for the past 50k, as it states it's safe for Diesel engines.

racertracer · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:41 pm

The engine flush products mentioned above are not harmful solvents, but detergents.

cevans · **Joined:** Wed Aug 24, 2005 12:48 pm **Posts:** 278

I must say I am on the "Do Not Flush" train.

I can't say that I have taken apart any CRD motors yet, but I've taken apart a LOT of TDIs and those who have used good oil always have spotless internals. Like, seriously spotless. Since I've been using good oils in the CRD I'm expecting the same thing.

A good quality 5w40 synthetic diesel oil won't leave any gunk in your motor to clean out.

Mike92104 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:48 pm

I'm in the middle of tearing my engine down. I expected to find sludge all over the place, but the only noticeable gunk was sitting on top of the cylinder head along with the rockers. There was some definite globs of black crud with a semi dried toothpaste consistency. I was pleased to find none anywhere else, and the bottom end looked good. The bearings showed normal wear even after a rocker failure and a melted piston crown (has anyone else seen this?). My card has 120k running the 0w-40 mobile 1 without disabling the egg since new. I think the sludge up top explains the rocker wear. After the rebuild, I'll be running a 5w-40 diesel rated oil and a GDE tune. I doubt any flush will be necessary.

flman · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:29 pm

I am thinking sludge is more of a gasser thing, since they are the only engines I have ever seen sludge form in. The PCV is pulling a steady vacuum on the engine, and of course it needs a breather to pull in the air that causes the sludge to form the most in the PCV side of the valve cover. Diesels make their own positive CC pressure, so no sludge. But all in all, it has been a long time since I got my hands dirty with a gasser, and modern oils might have changed that? But I have never seen sludge in any of my diesels, past or present.

mass-hole · **Posted:** Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:36 pm

I have run seafoam through my motorcycle and Legacy GT(turbo) before oil changes and it makes quite a dramatic difference in the color of the oil that comes out. In both cases I do not drive the vehicle, ie no load, and only rev it slightly to get the oil pressure and flow rates up. Seafoam in particular may thin oil slightly, although it is petroleum based, so I think this is why they tell you not to drive with it. Not sure on the turbo thing. I would think it could be bad to spool the turbo all the way up by mashing on the gas.

SFHLibertyCRD · **Posted:** Tue Apr 08, 2014 4:48 pm

racertracer,

I'm curious if the mileage gains you thought you were getting have continued? I'm going to change oil for the first time soon and install my fumoto. I'm unsure about whether to try a product like this given the mixed opinions.

What about this option: http://www.idparts.com/catalog/product_ ... 347b452f08

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:25 pm

"Cevans" is the seller of that product and he just posted that he is not in favor of flushing.

DOC

The benefits of flushing a CRD motor

Who is online