Best and safest engine flush

[19963.4lsr5]

I'm fascinated by this stuff, I've heard whispers about it before but never knew what it was. I'm also fascinated by the $40 a quart price on Amazon. What's this stuff made of, and how does it work?

Look on eBay for it or call some local dealerships. Most carry BG products.

I lucked out one time at the Toyota dealer and the BG distributer happened to be there. I bought it off his truck cash for half of what I paid on eBay. I think 5 a can. I have enough to last a good while and his business card in my wallet for next time.


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[Twisted Sid]

Hmm. Darn good point. I had not thought of that. As soon as I get the new alternator in, that will be the 1st thing I check. Thinking along those lines, I seem to recall that when I cleaned the MAF with CRC MAF cleaner, the idle speed did indeed drop a tad. Thank you very much. :thumb3:

Hadn't thought of it...?
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3520292-post13.html

 

[phattyduck]

I'm sure you are correct. However, I am no ones idea of a mechanic and according to Haynes Repair Manual, the following is necessary before removing the oil pan: remove front stabilizer bar, remove exhaust assembly, remove front crossmember, remove the A/C compressor, remove alternator, remove the crankshaft position sensor from the timing cover, remove the left and right stiffener plates, remove the transmission brace. Only then can the pan be dropped for cleaning the pan and oil pick-up tube.
I appreciate your advise, but doing all of that is WAY over my head. :noidea:

I'm not sure what the manual is smoking, but the pan is right there after the under cover / skid plate is removed:

On a 4WD, the diff is right there and a huge pain to remove:

-Charlie

 

[Bad Luck]

Haynes manuals are about as accurate as youtube conspiracy theories. Are some of them true? Sure, but you have no idea what's true and not. Haynes manuals do make good fire starters though

 

[plcfcng]

2 symptoms.
Oil light at idle and oil dark after 20 miles.

Filter is downstream of the sensor, so not likely the issue.
Thinner oil should make for less pressure than thicker oil, so 10w40 isn’t likely the cause.

I’d run cheap filters till your done flushing at least.

You can look in the oil fill cap for sludge. Generally you’d do that before purchase, not after.

I run Marvel for the last 250 - 500 miles before an oil change if I want to clean an engine.

For your case I think I’d pour in a quart of marvel and then run the engine with no load at a high enough rpm to keep the light off. Every once in a while let it idle and see if light comes on. Do this for about 10 minutes. Then let sit overnight and then repeat the run test.
Assuming light still comes on, then drain the oil and pour in 2 gallons of diesel. Let that sit overnight and then drain and replace filter and fill with cheap 10w30 or 5w30 and start it up and check light.

If no light, then dump in a half quart of marvel and run it for 500. Then do an oil change with good oil and filter.

If still a light, then get a pressure gauge, and/or get invasive with the oil pan and oil pump.

This sounds perfect.:surfer:

 

[Traveler74]

Special thanks to Phattyduck for posting those great photos

Truly, a huge help for me.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Haynes manuals are about as accurate as youtube conspiracy theories. Are some of them true? Sure, but you have no idea what's true and not. Haynes manuals do make good fire starters though

Only thing a Haynes manual is good for is a door stop. Chilton is better.....


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[19963.4lsr5]

Special thanks to Phattyduck for posting those great photos

Truly, a huge help for me.

You may still need to remove motor mount bolts and jack up the engine to clear the pan and windage tray.


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[plcfcng]

2 symptoms.
Oil light at idle and oil dark after 20 miles.

Filter is downstream of the sensor, so not likely the issue.
Thinner oil should make for less pressure than thicker oil, so 10w40 isn’t likely the cause.

I’d run cheap filters till your done flushing at least.

You can look in the oil fill cap for sludge. Generally you’d do that before purchase, not after.

I run Marvel for the last 250 - 500 miles before an oil change if I want to clean an engine.

For your case I think I’d pour in a quart of marvel and then run the engine with no load at a high enough rpm to keep the light off. Every once in a while let it idle and see if light comes on. Do this for about 10 minutes. Then let sit overnight and then repeat the run test.
Assuming light still comes on, then drain the oil and pour in 2 gallons of diesel. Let that sit overnight and then drain and replace filter and fill with cheap 10w30 or 5w30 and start it up and check light.

If no light, then dump in a half quart of marvel and run it for 500. Then do an oil change with good oil and filter.

If still a light, then get a pressure gauge, and/or get invasive with the oil pan and oil pump.

Going that far I would go one more step and pull a rod cap to look at the bearing.

 

[Traveler74]

This may seem a tad off topic but it is related to the reason why I needed to do an engine flush. Recall that I was getting a low oil pressure light at idle. Because I had just done a new oil change, and a NEW battery, I suspected that the oil light coming on had something to do with the oil change. Perhaps , but not necessarily.

Today I learned that when a battery is disconnected on a Toyota, in my case several times with in 24 hours, the computer gets confused and needs to be reset/re-taught. Sometimes the idle may be too high, sometimes too low. If too low, the check oil light can come on. According to my sources, this re-setting/re-teaching is done by doing the following.

1.) Warm up truck -- 10-12 minutes
2.) Turn engine off (but not to accessory)
3.) Turn key to "on position" but do not start the truck
4.) Turn key to "off position"
5.) Turn key to "on Position" again, do not start the truck
6.) Turn key to the "start position" and idle the engine.
7.) Set emergency brake.
8.) Put shifter in DRIVE.
9.) With foot on the brake, allow the engine to run for 5-6 minutes. Do not rev.
10.) Take the truck on a short stop and go drive. 5 miles should be enough

This is supposed to reset/ re-teach the computer what it supposed to do when in idle.

As soon as my alternator arrives, the above is the first thing I'll try. What the heck, I've got nothing to lose and it just might save me a lot of work and money.

 

[heat]

Sounds like a lot of work. Drive it around, it'll relearn what it needs to relearn.

In the meantime, you could just put your foot on the gas pedal and hold the
idle at ~750 rpm to see if the oil light goes off.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Those relearned parameters are called adaptive parameters. And yes that could be your low idle since you did battery swap and oil change at the same time.

Start it up and let it warm up completely. Then do a few hot starts (like 3 to 5) before driving it. Then just drive it normally. In a few drive cycles it should relearn what it needs to.


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