Posted: 3/5/2008 3:03:45 PM EDT
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Going to do a triple flush on the engine this weekend (it needs it. BAD), so looking for some brand advice... Best flush agent/method to use (Gumout, Sea Foam, Kerosene, ATF etc.)? Best oil filter brand? Best brand of synthetic oil (Mobil 1 or something else)? Thanks. 
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| I have a '98 Rodeo and I just flushed it at 138K with Sea Foam after reading good things about it on Automotiveforums.com's Isuzu forum. I've got about 2K miles on it since the flush. I'll probably do it again when I change the oil again in another 1000 miles. A lot of people do advise against it on such a high mileage engine that's never been flushed, but so far, no problems with mine. I also ran some through the intake to clean out the injectors. |
The pre-2002 2nd-Generation Troopers suffer from a design flaw that leads the engine to burn oil, mostly because the drain-back holes behind the rings get gummed up. My engine recently ran VERY low (80%+) of oil, and it's been a while since an oil change has been done (normally, I'm dumping in a quart every 800 miles or so, sometimes more frequently. In addition to doing this, I will be changing the PCV valve and cleaning out the EGR valve. I've done flushes with Sea Foam before, and what has come out of that engine has been frightening. 
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I don't have any scientific proof to prove otherwise, but I've been told by Isuzu engineers that those engine flush solutions tend to make things worse on higher mileage engines. Something about the sludge/deposits helping things seal, and the solution blows that all away dramatically increasing oil consumption and exaggerating oil leaks. |
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Auto RX www.auto-rx.com/ I am a member of BITOG forums. Which is the arfcom of motor oil. I dont have the time for a full length explanation, you just have to trust me on this one. |
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My Rodeo burns oil like that too and I've run it nearly out a couple of times. It's a wonder it still runs. I try to keep a better watch on it now. I'm hoping it'll last me a couple more years. There's some good info here: www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?s=bb6c6c62adc1e30171feba18a6356ad9&f=743 |
Yeah, well..... That may be true, but these are the same engineers who a) fucked up the engine design in the first place, and b) came up with the "Well, 1 quart every 1,000 miles is normal" bullshit afterwards. 
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How many miles on it? What kind of flush are you doing? If it is oil flush and it has a crap load of miles on it think about this. All you are going to do is break loose the gunk that has stuck on. Then after it breaks loose it will follow the oil to the oil pick up tube. There it is going to plug up the pick up tube and starve the engine of oil and burn it up. I would think twice before you did it. That is my professional opinion, take it for what it's worth. I would not do it. If you are set on it, I would use diesel fuel to flush it out. |
Don't worry, I think the Isuzu guys suck too. <---7 year inmate of one of the few remaining Isuzu dealers in GA. You think owning one is bad, try working on them five days a week. 
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102K.
Well, the idea was as follows: Drain existing oil. Replace with el-cheapo filter and oil. Add flush agent. Run engine (idle) for 15 minutes. Drain oil. Replace with el-cheapo oil. Add flush agent. Run engine (idle) for 15 minutes. Drain oil. Replace with Mobil 1 synthetic and good oil filter.
I've read that it may be a good idea to take down the oil pan and clean it to ensure what you describe does NOT happen. Comments? |
+1 If you have a sludge problem, that shit is everywhere and if you rinse it down into the oil pan, you risk plugging up the pickup screen. |
Wait, wait...... You were an Isuzu MECHANIC?  DUDE! Did you ever work on 2000 Troopers? If so, I've got a SLEW of questions to ask!  Hope I don't scare you off. 
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Short of dropping the pan, I've read that pouring kerosene through the engine with the drain plug removed (and maybe with the truck jacked so as to increase the amount of oil that flows out) addresses that. Comments? I'm learning here, not challenging anyone... |
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What symptoms are you having? The sludge will usually collect inside the cylinder head, valve cover, and inside the oil pan. The oil pan and valve cover have baffles and all sorts of places for sludge to stick to. If you pour a solvent in the oil filler hole, it is going to flow down, following the path of least resistance, maybe carrying some sludge with it but most of it will stay in the engine. I've seen the inside of many sludged up motors and that stuff is nasty and tough to clean out even with the engine apart. |
except this way there is a feeling of satisfaction? |
You just became my new best friend! 
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Yes good idea 30 minuites of run time setting in the driveway is not going to do any good. The engine will not get hot enough for long enough time to break the gunk loose that has cooked and baked on IMHO. If it were me, I would drain 2 quarts of oil out and add diesel fuel in the oil to bring the level back up. Drive it for one hour and change the filter. Drive it for 1 more hour. Drain ALL the oil and add new oil using 2 quarts of diesel fuel again and drive it for a couple more hours. Drain the oil,remove the oil pan and clean. Don't drive the crap out of it when you are doing this, back road drive will be good enough. Use cheap oil for this, then install what ever brand of quality oil you want to run. Diesel fuel in oil is not going to do any damage, if you don't believe me go by any diesel shop or go to any dealership and ask the diesel repair tech there. They will tell you that diesel fuel will clean the internal parts like crazy. It is not a crazy strong cleaner that strips the oil off of what it on. It leaves a oil film on what ever it gets on. This is my opinion on what you should do, if I had a problem like you do, this is what I would do. Plus diesel fuel will not attack the seals in the engine. Some celaners out there will do a great job, then a little while later all the seals will blow out due to the strong cleaner you ran throught it breaking down the rubber seals and paper gaskets. hope that helps, good luck |
Phew, I'm glad NY is a far away from GA. 
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+1 There are several ways that this could go wrong. I would suggest that you pull and clean the pan and valve cover and refill with a 15W-40 fleet oil and a Wix filter. Run for about 3,000 miles, or until the oil turns pitch black. Drain, change, new filter, do the same. A good fleet oil will clean out your engine better than you think. Then, later, you can switch to synthetics. Are you burning oil? |
| Agree with a lot of the advice given. As a professional, I am not a fan of that miracle tune in a can shit. Be careful what you do. It may cause more harm than anything. Secondly, I didnt catch how many miles it has on it, but Id HIGHLY suggest not switching to synthetic if you have run conventional oil all its life. |
You are going to knock stuff loose that is not harming anything and you are going to put into the system to potentially causing blockages and distributing 'grit' through out your engine. |
Fleet oil? 
Yep. |