Engine flushing at service time

[soprano]

The place I get my car serviced at carries out an engine flush come service time. Car is a Volvo S60 D5 with 140k miles on the clock. I am thinking of starting to carry out inter service oil changes at home.

I have heard mixed things about engine flushes - that if you are going to do it, make sure you do it every oil change. Ie be consistent in your approach or never do an engine flush.

What are the benefits/pitfalls? Is is something that is easy to carry out at home?

[soprano]

Anybody from the day shift?

[smn159]

I bought a car once from a guy who used parafin to flush the engine with at every oil change. Probably all sort of ill effects for the engine, but the oil was still spotless a year later!

[Riknos]

doogz said:

Not sure how much of that was the new OCV filter, and how much was the engine flush though. Like yourself, I'd heard mixed things about using it on engines that have been around for a while, bits of carbon and junk that have been stuck somewhere for a while are arguably better staying stuck, than coming loose and potentially ending up somewhere nasty, but it seems to have done the job for me, and caused no adverse affects so far.

This is what puts me off doing it. I swear I've heard horror stories about people doing it on older engines and it causing a heap of problems.

[littleredrooster]

The only time that I would vaguely consider it is if an engine were only ever used for <5 miles per journey and never got up to temperature properly. Under these circumstances, it may be worthwhile, but otherwise, IMO is a waste of money and effort.

[Matthen]

I seem to remember reading that any garage part of the "Good Garage Scheme" has to do it with every service. They did it too our car last time (last august) no ill effects since. As far as I know, it was the first time in its 7 year life its had one.