Engine Oil Cleaner? Can it be used?

[gregwillclark]

Afternoon foccers!


I want to drop the oil on the bike and change the filter, can you use an off the shelf oil cleaner additive, or is it not advisable? Would it damage the clutch?


Greg

[darrsi]

I wouldn't bother to be honest.


Empty the oil when the bike is still warm though (not hot).

[papercutout]

If I wanted to do that (slight concern here on a bike, with the clutch situation, not a concern on a car) I would use a small amount of diesel in the oil, get it hot, and drain. It's cheaper, and easy to get hold of, and is a perfect thing to clear out the gunk.

[midden]

Is diesel really good for cleaning then?

[dazza]

Yes Neil,  especially good on clothes and dinner plates. 

[midden]

You may have solved my life long problem there Daz

[gregwillclark]

Found this stuff:


http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorcycle/cleaners/wurth-engine-flush-300ml

[noggythenog]

I always thought that engine flush agents would end up dislodging dodgy crud and cause more trouble than it does good......but then they exist for a reason so why not......but you'd need to be 100% sure that you did it properly as i dont imagine it would be too good softening up stuff that ends up becoming dislodged once you've already filled up with fresh oil and are riding about......probably a gamble but someone has to try it.

[paulchucky]

if you look after your engine and treat it to regular oil changes and use decent oil there should be no reason for crud build up and therefore no need for any detergant etc


I always thought that engine flush agents would end up dislodging dodgy crud and cause more trouble than it does good......but then they exist for a reason so why not......but you'd need to be 100% sure that you did it properly as i dont imagine it would be too good softening up stuff that ends up becoming dislodged once you've already filled up with fresh oil and are riding about......probably a gamble but someone has to try it.

[His Dudeness]

If I was going to use engine cleaner I'd probably stick it in run it, then change the oil, then change it again after a few days and stick on a new filter just to be sure that as much of the gunk was gone as possible and that there was no cleaner left in the engine.

[darrsi]

Just saw this, worth a read:

".....Typically, engine flushes should not be used in motorcyles. They have detergents and other ingredients that can be harmful to the clutch fibers, and since motorcycle engines generally have much tighter tolerances than car engines, the flush can actually remove enough of the oil's lubrication abilities to cause excessive friction and damage to internal parts. The best way to "flush" a motorcycle engine is to start the engine and get it nice and warm, possibly even ride the motorcycle for a short distance, and then drian the oil and replace the filter. After filling with fresh oil, run the bike for a few minutes and check the oil. If the oil still seems dirty or dark, repeat the oil drain and refill process again. This is a little more expensive than a "Flushing" product but it is the best and safest way to flush your engine....."

[tweetytek]

Just saw this, worth a read:

".....Typically, engine flushes should not be used in motorcyles. They have detergents and other ingredients that can be harmful to the clutch fibers, and since motorcycle engines generally have much tighter tolerances than car engines, the flush can actually remove enough of the oil's lubrication abilities to cause excessive friction and damage to internal parts. The best way to "flush" a motorcycle engine is to start the engine and get it nice and warm, possibly even ride the motorcycle for a short distance, and then drian the oil and replace the filter. After filling with fresh oil, run the bike for a few minutes and check the oil. If the oil still seems dirty or dark, repeat the oil drain and refill process again. This is a little more expensive than a "Flushing" product but it is the best and safest way to flush your engine....."

This is what I have done for 30+years riding. Sound advice. Don't use flush fluid.. for all the reasons set out in above posts. Most oil change I did was 2 in an hour. A bit more expensive than flush fluid, but a whole more peace of mind

Great post darrsi

[darrsi]

The manual now suggests an oil change every 6000 miles, but a lot of people on here, including myself, have stuck with the old recommendation of every 4000 miles.
If you were to do the same i see no reason why any "flushing" should be needed at all, unless you've had a known problem.
I replace my oil filter every 2 changes as well.


There's a couple of other little tricks which can keep your oil a bit cleaner, one being a magnetic sump plug, and some people also stick magnets on their oil filter as well to try and contain any very fine metal debris in these areas.

[tweetytek]

The manual now suggests an oil change every 6000 miles, but a lot of people on here, including myself, have stuck with the old recommendation of every 4000 miles.
......
There's a couple of other little tricks which can keep your oil a bit cleaner, one being a magnetic sump plug, and some people also stick magnets on their oil filter as well to try and contain any very fine metal debris in these areas.

More great tips from darrsi. I bought a magnetic adhesive strip from a garden centre. Supposed to be for preventing snails and slugs climbing up pots ... You cut it to size and wrap it around the bottom of the pot, or in my case around the oil filter. Some biker friends felt it may lead to clogging in the filter but I explained that is what the filter is for in a way and that I change every 4k ... Linke darrsi, never needed to flush !