Probably, many motorists have encountered the fact that the car’s cooling system became clogged and required cleaning. So, on the VAZ-2114 it periodically requires this process to be completed. But not all car enthusiasts are able to perform this action with their own hands. This article tells you how to flush your cooling system yourself.
The video below discusses the most basic methods and means for flushing the cooling system on modern cars:
The video will tell you how to clean the cooling system with your own hands and what you will need for this.
When to clean the engine
Flushing the engine with kerosene before replacing should not be done every time, as many service stations recommend, hoping to earn more money from you. The need for cleaning is determined based on the vehicle's mileage. As a rule, it is recommended to clean the engine every 70-80 thousand mileage. But in fact, no one does this, so to make control easier, we’ll set the bar at 100 thousand mileage. During this time, the surface and insides of the parts become overgrown with smudges and smoke, which must be removed, because all this reduces the power of the engine and affects its operation.
What cleaning methods are there?
Flushing the engine with kerosene before changing the oil can be done in other ways, more gentle and faster. Gentle cleaning is a more suitable option, because it does not cause any harm to the car. This is a fairly common cleansing practice. A special cleaning liquid is poured into the engine block and left there for a while, and with this liquid the car must cover 150-200 km.
Flushing the engine before changing the oil, a video of which you can view in the article, can be done periodically.
When the car has covered the required distance, it is returned to the service center, where the liquid is already drained, and along with it all the fumes and pieces of burnt material come out. As a result, the motor will work better and quieter, reception will be normalized and without interruptions, and elasticity will increase. With this procedure, it is also recommended to install new filters.
We explain: how to flush a car engine from carbon deposits without disassembling it yourself
Symptoms
Before flushing the engine from carbon deposits inside, it is worth figuring out whether there is any at all. The presence of foreign inclusions in the combustion chamber is indicated by:
The presence of a problem is also indicated by the unclear response of the internal combustion engine to intensive throttling and polluted exhaust. In advanced cases, burning particles may fly out of the pipe. But this is only possible in the absence of a catalyst.
If such symptoms are detected, you definitely cannot hesitate. Exacerbation is fraught with the emergence of critical situations:
Experienced mechanics recommend two-stage cleaning: removing carbon deposits and cleaning the oil system. However, with the latter, not everything is so simple.
Cleaning deep contaminants in the lubrication system
In extreme cases, thorough cleaning of the oil system is necessary. It is quite natural that it will not do without easy disassembly of the motor. In general, the procedure is divided into three episodes:
How to quickly get the job done
Flushing the engine before changing the oil, a video of which will help you become more familiar with the technology, can be done using the express method.
It is carried out according to the same principle. A cleaning agent is poured into the block, but now the car only needs to drive for 15-20 minutes before the liquid can be washed off. The aggressive substance, which is poured into the block, cleans the metal and all elements well under the influence of high temperature. Of course, many will say why careful cleaning is needed to take the car to the service center twice, if everything can be done in one day.
The fact is that the quick cleaning solution has a strong effect on the metal, increases its wear, and if you do this cleaning 3 times in a row, it can lead to deformation of small elements. Flushing the engine with diesel fuel before changing the oil, a video of which will allow you to understand how to eliminate mistakes, can be done by you yourself.
When work is necessary
Quite often, car owners wonder when there is a need to carry out the work described in the article. This need may arise if you are planning to switch from one brand of motor oil to another. This can be attributed to their types of fuels and lubricants, since among them there are mineral, synthetic and semi-synthetic. Each of them may have a certain viscosity, and may also be manufactured by a different manufacturer. Each composition has its own unique additives, which should not be mixed with each other. If you purchased a car that was previously in use and do not know what fuels and lubricants the owner used, then it is best to carry out the work described, this will allow you to start the life of the engine from scratch.
General recommendations
In each case of engine flushing, which are described above, it is necessary to monitor the oil pressure. First of all, this applies to supercharged engines and diesel engines, for which a lack of lubrication is critical and unacceptable.
Car enthusiast companies say that flushing internal combustion engines with diesel fuel is very effective and economical. For these purposes, people use both pure diesel fuel and a mixture with motor oil in a 1 to 1 ratio.
Experts, answering the question of what is the best way to flush a diesel engine, suggest one of the methods described above. In addition, it should be understood that solarium is capable of destroying various rubber seals and structural elements.
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Positive effect and possible negative consequences
Diesel fuel has excellent dispersing ability. That is, it dissolves even old deposits of various natures, including sludge. Therefore, many motorists 20-30 years ago actively used diesel fuel as a liquid for flushing engines. That is, in those days when engine parts were massive with an impressive margin of safety and minimal requirements for fuels and lubricants.
In addition, some diesel fuel, which will certainly remain in the engine crankcase, will not have a pronounced negative effect on the new oil. After flushing the engine with diesel fuel, it is not necessary to somehow expel the remaining diesel fuel from the crankcase or to fill and drain fresh oil several times.
This method of cleaning the motor is also relatively inexpensive. Compared with cleaning agents, and even more so with specialized oils, washing the engine with diesel fuel will be several times cheaper.
This is where the positive aspects of this procedure end. Let's briefly look at the possible negative consequences.
- Lumpy detachment of solid deposits. Sludge build-up accumulates on static surfaces in many motors. Diesel oil can simply separate them from the surface and dump them into a pan. Or run it into the oil channel. Which will cause partial or complete blockage and oil starvation of any friction pair.
- Negative impact on rubber (caoutchouc) and plastic parts. The vast majority of modern seals and retainers in engines made of plastic and rubber are resistant to the chemical effects of any petroleum products. But diesel fuel can completely destroy “tired” non-metallic parts.
- Possible damage to the liners and the formation of scuffing in the ring-cylinder friction pairs. Diesel fuel does not have sufficient viscosity to create any strong protective layer.
All these consequences have the status of probable. And they will not necessarily occur in every individual case.
2 We start with the combustion chamber - flushing the piston system
There are two types of engine cleaning with chemical compounds:
Soft washing can only be useful as a preventative measure, so we will not consider it. If you need to wash off carbon deposits that have accumulated in large quantities in the engine (you have noticed that the above symptoms have appeared), a tough cleaning is required. To produce it, you will need a special decoking liquid. It is often sold complete with compressed air in a can, a syringe and a tube. In this case, you will not need any other devices. If the kit only contains liquid, the syringe and compressed air must be purchased separately.
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We begin flushing by warming up the engine to a temperature of at least 70 degrees. Then you need to unscrew all the spark plugs and also disconnect the central wire from the distributor. Be sure to mark the spark plug high-voltage wires so as not to forget in what order they are connected to the cylinders. Next, you need to rotate the crankshaft so that all the pistons are located approximately at the same level. To do this, turn the pulley nut (below in the photo) or the drive wheel, after jacking it up.
Then, decoking liquid must be poured into each cylinder using a syringe and tube. Manufacturers indicate the volume of fluid required for each cylinder in the instructions. Next, tighten the spark plugs and leave the engine for several hours. If the combustion chambers are heavily coked, wait 12 hours (it is advisable to crank the crankshaft periodically).
Next, pump out the remaining liquid from the cylinders using a tube and syringe. After this, blow out each cylinder with compressed air. Then you should press the gas pedal all the way and crank the crankshaft with the starter for five to ten seconds. Finally, connect all ignition wires and start the engine. Let the motor run for five or ten minutes. At first there may be some slight smoking, but do not be alarmed, this is burning off the cleaning agent that remains in the engine.
Keep in mind that the above operation allows you to get rid of carbon deposits only in the combustion chambers. However, deposits also appear on other engine parts. To get rid of them, you need to flush the lubrication system.
In what cases should you absolutely not wash your engine with diesel fuel?
There are two cases in which flushing the engine with diesel fuel before changing the oil is more likely to have a negative rather than a positive effect.
- A very tired engine with a lot of output. It is not without reason that some car operating instructions say that after a certain operating time (when the engine wears out and all the gaps in it increase), it is advisable to start filling in thicker oil. This is done to compensate for gaps due to the thicker and more durable oil film created by thick oil. Diesel fuel has a very low viscosity. And even with its short-term use, metal-to-metal contact in all loaded friction pairs will be irreversible. The result is accelerated wear to the limit and a high probability of jamming.
- Modern technological engines. There is no question of using regular oil with the wrong viscosity. And using diesel fuel as a flush at a minimum (even with a single fill) will significantly reduce the service life of the motor.
How to clean an engine: useful tips
How to wash an engine depends on the type of contamination: oil, fuel oil, internal or others. Instructions for each case are in our instructions.
The question of how to clean the engine of your own car will certainly arise for a car owner who is accustomed to doing independent maintenance of his car. Carrying out such a procedure is inevitable to preserve the functionality of the key power unit. Oil or other deposits sticking to the outer surface or inside contribute to disruption of thermoregulation, reduce performance and protective characteristics, and increase the risk of corrosion and other negative phenomena, including breakdown. To avoid such an unfavorable scenario, you will have to work hard to eliminate contamination.
Often, to rid the engine of contaminants, especially those that are thoroughly dried or ingrained, motorists use special installations that supply cleaning compounds under a certain pressure. It is highly undesirable to use this technique due to the increased likelihood of damage to wiring, gaskets, and other rather fragile elements.
Known solvents should be used with caution. Often, car owners use diesel fuel, kerosene or gasoline to answer the question of how to clean the engine. The first two options are acceptable in the absence of other solutions, but we must remember that after them, when the unit warms up, caustic fumes will begin to be released. Gasoline is not suitable due to the high risk of fire.
Before cleaning the engine, you need to do some preparation. The temperature readings of the power unit are brought to 50-60 degrees by cooling or idle heating. It is preferable to remove the battery from under the hood. Individual electrical or fragile components: air filter, distributor, terminals, other elements should be protected by wrapping them in a suitable amount of foil, tape or film.
When planning to clean the external elements of the motor, after purchasing the necessary product, you need to read the instructions supplied by the manufacturer, then follow the instructions from there. Usually it goes something like this. Contaminated surfaces are first slightly moistened with water. Then, if the question of how to wash engine oil from the engine was decided in favor of an aerosol, it is sprayed on problem areas.
You will have to rid the engine of oil that has burned from the inside. Such operations are usually not carried out when regularly replacing this technical fluid, although they will not hurt. Here you need compounds for internal flushing, of which well-known manufacturers, like LIQUI MOLY or Shell, produce quite a lot, and they are quite affordable.
If, when deciding how to clean the inside of an engine from carbon deposits, preference is given to fast-acting cleaners, it is worth considering Hi-Gear, the effect of which lasts only 10 minutes. Before carrying out such manipulations, it is necessary to drain the remaining oil from the system, after which the selected product is poured into it in the volume required according to the instructions. While the flushing oil is inside the engine, it is turned on at idle speed.
Finding the answer to the question of how to clean off oil deposits in an engine is much easier than finding a means to remove fuel oil contaminants, which are difficult to remove. Car enthusiasts often use gasoline or other solvents for such operations, but many of them promise an increased risk of fire the next time the unit is turned on, and they also demonstrate low efficiency.
Reviews from motorists who have tried the diesel fuel flushing method
Good reviews about the method of washing an engine with diesel fuel are mainly left by owners of outdated equipment. For example, drivers often wash ZMZ and VAZ engines with diesel fuel. Here, in most cases, there are no pronounced negative consequences. Although it is not a fact that in one wash the car owner did not reduce the engine life of thousands by 50 km.
You can also find negative reviews on the Internet. For example, after filling with diesel fuel, the engine seized. After disassembly, worn out and twisted liners were discovered.
Therefore, the conclusion about this method of cleaning the engine is this: you can use diesel fuel, but carefully and only on well-preserved outdated engines.
Flushing the engine with diesel fuel before changing the oil is an old, but reliable and simple way to clean the power unit.
Today, many drivers laugh at the “eccentrics” who use this washing method. Diesel oil makes it possible to remove dirt and carbon deposits without the use of aggressive additives.
You don’t have to worry about engine parts that can be damaged by aggressive influences. By flushing the engine with diesel fuel, it is possible to simply, inexpensively and safely extend the service life of the engine.
Flushing the engine when changing oil with diesel fuel: pros and cons
Let's start with the fact that flushing the engine with diesel fuel is a well-known method of cleaning the internal combustion engine from contaminants, which has been actively used and continues to be used in the CIS by some owners of fairly old models of the domestic automobile industry. Before changing the oil, kerosene or diesel fuel is poured into both old trucks and special equipment, as well as into the power units of passenger cars produced by VAZ, GAZ, ZAZ, etc.
There are also car enthusiasts who practice this method on old foreign cars. Let us add that this washing method has both supporters and opponents. The first do not see any harm to the engine, others believe that after flushing with diesel fuel the engine loses its service life and may fail prematurely. Let's figure it out.
Otherwise, diesel fuel can be used to thoroughly clean a disassembled motor, for example, during a major overhaul, etc. It should be noted that this is where the widespread belief comes from that flushing the lubrication system with diesel fuel without disassembling the internal combustion engine also gives tangible results.
However, we should not forget that in the process of cleaning a disassembled engine, contaminants are simultaneously subjected to significant mechanical impact. In other words, kerosene or diesel fuel can partially dissolve toxins and carbon deposits, after which the dirt is removed manually. If you pour diesel fuel into the engine for flushing before changing the oil, then the effectiveness of this procedure can be considered questionable. Moreover, this flushing method may well be dangerous for the engine.
When is rinsing necessary?
When a vehicle is used, resin accumulates in the lubricating system of its internal combustion engine. Carbon deposits appear on the walls of oil channels, which can significantly impair oil circulation and reduce cooling efficiency. The situation is aggravated by pouring low-quality oil fluid.
All highways may become clogged. Every ten to fifteen thousand kilometers the car oil is changed. However, if the car was operated in harsh conditions with poor lubrication, then filling with fresh petroleum product will be pointless without cleaning the gasoline/diesel internal combustion engine.
It is necessary to flush the engine with diesel fuel before replacing the lubricant in the following situations:
- switching to a different type of motor oil;
- pouring lubricant into a newly purchased car (provided that you do not know the brand of oil that was previously filled);
- penetration of coolant or fuel into the oil liquid;
- completion of a complete overhaul of the power unit.
Features of the washing procedure
The main reason for washing the engine with diesel fuel is to completely cleanse the internal combustion engine of past lubricant and contaminants. Often, liquids are used for cleaning that can dissolve solids, resin and old oil residues. Usually, special additives are added to the car oil before draining.
You can also fill in the flushing agent after draining the used consumables. Today's flushes perform their task well, but they are expensive and considered quite aggressive. If they are added to the engine, they can destroy its parts.
How is flushing performed?
The engine is washed with diesel after draining the old motor oil. Draining is performed as standard, through a hole in the crankcase pan.
- Place your car on an inspection ditch or a special overpass.
- Using a special tool, loosen the drain cap.
- Place a pre-prepared container under the drain.
- Remove the cover by sharply pulling it to the side. This is necessary so that the stream of oil is directed exactly into the container.
- Wait until all the consumables have been drained.
- Remove the car oil filter. This is usually done manually, but if necessary, you can use a key.
- Install a temporary oil filter. It is only necessary for the engine flushing procedure, so it is advisable to purchase the most inexpensive product.
- Quickly pour diesel into the internal combustion engine (you can mix it with lubricant or use kerosene). Three liters will be enough. The initial impulse of the filling jet is needed so that the diesel fuel spreads throughout the entire power unit. The diesel will pass through the lubricating complex and flow out of the drain. This will eliminate the most serious contaminants and waste oil residues.
- Close the oil pan drain cover.
- Pour diesel into the internal combustion engine. Pour as much diesel fuel as you usually pour lubricant.
- Run the engine for a short time to run it in boost mode.
- Make sure that the internal combustion engine does not reach operating temperature.
- Turn off the motor.
- Remove the drain cover.
- Drain the diesel engine. If you notice that dirt particles come out along with the last drops of diesel fuel, repeat the rinsing.
- When clean diesel fuel starts flowing from the drain, close the lid.
- Remove the temporary oil filter.
- Install a new oil filter for further operation of the vehicle.
- Fill with fresh oil.
- Check the power unit for leaks.
If you did everything correctly, then the washing can be considered complete.