Engine flush ------Bad?

[Dope98Lex]

My 98 lexus es300 has 250K. It runs great. But i just got it and i'm going to do an oil change. Some guys at work say to try to run the engine flush in there before you change your oil. But i have heard some horror storys and the guy at the shop down the road said it would ruin my bearings because i have so many miles. Any opinions?

[jdmccright]

A good engine treatment, USED PROPERLY AND AS DIRECTED, should not thin the oil out enough to prevent the needed oil film at the bearing interfaces. While we don't advocate one product over another here, Seafoam is one example of a product that has garnered a good reputation for removing sludge/carbon buildup inside an engine. It is generally used about 500 miles before an oil change to give it time to work and then be drained out along with the old oil. It redissolves deposits, sludge, and varnish, and helps to suspend it in the matrix fluid (oil, fuel, tranny, etc.) until it can be changed.

There is more controversy about "engine flushes" done at the dealership or local shops where the oil or fluid is forcefully circulated through the engine, transmission, or other system. This has more tendency to break larger particles loose and cause them to be redeposited in more critical areas such as engine bearings and seals where they are too large to pass through.

The better thinking is to slowly redissolve the contaminant into the matrix fluid and then exchange it for fresh fluid...a kinder, gentler method for our aging engines.

Hope this helps!