Gunk motor flush?

[gimp]

When I change my oil in the next couple of days, and am going to switch to full synthetic.
I've been contemplating on using a quart of gunk motor flush, though. My dad was sayin, if there's enough gunky build up, the motor flush could break it loose, and a chunk could cause a clog.
Anybody know if I'd have this kind of problem, or is it something that wouldn't be that big of a deal?

[CowboysBronco2]

Personally the way that I cleaned my engine out was to change my oil every 500 miles (when I first bought it the oil was like tar). At that time I also had a bad lifter tap, especially under heavy loads or long road trips... Anyway, I changed my oil 3 times at 500 mile intervals, then 3 times at 1000 mile intervals and now I'm on a schedule of 3000...

I repaired one Valve Cover Gasket leak on the left side of the engine when I first got it, and from what I saw there was some serious neglect... just a lot of build up and gunk in the cover, and on the head... That was about a year and a half ago. I recently had to do BOTH of the VCG's (used rubber this time) and it was amazing to see the result of just using regular oil (I prefer Cast. 10W30) and often oil changes help... Oh, and that lifter noise that I had back then, it's gone and I didn't do anything different.

Hope that helps. :)

[Sidewalk]

I don't like the idea of putting something in my engine that will thin the oil. Then if the filter gets clogged with this stuff, the oil will bypass the filter and then dirty oil goes through the system.

I would just change it like normal.

[gimp]

The instructions for the gunk motor flush, is to put it in the crankcase, then run the engine for 5 minutes, then change the oil. Not like others that say to drive for 100 miles or whatever.
I plan on changing my filter, using the gunk, then change the oil and filter again.
Just wondering if anybody's used this, and wether it's worth it or not.
I think I'll give it a shot, anyway... if it really screws anything up, I'll go after Gunk :D

[Wrench]

Yup I've used the Gunk on a couple oil changes on the Ranger 4 banger, 148K. Just follow the directions, don't drive it, just idle. The stuff is basicly kerosene. I like the idea of thinning out the oil for the purpose of cleaning out the engine. Kinda like eating a pile of garlic to thin out the blood.
I bought my B2 with a lot of miles on it. So I had no control over what happened to the motor as far as mantenace. When I did the rebuild on the 2.9L 180K, the crud that was in there was piled and packed hard. I don't know if the Gunk would have worked on that engine, I never tryed it. But I have another can on the shelf and plan on using the stuff again.

[ummduh]

I dunno about you, but I wouldn't want to put anything in the engine that will strip the oil film from all the bearings.. I'd stay away from it.

What I would do, is the same thing CowboysBronco2 did.. Change your oil alot untill it's coming out clean rutinely...Just buy the chepa $1/q oil when you do it..

That way you don't risk flushing your bearings out, which does happen.. Just like the changing the trans fluid on an auto that hasn't been changed in 150,000 miles.. You'll be buying a new trans shortly after.

[gimp]

a little update to this... Engine has been running OK... not great...
was goin down the highway today, about 65, for a couple miles.. then it suddenly starts tryin to die on me. So I pull over, and it dies (which might be due to bad brake booster).
Lots of smoke comin off the engine, which I assume is from oil.
So I let 'er sit a minute, to cool off... I get back in, starts up decent.. Get goin again, only about 35 this time, and it does the herky jerky again. If I give 'er gas, she gets up for a minute, then tries to die again. Well I get to town, and it stops doing it.. So I go buy new spark plugs (possible cause = splitfires??)
So I get the autolites in there.. she starts up okay. But when I give her gas, a little black smoke was comin out, mixed with regular exhaust smoke. Burnin oil?
After a few times of that, no more black smoke... now it's BLACK liquid spittin out the exhaust... again, oil in gas?
and now nothin is comin out of the exhaust pipe exhaust for a white'ish smoke (which is most likely cuz of it bein kinda cold out).

ok... after a couple minutes of that, can't even see the smoke comin out of the exhaust now...
I'm friggin confused! Should I just change my oil again, usin another can of gunk, and go back to regular oil?? :confused: :confused:

I'm afraid to take her out for a test drive...! :mad: :(

[gimp]

ok... drove to town (about 10 miles) on the old highway, goin about 45.... no problems.
So I get to town, turn around and take the new highway home, goin about 60. Absolutely NO problems...
Well here's where the fun started.. Pulled onto the backroad to get home.. truck dies on me. It starts right back up. Get goin again, and it chugging and wants to die. Push in the clutch, give her a little gas, and she idles fine.
Now it keeps doing that. When it starts to die, I push in the clutch, give 'er just a LITTLE gas, and she idles fine. But once I put it in gear, and give it a little gas, she wants to die!
WTF?!
Time for a rebuild....?? :confused: :mad: :(

oh yeah... gonna go reset the computer now, see if that might make a difference.....

[gimp]

I've determined it to be either bad oil, truck doesn't like the synthetic, and/or timing.

Okay, when I hook my plug wires to the dist cap, ACCORDING TO BOTH HAYNES AND CHILTON, my truck WILL NOT start!
I have no clue how it used to be wired up.. I checked 3 times to make sure it was connected according to the books. It tries to start, but cannot!
WTF? Do I have a disgruntled dist/dist cap, or am I reading the books wrong?
Before I disconnected any of the plug wires, my timing was about 27* or so... when it should have been ~10* (according to haynes and chilton)

but WTF won't my truck start when hooking plug wires according to the books? any clues...?

[gimp]

ok... I've decided that I'm going to flush my engine 2 more times tomorrow.. hopefully that will finish cleaning up any gunk that may have been left loose from the first one..
will let you all know how to goes..

[Sidewalk]

I would be willing to bet that the engine dieing was a coincidence.

[fobrnno]

as for the wiring not matching up to the book some one probley did not match #1 on the dist. to the cap when they install the dist.
pull the #1 spark plug and find top dead center, then find where the rotor points to on the cap and make that post #1 and follow the firing order

[gimp]

I believe the reason it don't match, is due to my timing being off...
tried checking timing yesterday, but couldn't clearly read what it was at.. It looked to be to be around 25-27*. The plugs are on the correct posts, but like I said, I think the reason it don't line up, is due to bad timing.
To retard the timing, I move the dist counter-clockwise, correct?
Turning it clockwise increases the timing..?
The book don't explain worth crap, other than it moves clockwise, not saying which way that changes the timing...
And yeah, I think the engine dying was a coincidence..
Truck ran okay today, to and from work.
I'm starting to feel a bit of a funny (different) vibration in the floorboard, and very regular intervals.. But again, I believe that may also be due to the timing.
Gonna let my truck cool, and put a mark on where the timing should be, so that I can be definite on where it's at, and flush my engine a couple more times.

With only 30 miles on this oil change, my oil is already slightly dirty, but enough to tell...

[ummduh]

I agree on the #1 not being where #1 should be. I vary rarely go through the deal with putting it in the "correct" spot, just make #1 wherever it happens to be pointing..

So that could be oneproblem..

Second with it dying.. I'm thinking EGR valve or TFI.

[gimp]

When checking the timing.. which little bracket thing points to the timing? The arrow/pointy one on top, or the one more towards the passangers side..?
According to the arrow, my timing is between 27-33*
according to the one towards the pass side, it's 10*
After playing with the timing, getting 10* on the arrow, my truck DOES START AND RUN. I just cannot get the RPMs high enough to shift to second.. basically stuck at 15mph in first gear...
Which makes me assume the pass side is the one I should be going by... but I woulda swore it was the arrow..? :confused: :confused:

I am going to get my code scanner back tomorrow, and see what shows up..
as for it dying.. that hasn't happend again. Yet, I still got a few sputters when leaving the parking lot from work, but went fine after that.
That weird vibration is there.. and I can kinda hear it out the exhaust.. but it's possible that if a sensor died, it would cause this... and just be a BIG coincidence that it happend after I changed my oil...

[Sidewalk]

Stock timing is 10* at idle with the spout connector unpluged. Many bump it up to 12* for a litle more power.

[gimp]

spout connector....? That the vacuum advance?
And which marker on the bracket do I go by? The one on top shaped kinda like an arrow, or the one towards the passangers side..?

[gimp]

okay, ran my code scanner... nothin. Just the one long beep.
Well the guy that was borrowin my code scanner, also has a Ranger with the 2.9... he said he's been havin the same problems, and even hooked it up to one of them $3000 scanners, and it came up with nothing. He's determined his problem to be bad gas, because he said once he put in a couple cans of injector cleaner, it wasn't near as bad.. until he put in the 85 octane gas, then it started acting up.. same exact problem mine's been havin. Only dif, is his ranger has the auto tranny.

Here's a couple questions though...

#1- when's the best time to check the oil? When it's warm, cold, or does it matter? I've heard all 3, but would like to know, as when I check it warm, it shows me havin WAY too much oil.. but when I check it cold, it shows I am WAY low.

#2- My engine has NO bad or serious leaks.. but, seeing as I just put new oil in yesterday, when checking the oil cold, it is showing it like 3 quarts low or so. When I filled 'er up, I put in 4.5, when my Chilton shows a capacity of 5... Is it normal for an engine new to synthetic to soak up that much?

[Sidewalk]

The spout connector is a small electrical plug that is used to disconnect the computer from the distributer. You do that when checking the ignition timing. It is near the oil filler cap, between the valve cover and the intake.

If you are getting a steady tone when testing, then it is not testing properly. You will always get a code, code 11 means that the system checks out fine. You will get code 11 four times if there is nothing wrong.

I have had in the past my truck run crappy, no codes came up, injector cleaner cleared it up.

You should check you oil level warm/hot. But it should sit for a few minutes too before you check.

I always just pour in 5 quarts, usually comes out just shy of the top line. I will go through about 1 or 2 quarts every 6000 miles depending on what kind of driving I have been doing. You will leak a little, but not that much.

[gimp]

I'll try checking it again in the morning... The biggest problem is, the oil is still clean so it's hard as all hell to see where it is on the dipstick..
so I was given an idea to paint part of the dipstick white, let 'er dry, then I might be able to better see the level.. plus the paint will wipe off easy.
So I'm gonna try that

Also, is any specific brand of injector cleaner better, or are they all basically the same?

[Sidewalk]

Originally posted by gimp
Also, is any specific brand of injector cleaner better, or are they all basically the same? I always go by "You get what you pay for".

[gimp]

I'll give it a shot and see what happens..
and I think my code scanner might be broke.. it was a cheap POS to begin with.. started falling apart after the first couple times it was used

also, it has 4 plugs on it.. only 3 of them are used with the one connector.. is there another single one dangling around that goes on the last plug?

[Sidewalk]

Yes, there is the large 3-4 pin connector, and a single one that is near by. They both come out of the loom at the same place. The single one plugs into the tester as well. Thatis what signals to do the test.

[gimp]

ok, I almost lost the single one.. when I put my air box back in, it somehow got mangled between the metal and plastic inner fenders.
Anyway, ran the code scanner and this is what I got:
The only Hard code was 84 - EGR Vent fault/EGR vacuum regulator circuit failure

and 2 continuous codes....
33 - EGR valve fault/not closing properly
29 - Insufficient input from VSS (because I only did KOEO test, or I counted the BEEPs wrong... :rolleyes: )

would EGR problems cause my truck to do this, then....?
And does this mean the valve needs replaced?
Where is it, anyway? Is it that blue'ish round thing on the driver's side on the intake manifold, just above the valve cover?

[bigswede]

Have you checked out the oxygen sensor?

[gimp]

o2 sensor has been replaced 2 or 3 times in the couple years I've owned the truck... PLUS, I would *think* that it would show up in codes if it was bad...

BUT!!
I think I found the problem!
After following vacuum lines, checking what might be bad, I believe it lies in the EGR Valve Position Sensor.
After finally finding it, with ford dealer service depts being NO help at all.
I got it removed, and checked the hose connections... one of 'em was plugged. I cleaned it out real good, along with the small filter that goes in the top.
Letting them dry out now, along with letting computer reset again, and will try it out again in a bit.
That MAY not be the problem... only other thing I can think it is, is the EGR Solenoid... but that thing costs like $90 at Napa.. so that's gonna be a last resort.
Besides, one of the codes I was getting had to do with the valve position sensor.

Also.. after replacing the EGR valve, resetting the computer, running codes again..
For the KOEO test, I got the codes 35 and 84.
35 - No EGE Position signal, RPM low/EGR sticking open, bad EVP sensor, clogged exhaust or converter (same as 32 and 34)
84 - EGR Vent fault/(same as 83) bad or unplugged EGR solenoid, low speed fuel pump relay bad (possibly due to plugged line in valve sensor)

For the KOER test, I got the codes 35 and 13
35 - see above
13 - idle out of spec/low - vacuum leak, TB base idle off, idle air valve dirty or bad, EGR stuck open (again, possibly due to plugged valve sensor line)

Gonna go put 'er back together now and see what happens....

[gimp]

okay... after replacing the EGR Valve Pressure Feedback sensor, I'm now down to 2 codes...
84 - bad or unplugged EGR Solenoid... I take it that's the valve position sensor?
29 - Bad or unplugged VSS... still haven't hunted that one down yet..

so is the solenoid within the valve position or valve pressure feedback sensors? Is it the thing with the little filter in it, with a line coming from the EGR valve (which is the valve position sensor)

oh yeah.. I was gonna replace the valve position sensor, but the only one Napa had on file for an 86 2.9, looked a bit different, and also had a completely different plug (round, compared to my rectangular)

[gimp]

replaced EGR valve, EVR (Exhaust Vacuum Regulator) Solenoid, EVP (EGR Vacuum Pressure) sensor, and o2 sensor, and all to no avail.. same problems, same codes.
As a last result, I put in the 88 ECM back in... took it for a test drive, and no problems. Runnin better, not as rich, not the same codes..
Best of all, not that chugga problem.
Will find out for sure tomorrow on my way to work though.