Well, in some cases when cars have come in absolutely Caked w/ gunk I'll run a quart of Risolene in the crank case for a couple of hundred miles... does a good job getting the cleaning process started.. I'll follow that up w/ Rotella or Delo 15/40 oil changed ever 2500 or so miles.. Over the period of a year w/ average mileage the internals will look markedly better!

Jonathan

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Blue Ridge Mercedes
Jonathan Hodgman
http://www.blueridgemb.com/
Enthusiast Service, Restoration & Tuning.
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Located in the Atlanta area
Specializing in all pre and post merger AMG's including Hammers and DOHC M117 engines.
Mercedes Repair Atlanta

I just use DELO 15W40 from Wal-Mart, it has excellent soot dispersion and detergent properties. In fact, I developed a few small oil seeps and started burning oil from the valve seals in my 300E afer a few oil changes with this oil, which tells me it has cleared some solids. Yet it is gentle compared to aggressive engine flushes.

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08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

Guess you missed the thread a couple weeks ago that linked to
http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enthusiasts/Mechanics_Tale/Mechanics_Tale_The_Flushing_of_America.S281.A10297.html

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Kent Christensen
Albuquerque
'07 GL320CDI, '10 CL550. '01 Porsche Boxster
Two BMW motorcycles

Not to highjack the thread, but need to clear up what seems to me to be a mis-statement in that article. Flint says that brake fluid flushes were dreamed up by Honda, and suggests they are unnecessary. MB has recommended every-2-year flushing for many years now.

I also take issue with his remark about brake fluid being in a sealed environment. What happens when the fluid level in the reservoir drops due to normal wear of brake pads? The compensating air in the reservoir has to come from somewhere. That air will come with moisture, which in turn gets absorbed by the brake fluid.

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Steve
'93 400E

I learned from my clients many years ago that another way to get smoother performance and more pep out of a car is to wash the windows and vacuum the inside during an oil change. I can't count the # of follow up calls I got stated how much better the car ran after the C service ( oil change).

I see additives and flushes as a waste of money.

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Auto Zentral Ltd.

Funny but true. I once had a supervisor expound on that notion while at a conference for my hospital position I held a few years ago. He related that your car feels so much faster and performs seemingly better when it is cleaned...and that perception is akin to a hospital. If the hospital is always clean and tidy, everyone will think it is a better hospital. Of course, that all equated to him wanting those of us not in the maintenance field to pick up the tissues and such we find.

But, as relatively seasoned as I am, and while I know it has no bearing on the car's performance...a good wash and detail always does seem to make my car feel better.

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2004 Chrysler Crossfire

Same principal holds true for yourself.
You'll feel much better if you shower at least once a week.

But on a more serious note, I would only do an engine flush on a very old engine, that was retrieved from a barn.

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2007 C 230 Sport.

Just so you know my 1982 300SD reccomends ALL fluids to be flushed every year in the spring. Honda was a very small car company in 1982.