I recal reading recently (from the Star or from Skinned Knuckles, I cannnot recall) about Bilstein's internal engine cleaning machine. Was highly touted, especially for cleaning out older engines. Anyone have any experience with this machine, or have you heard comments based on actual experience?

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Douglas

Donny, Steve take it... Seriously, there have been a number of posts about this issue. If memory serves me correctly, the consesus was that the best way to clean the inside of your engine was to make frequent, consistent oil changes. Try doing a search.

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Jeff Lawrence
1987 300e
1989 300e
1987 BMW 325

I've seen ads for an "engine cleaning oil"... probably it'd be cheaper, wonder if anyone has tried it on their Benz?

"Change it hot, change it often!"
author unknown, but I hear he has 900,000+ miles on his original motor
:)

Well, thats a good question.

I was at the California ASC and iATN Trade Show in Los Angeles in June. I was looking at aqueous solution hot tanks (big dish washer type devices for cleaning parts). I happened upon the Bilstein display with some time and got the whole speel. I then listened to a couple speels from similar equiptment vendors.

Here is my round about analysis:

First let me say that I see NO oil related failures in the cars I service. The engines outlast the useful economics of the chassis.

My second impression goes like this. I have a friend that specializes in a single Asian car line. He has a gorgeous shop. He has a trans service flusher, a cooling system flusher and if he had been in Ca he surely would have gotten a lube system flusher. He doesn't have a Scan Tool, a DSO, an Ignition Scope or an Exhaust gas analyzer. If you can understand the differences between these groups of tools then you will grasp two different concepts of auto service repair.

I surely can't see anything wrong with the process. The guys that gave testamonials said it was a gold mine (am I talking to the right group here {bg}). If it were free I would buy it, if someone else would do it for me.

With the exception of an occasional decarbonizing with low cost GM chemicals, we offer none of these Menu type services. Maybe they have their value for restoring abused equiptment but I view them as a "Gold Mine". (but I'm not a miner; I'm a technician).

BTW, I have 14 scanners (maybe more), 5 DSOs, a Bosch ignition analyzer, two exhaust gas analyzers, and a 500hp ASM chassis dyno.

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Steve Brotherton
Owner 24 bay BSC
Bosch Master, ASE master L1
26 years MB technician

Douglas,

Steve's reply to your post was great. I've never read one of his replies that I didn't enjoy, and more often than not, you learn something valuable from them.

Some months back, this same type issue came up, and Benzmac indicated that he showed the salesperson to the door who was trying to sell him such a contrivance. His conversation went something like; he asked the salesperson what the system would do for his customers, as many salespeople, he didn't answer the question as asked. Instead of answering what the system would do for his customers, the salesperson answered that it would make him alot of money. Benzmac showed him the door.

Frequent oil changes is all that's necessary to keep your engine clean inside, or get it that way for that matter.

Good luck,
Change oil hot and change oil often,

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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 523K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

Larry and Steve,

I'm glad that we are on the same page here. Damn I'm sick of the rip off artists. I'm not saying that all are, but some, yes. These people wanted me to sell 5 of these flushes a week. Why?

I have not ever needed this before. If the engine is that bad off, replace it.

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Benzmac:
Donnie Drummonds
1991 GMC Syclone
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
SERVICE MANAGER FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM

You have all confirmed what I suspected. I just like to check around to see if my instincts are right. The greatest fear, I gather, would be that the flushing dislodges something that plugs a gallery or port, etc. thus destroying the engine. In that I just bought an old M-B, I thing my best bet is to change oil very frequently for awhile and then keep synthetic in it. I'll change oil immediately, then at 200 miles, then at 500 miles, then at 1000 miles and replace with synthetic.

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Douglas

Douglas,

I like your flush plan. I would be really surprised if something were dislodged and causded serious problems though.

For your oil change purposes, it will help tremendously, to have the engine blazing hot, I have read that it takes an average of 18 miles to reach full operating temperature. My experience seems to bear that out. The temp guage will get to operating temperature fast, but it takes a while for the rest of the engine to reach it. In driving cars with oil temperature guages, I have seen the oil temperature lag the coolant temperature by quite a bit of time. From these unscientific experiments I have seen that it takes about 18 miles for oil temperature to stabilize.

Whether you change it yourself, or take it to Jiffy Lube, your mission will be much better accomplished by pulling the plug with the engine at full operating temperature.

Good luck,
Change oil hot and change oil often,


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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 523K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles