Engine Oil:-To Flush Or Not TO Flush

[jeffluent]

Talking about the 2litre engine. Mine is using some oil so I thought some Forte before the next oil change might loosen the oil rings.My local garage man,while a fan of Forte, said that you should not use a French engine as they tended to have fine mesh oil pump filters that can block if flushed. Anybody had any problems after flushing?

[Capncol]

One of those subjects that nobody can really agree on. If you are worried about sludge, then an alternative is to run some diesel engine oil through it for a couple of thousand miles (higher detergent content)
You could try engine flush after if you wish.

If you do block the filter on the pickup, then it's not the hardest job in the world to drop the sump and clean/change it.

[jeffluent]

Flushed engine with Forte.It was reasonably clean before but came out like diesel oil.Car seems to go better, but could be my imagination, and there are no screen blockage problems.Remains to be seen what it does for the oil consumption. Anyway for those worried about flushing a French engine this had 80K miles on the clock and caused no problems.

[jeffluent]

1,000 miles after the flush checked oil and it needed 500mls so it is using less oil than it was. I havn't had a car that used this much oil for years but it seems normal for this engine.The 180 version is certainly known as an oil burner so the 138 probably is as well if driven enthusiastically. Anyone have any comments?

[GrandadMonkey]

Probably gummed up piston rings. In my opinion 20,000 miles between oil and filter changes is far too long. Stick to that schedule and you suffer the consequences.

Ours is a cossetted low miles 1.6 and there is never any need to top up between services but then again it has only done 32,000 in its 10 year life, so it gets an oil and filter change every year (or 3,000 miles). That coupled with use of only Shell V-Power Nitro + and BP Ultimate keeps our engine as clean as a whistle. It gets driven sympathetically too because I'm an old codger brought up on Ford 100E side valves.

[jeffluent]

I also run on V-Power Nitro and change oil more frequently than recommended. Never had a side valve but had a 107E which made side valve drivers jump .It looked like a 100E but had the 105E OHV engine.

[GrandadMonkey]

I always hankered after a 107E but they were much rarer. A posh 4 speed box too I believe.

[Capncol]

Lordy Lordy. We will be starting an old Fords forum next!

(I had a 103E once, but it wasn't standard)

[tenpole]

When I was a younger driver there were two choices of car. Capri or Cortina.