engine/transmission cleaning

[bullittandy]

I just bought a 97 Q45 with 194,000 miles. The previous owner had consistent oil changes, albeit at 8-12K intervals. I'm not sure about the transmission fluid. I'll be changing all the fluids but am curious about opinions regarding using cleaners/flushing additives on the engine and transmission. I'd like to extend its life but don't want to dislodge and circulate sludge/crap/whatever. Any thoughts?

[maxnix]

OC intervals way too long.

I recommend you peruse the http://www.bgprod.com for the transmission and http://www.envirolution.com for the cranckcase.

The great news is you are near T-3!

[FarFetched]

How is your Q shifting grears?

[bullittandy]

It shifts smooth and the engine purrs, so I'm hesitant to mess with either. "If it ain't broke...."

[CrimsonQ]

It shifts smooth and the engine purrs, so I'm hesitant to mess with either. "If it ain't broke...."

itll break soon

[elwesso]

Yep!!! If it aint broke, dont wait till its broke to fix it!

Personally im not a fan of additives and things like that on an engine so old... I think it would be a waste of time to get one of those envirolution engine flushes done. no way are you going to be able to clean everything up in one easy to use step! Youll have to do it the hard way... Hoenstly, with 8-12k intervals, EVEN if they used amsoil or mobil 1, i still proabbyl woudnt buy the car. Thats how my old Q was, and it still died. I bet you take off a valve cover and its blackness inside there. NOT pretty!

If you want to do anything though, get yourself a can of BG quick clean.... Dont do anything with the transmission, fresh fluid is all you need!

[tubesguy2]

http://theoildrop.server101.co...m;f=5

More than you'd probably want to know about various cleaning options. I've used AutoRX in the Q, with 151k miles, and in an old Accord, with 120k miles. Didn't do anything special for the Q, which was in great shape already, but in the Accord, it cut oil consumption to near zero from about 1 qt every 900 miles.

I will say that the inside of the Q's oil valve cover now looks clean enough to eat off of. - Pat

[Jesda]

Different schools of thought on whether you should flush a transmission at 200k thats never been touched. The Nissan crowd favors flushing, but most folks here start doing it well before 120k.

At minimum, for piece of mind, you can drop the pan, change the filter, add more fluid, and repeat the procedure every 3-4 months for one year. Then after a year you can attempt a full fluid exchange.

[texasoil]

First check the transmission fluid-if its still good, just drain and refill. If it oxidized, really need to do a fluid exchange with it running to get all the old fluid out. Then add 1 pint of Marvel Mystery Oil (this will gently,slowly soften hard lip seals around the input and output shafts and soften varnish so the new fluid will clean it up.) You DON"T want to add any 'quick fix' solvents to a high mileage transmission--it will often cause the old shaft seals to crack and leak badly.

Regarding the engine,STP makes an EXCELLENT engine cleaner--you put it in the oil and drive a few miles (per the directions) and a whole bunch of any sludge and heavy varnish will be removed. I DO NOT recomend ANY 'flushing' that sends solvent of any kind in through the oil filter port. The center pipe goes directly to the oil gallery and bearings, and you finish up with 'clean', but no oil in them bearings.Oil galleries generally do not get deposits in them. Sumps and low flow areas like tops of heads do.