Crankcase flush at 50k

[JSoloman]

I'm looking for some good common sense advice. My rig is a 2014 3500. I ordered it in November 2013. It has just under 50k on it. I tow a 5th wheel a couple thousand miles a year. I change oil once a year. Mileage is 2-4k annually. No plans to sell it. Maintenance is a big deal to me. I just want to avoid an upsell on something unnecessary.
Is it necessary? When?
Thx for your help!

 

[bcbender]

if you are using good quality oil and changing annually (as you indicated above) I see no need to do anything but keep on keeping on... FWIW, I put about 10k on my old 04 3500 annually and used Rotella T4 15w45 and changed every year.. or every 5k and never worried about it. It sounds like when you are using it; you are working it good, so should be no problems..

JM2C.

EDIT [ I think there is a CCV filter on that engine that is changed at 62 or 65k though, but that'll be a year or so out.]

 

[SSchang]

I'll always remember a show called "Car Talk" with Click and Clack the Tappet Bothers on NPR. On one show, a guy called in about a recent oil change he had done. The reason he called was the service station upsold him an "Interior Engine Shampoo", and he was wondering if he got suckered. I think Click and Clack laughed for the rest of the show.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Do you throw $$$ in your toilet for fun???

 

[Turbo Terry]

Never heard of flushing your crankcase. Sounds like wasted money to me also

 

[JSoloman]

Thanks everyone!! My gut said it's unnecessary. You all confirmed it.

 

[BigPapa]

Do you throw $$$ in your toilet for fun???

From the master of subtlety....

 

[brucejohnson]

Back in the 60's there were a number of products available, some established with dates way back to Fred Flintstone. STP, Justice Brothers, Gunk, Lucas are a few I can remember. STP, Motor Honey and various fuel and crankcase additives. Back then non-detergent oil was still used by many due to its lower cost and old habits hard to break, like using the newer multi-grade or multi-weight oils. The quality of many less expensive oils lacked the additive packages the big oil companies would put in their oils. This caused a buildup of gunk on the interior surfaces of the engine...lots of paraffin, too. So, to address the issue they created an additive with high detergents to put in the crankcase and run for a minimum of a half hour, or driven on the road for a day or two just before the oil would be changed. We called the engine flush "Engine Enema". I think there was a product using that moniker for their engine flush. It could clean a little too good on some gunked up engines and cause clumps fo flake off and plug the head drain passages, even the internal machined oil passages. Our station refused to use anything that acted like the engine enema for that reason. Decades later the snake oil appears to be still enhancing the bottom line for some businesses.

 

[Turbo Terry]

Good report I love it thank you. I remember putting STP in my 56 Chevy 265 v8 in like 1966. It went in like folding ribbons of joy when you were a teenager. And you got an oval window sticker for rear side windows. They call it the good old days now 19 cent gas ha

 

[Topzide]

If you want to "clean" your engine, You could add a quart of ATF to oil before an oil change. Get the engine up to temp for a few minutes, as you should before changing the oil anyway, then change oil as usual. This will help with any of the "golden" color you might see on the dipstick. I don't think you would need to do any of this since you are taking care of changing the oil once a year. Just work truck good during time between the changes and you should be good! I can't tell you of all the additives that they would sell through the service dept!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They all had a sticker on the top the the mechanics trade for cash every other week from the supplier! Engine flushes, fuel system service, transmission flushes and what ever else they could come up with! All for something that they just pour into the vehicle and on your way a bit lighter in the wallet! Good maintenance is all you need to do. Good oil and filters are the main thing needed. Enjoy the truck and save your coin for something else!

 

[p-Bar]

Back in early 2000 Toyota had sludge build up in their cars. Why because they extended the oil service to compete with with other manufacturers. Well the oil wasn't ready to go that long. That cost them a lot of money. Sludge built up in the engine and had to be torn down and de sludged.

 

[crazy jerry]

if you are using good quality oil

for us uninformed folks that dont kmow any better ,is there specific brand names we should avoid. ?

 

[SnoKing]

Thanks everyone!! My gut said it's unnecessary. You all confirmed it.

As I posted in the other similar thread, is this the service writer that said your RAM needs a flush?