Is it worth having my Honda Civic's engine flushed for £33?
I booked my Honda Civic in for its first service since I bought it, mileage 13,000. I was asked if I wanted an engine flush for an extra £33. I asked what this was and was told they flush out all the oil sludge and this increases engine life and fuel consumption. They also add something to the petrol. I declined the offer, but do you think it's worth the extra £33?
Asked on 21 January 2012 by JH, Kidlington, Oxon.
Answered by
Honest John
The problem is that some of this stuff can remain in the engine after it has supposedly flushed out the sludge, and because it’s designed to clean oil from surfaces it isn't the ideal additive to a modern synthetic lubricant. As long as you are having your oil changes at least once a year then there should not be any accumulated crud. The AA recommends not to use engine flushes in older engines because it can dislodge hydrocarbon particles and block vital oilways. Petrol additives make more sense, but then using Shell V-Power petrol is better still because that has the right additives in the right quantities.
Similar questions
Having read your columns for many years I notice how you advocate the regular use of higher grade petrol. I have a Skoda Octavia Scout 1.8 TSI and inside the fuel door there is a label that says use 95...
Over the years I've used Miller's Diesel Plus in our diesel cars, mainly to lubricate the injector pump rather than seeking extra performance. We have just bought a Kia Cee'd 1.6 CRDi, and the handbook...
I'm a London taxi driver. My cab is a 2006 TX 2 that's done about 234,000 miles on the original engine. Recently, the oil pressure warning light has started to flicker when the engine has warmed up, more...
Related models
.jpg?width=115&height=75&rmode=crop)
Punchy and efficient diesel engines, class-leading practicality, excellent reliability record.
.jpg)
