Sorry one message slipped away. Over the last five years various people have tried to sell me on 'power oil changes' - claim is that it will efficiently force all the old oil out and your car will have more power and last longer etc. How often should this be done - as frequently as you can afford.
Apparently oil is injected under pressure. Could other problems not be created doing this? Is this only done for transmissions? Does this 'power oil' make any sense?
joe
Are you talking about tranny fluid or engine oil.
The quick lube places love to sell things that power engine flushes, etc. In a typical oil change a small amount of oil stays in the engine, but not enough to worry about. If that is what you are talking about, save your money and change your oil a little more frequently.
If you are talking 'bout tranny, there is an advantage as a significant amount of fluid remains if you just do the standard drain from the pan.
When you drain the pan through the drain plug you will only drain about a third or less of the total. Most of the fluid is inside the torque converter, transmission cooler and the cooler lines.
Some vehicles have a drain plug on the torque converter so it can be drained, but not many of them, so a special flush is the way to get all the fluid out of the transmission so you can replace it with new fluid.
Does it really help keep the tranny going longer? I don't really know, but considering you only do it at the standard interval, which in my rig is 30K, I don't mind spending the $60 for the complete change. I would recommend you have it done by a real mechanic, not a quick change artist.
Is any of this suggested for Toyota cars by anybody?
It is suggested by every shop that owns one of the machines.
Every shop that does not, does not recommend it.
And could it be that some just don't give a damn.
"Power Oil"? What sort of oil are you putting in? I doubt the "more power, lasts longer" claim just by forcing out the old. If that "power oil change" is synthetic lube, using best oil & air flters, then it does make sense.
I did have the power trans flush at 30K miles - but I figure that one time should do it! (I also changed all fluids even though not required) I did not do it at 60K (4 year), changed 4 quarts.
Power flushes are not a requirement of any Toyotas I have seen.
Power flushes are more likely to stir up silt/swarf from the deep depths that normal drain/refil wont - bad idea.
Nah, if they paid for the machine, they are going to recomend the extra charge to use it.
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