SILVERHOOK ENGINE FLUSH - SHOULD I BUY IT? DOES IT WORK?

[ringworm]

Good Day Gentleman,

Got a few things up with my mk1 Focus and after a good bit of research iv decided to clean out the throttle body and ICV with carb cleaner spray AND maybe buy some of this:

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Automotive/Motor+A...

Worth a try as its only £2.52, im thinking the cars now 12 years old and needs a bit of an engine flush? i have tried Redex and it feels like its made a slight difference in performance.

should i buy this? will it work? or are all these treatments and flushes bullcack?

[one eyed mick]

The only one I have used and feel safe with is Forte it really dors get the crap out , I have used it on some seriously dirty units inc badly maintained diesels ,its dearer but it works and also used widely in the trade ,no connections just a satisfied user

[ringworm]

one eyed mick said:

The only one I have used and feel safe with is Forte it really dors get the crap out , I have used it on some seriously dirty units inc badly maintained diesels ,its dearer but it works and also used widely in the trade ,no connections just a satisfied user

thanks for the advice amte, ill have a look for it online

[Old Merc]

+1 Forte,I have used it for years.Its only sold to the trade(or should be?)you wont find it in shops.
What you can do is go to www.goodgaragescheme.co.uk and find the nearest business to you.They will stock it as the scheme is run by Forte.

[DocArbathnot]

Old Merc said:

+1 Forte,I have used it for years.Its only sold to the trade(or should be?)you wont find it in shops.
What you can do is go to www.goodgaragescheme.co.uk and find the nearest business to you.They will stock it as the scheme is run by Forte.

Amazon sell it. I assume this is the stuff you are talking about.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Forte-Advanced-Formula-Mot...

[one eyed mick]

Thats the stuff !!

[ringworm]

I'm sold!!

Its over £10 more expensive but its tried and tested by more than one on here and if it comes recommended I feel safest using this stuff. I don't want to risk breaking anything at all.

Going to buy this and some carburettor spray and clean out my ICV and throttle body as my revs sit really low and feels like its about to cut out plus that somehow affects the dash electrics and headlights, anyhow.....

Many thanks for the advice gentlemen

[sunoco69]

Question. How much do you need per flush?

[Athlon]

Do NOT clean the throttle body.

The throttle blade is coated, there should be a warning label somewhere near it, carb cleaner kills the coating.

[93Jay]

Just about of curiosity for a fellow mk1 focus owner, what issues were you having with it?

[Old Merc]

sunoco69 said:

Question. How much do you need per flush?

One bottle (Amazon link above)in the old oil,a good 30min run,change oil&filter.

[Locknut]

I'm a bit uneasy about these flushing agents. You add them to the old oil, they do their job shifting all sorts of sh!t and then you drain the lot. But not all the old oil comes out at an oil change and what's left in the engine now contains flushing agents. You now fill up with new oil and what's left of the old mixes with it together with the flushing agents. So now the flushing agents (together with any gunk they have removed)circulate through your engine until the next oil change. I'm not convinced this is the best thing for the engine so I think I will just change the oil more often when I need to.

[ringworm]

93Jay said:

Just about of curiosity for a fellow mk1 focus owner, what issues were you having with it?

where do i start???

1.The revs sit too low, about 700rpm on idle, which makes the car feel like its about to cut out. Lights slightly flicker on dashboard and headlights, flickering was loads worse till i bought a Ford Silver Calcium battery for the dealership for £70.

2.When i close both electric windows using the buttons on the drivers side at the same the time the revs at idle go even lower for some reason, when the brake pedal is pressed at lights etc the revs spike very slightly.(im thinkin alternator isnt pumping out enough juice)

3.Got in the car the other morning, came to the first junction of the day and BOOM no brakes whatsoever! The pedal hit the floor (i know my handbrake is needing tightened so that done sweet FA) after an underpants change i sat and pumped the pedal and it came back to being fully functional.(possible air bubble thats now cleared)

4.Some sort of 'burping' noise is apparent from the engine bay, possible manifold hole, of vacuum hose leak?

5.Near enough every morning i start the car it feels like it has restricted power as it stutters through the rev range and it actually feels like the drive belt slips? It returns to normal after a good 10 min drive.(a mate thinks its just cold starts)

6.My speedometer regularly dies and sits on zero mph with the odometer displaying to rows of dashes for 10-15 mins at a time.(this has to be the infamous vehicle speed sensor in gearbox)

[ringworm]

Athlon said:

Do NOT clean the throttle body.

The throttle blade is coated, there should be a warning label somewhere near it, carb cleaner kills the coating.

Thanks for the advice, i probably would have just killed my throttle body!

many thanks

[93Jay]

ringworm said:

93Jay said:

Just about of curiosity for a fellow mk1 focus owner, what issues were you having with it?

where do i start???

1.The revs sit too low, about 700rpm on idle, which makes the car feel like its about to cut out. Lights slightly flicker on dashboard and headlights, flickering was loads worse till i bought a Ford Silver Calcium battery for the dealership for £70.

2.When i close both electric windows using the buttons on the drivers side at the same the time the revs at idle go even lower for some reason, when the brake pedal is pressed at lights etc the revs spike very slightly.(im thinkin alternator isnt pumping out enough juice)

3.Got in the car the other morning, came to the first junction of the day and BOOM no brakes whatsoever! The pedal hit the floor (i know my handbrake is needing tightened so that done sweet FA) after an underpants change i sat and pumped the pedal and it came back to being fully functional.(possible air bubble thats now cleared)

4.Some sort of 'burping' noise is apparent from the engine bay, possible manifold hole, of vacuum hose leak?

5.Near enough every morning i start the car it feels like it has restricted power as it stutters through the rev range and it actually feels like the drive belt slips? It returns to normal after a good 10 min drive.(a mate thinks its just cold starts)

6.My speedometer regularly dies and sits on zero mph with the odometer displaying to rows of dashes for 10-15 mins at a time.(this has to be the infamous vehicle speed sensor in gearbox)

I have most of those issue, other than the brake thing.

1 - Same idle though no lights flickr

2 - I have, I understand extra strain on the alternator, and the revs rise when coming to a stop in neutral I have.

3 - Never had

4 - Had, air box rubber mount was my issue

5 - mine always stutters to life then the choke comes on and it's fine

6 - sometimes (rarely) whilst travelling at motorway speed the speed drops to 0 then picks back up straight away.


I woudn't worry, I was very paranoid a first when I got it, I'v stopped worrying now and haven't had a single actual problem since owning it.

[ringworm]

93Jay said:

I have most of those issue, other than the brake thing.

1 - Same idle though no lights flickr

2 - I have, I understand extra strain on the alternator, and the revs rise when coming to a stop in neutral I have.

3 - Never had

4 - Had, air box rubber mount was my issue

5 - mine always stutters to life then the choke comes on and it's fine

6 - sometimes (rarely) whilst travelling at motorway speed the speed drops to 0 then picks back up straight away.


I woudn't worry, I was very paranoid a first when I got it, I'v stopped worrying now and haven't had a single actual problem since owning it.

first things first you have a very clean example of a mk1 focus and not a sign of rear arch rust!!


i bought mines in November last year after passing my test mid September and i love the mk1 focus fraternity, these little problems havent stopped me liking the car and enjoying it.

forgot to mention most recently the engine warning light has been illuminating regularly and extinguishing with no noticeable problems (apart from the ones listed). i grudge paying a ridiculous amount of money to get it through a diagnostic!

so my alternators fine then and just struggles to cope with the added electrical loads? thats fine then, saves me cash.

its actually very reassuring to hear someone having the same things up with their mk1 foc, and t wwould be good to maybe stay in touch and bounce ideas/diagnosis from each other (that sounded well awkward, but you know what i mean)

i think the old speedo drops are attributed to the VSS in gearbox, gogle holds a plethora of information from others regarding this cheap little sensor.

thanks for the help mate, and the reassurance that my car is not going to die!!

[93Jay]

ringworm said:

93Jay said:

I have most of those issue, other than the brake thing.

1 - Same idle though no lights flickr

2 - I have, I understand extra strain on the alternator, and the revs rise when coming to a stop in neutral I have.

3 - Never had

4 - Had, air box rubber mount was my issue

5 - mine always stutters to life then the choke comes on and it's fine

6 - sometimes (rarely) whilst travelling at motorway speed the speed drops to 0 then picks back up straight away.


I woudn't worry, I was very paranoid a first when I got it, I'v stopped worrying now and haven't had a single actual problem since owning it.

first things first you have a very clean example of a mk1 focus and not a sign of rear arch rust!!


i bought mines in November last year after passing my test mid September and i love the mk1 focus fraternity, these little problems havent stopped me liking the car and enjoying it.

forgot to mention most recently the engine warning light has been illuminating regularly and extinguishing with no noticeable problems (apart from the ones listed). i grudge paying a ridiculous amount of money to get it through a diagnostic!

so my alternators fine then and just struggles to cope with the added electrical loads? thats fine then, saves me cash.

its actually very reassuring to hear someone having the same things up with their mk1 foc, and t wwould be good to maybe stay in touch and bounce ideas/diagnosis from each other (that sounded well awkward, but you know what i mean)

i think the old speedo drops are attributed to the VSS in gearbox, gogle holds a plethora of information from others regarding this cheap little sensor.

thanks for the help mate, and the reassurance that my car is not going to die!!

Mine was pretty rough when I got it, although I bought it as a low miler with 63K on the clock with a lady keeper since 2001, it ran rough, after some agressive driving it's loosened up well.

You can ask the Ph'ers who do know me personally. 1 week after getting the car I was on the verge of selling it, as I thought it was a complete dog, but after sevicing it myself, spending many hours tidying up the body(it had a rough body covered in scratches and scuffs), I'm now happy with it, have now clocked 5K miles in the 6 months I'v had, it hasn't missed a beat. not had to replace anything, passed it's MOT with nothing but low tyres.

I like the fact it's such a simple car, I'm no mechanic but I'v worked on it myself, only time it's been to a garage was for an MOT.

[ringworm]

93Jay said:

Mine was pretty rough when I got it, although I bought it as a low miler with 63K on the clock with a lady keeper since 2001, it ran rough, after some agressive driving it's loosened up well.

You can ask the Ph'ers who do know me personally. 1 week after getting the car I was on the verge of selling it, as I thought it was a complete dog, but after sevicing it myself, spending many hours tidying up the body(it had a rough body covered in scratches and scuffs), I'm now happy with it, have now clocked 5K miles in the 6 months I'v had, it hasn't missed a beat. not had to replace anything, passed it's MOT with nothing but low tyres.

I like the fact it's such a simple car, I'm no mechanic but I'v worked on it myself, only time it's been to a garage was for an MOT.

Ditto. had the car from 62k and now its on 68k, it starts first time, everytime and i have alot of bodywork issues but looking to become a detailer so will have a good donor car to start with. it is such a simple car to run and mend and i want to increase my mechanocal knowledge so i can service myself and save a packet. got my MOT in may too with an advisory on the last one for one of the suspension arms, the kind gentleman that sold me it also threw the part required in!

so all in i paid £1000 for a 51 plate black edition with heated everything inc black leather heated seats! full tints, 17" oz superturismos worth £900 alone! a years tax 6 months MOT,K&N 57i induction kit, had to buy 2 new front tyres and a PROPER silver calcium battery (which i hope you have mate), i also banged in some Redex petrol treatment for the hell of it and i feel an improvement.

[ringworm]

Haha mechanOcal!! Maybe should be mechanIcal

[93Jay]

ringworm said:

93Jay said:

Mine was pretty rough when I got it, although I bought it as a low miler with 63K on the clock with a lady keeper since 2001, it ran rough, after some agressive driving it's loosened up well.

You can ask the Ph'ers who do know me personally. 1 week after getting the car I was on the verge of selling it, as I thought it was a complete dog, but after sevicing it myself, spending many hours tidying up the body(it had a rough body covered in scratches and scuffs), I'm now happy with it, have now clocked 5K miles in the 6 months I'v had, it hasn't missed a beat. not had to replace anything, passed it's MOT with nothing but low tyres.

I like the fact it's such a simple car, I'm no mechanic but I'v worked on it myself, only time it's been to a garage was for an MOT.

Ditto. had the car from 62k and now its on 68k, it starts first time, everytime and i have alot of bodywork issues but looking to become a detailer so will have a good donor car to start with. it is such a simple car to run and mend and i want to increase my mechanocal knowledge so i can service myself and save a packet. got my MOT in may too with an advisory on the last one for one of the suspension arms, the kind gentleman that sold me it also threw the part required in!

so all in i paid £1000 for a 51 plate black edition with heated everything inc black leather heated seats! full tints, 17" oz superturismos worth £900 alone! a years tax 6 months MOT,K&N 57i induction kit, had to buy 2 new front tyres and a PROPER silver calcium battery (which i hope you have mate), i also banged in some Redex petrol treatment for the hell of it and i feel an improvement.

That's brilliant, servicing is a piece of piss, my mate also owns a ford focus so he adviced me on everything, I'm no detailer, but I have the all the detailing gear, including a rotary machine, and I'm a regular reader on detailing world.

Redex was one of the first things I did, as far as battery I have no idea on it, but I might fit a heavy duty one, as I run a sub and amp, although I do have a power cap and an efficient Class D JL Audio amp.

What engine is your? Mine is a 1.4 Zetec SE engine

Edited by 93Jay on Monday 11th March 16:57