# Flushing Good or Bad **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** deville, transmissions, gasoline, radiators, cadillac\ **Created:** [August 23, 2009, 7:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/flushing-good-or-bad/35457 "2009-08-23T07:56:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cbody11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Cbody11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cbody11)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 7:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/flushing-good-or-bad/35457/1 "2009-08-23T07:56:52Z")
I have a 94 cadillac devile V8-4.9L and everytime I take my car to get an oil change the shop tells me I need either a transmission flush, radiator flush, or fuel injection flush or all of the above I just need to know if these things are needed. ---
**Author:** ![hd72mm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/9fc29f/32.png) [@hd72mm](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hd72mm)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 9:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/flushing-good-or-bad/35457/2 "2009-08-23T09:38:12Z")
Bad Bad Bad They tend to loosen crud and it all does not come out then later it can clog things up. They want your money. ---
**Author:** ![mshugna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@mshugna](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mshugna)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 10:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/flushing-good-or-bad/35457/3 "2009-08-23T10:33:18Z")
Good for the owner since he/she needs to make several boat payments…Bad for you since they are not necessary ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 10:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/flushing-good-or-bad/35457/4 "2009-08-23T10:35:09Z")
It is a profit item, not a service item. If it is not listed in the owners manual, it is not needed, with one exception. Often transmission fluid changes are not listed in the owner’s manual. With an automatic transmission I recommend a fluid CHANGE along with dropping the pan and cleaning the filter, every 30-40,000 miles. Radiator flush should be in the manual for every two or three years, same with brake fluid. Are you going to one of those quick oil change places? ---
**Author:** ![transman618](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/transman618/32/24_2.png) [@transman618](https://community.cartalk.com/u/transman618)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/flushing-good-or-bad/35457/5 "2009-08-23T20:51:41Z")
Read this thread: [http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/2127819.page](http://community.cartalk.com/posts/list/2127819.page) This should answer your question. transman ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/flushing-good-or-bad/35457/6 "2009-08-23T20:56:06Z")
I think flushing is for toilets, but not transmissions. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/flushing-good-or-bad/35457/7 "2009-08-23T21:15:02Z")
The car is 16 years old and it’s quite possible that all of those things could be needed and beneficial. Flushing the cooling system and fuel injection system is beneficial; especially the cooling In regards to the transmission flush, my opinion is not without following transman’s advice. If the pan isn’t dropped and the filter changed I would not do it. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/flushing-good-or-bad/35457/8 "2009-08-23T21:36:44Z")
The only items worth flushing are the brake lines every three years, and the cooling system if it has been neglected. As long as you change your transmission fluid and your coolant on time, it isn’t necessary to flush them. As long as your car is running fine, there is no reason to clean the fuel injectors. All brand name fuel these days has detergent in it. ---
**Author:** ![Cbody11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Cbody11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cbody11)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/flushing-good-or-bad/35457/9 "2009-08-24T04:39:13Z")
jiffylube is the place I go to…but when I ask questions…they fast talk me because I’m a women…and I just give up ---
**Author:** ![budd2049](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@budd2049](https://community.cartalk.com/u/budd2049)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 4:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/flushing-good-or-bad/35457/10 "2009-08-24T04:47:30Z")
Okay, you really should stop going to Jiffy Lube…right now. We have heard a litany of horror stories on here about draining old oil and forgetting to fill with new oil; emptying the transmission fluid and overfilling the engine, in the process destroying both; stripping out oil drain plugs; and other things. The kids working there are NOT certified techs, and they are pushed to go faster and faster (while also pushing unneeded services, like the ones you’ve been offered), which invariably leads to mistakes. Go ANYwhere else (preferably an independent shop) for your oil changes before the odds turn against you. Search the forum for “Jiffy Lube” to read up on why they’re the absolute last place to ever take a car.