# Top Engine Clean

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/top-engine-clean/74979>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** rav4, toyota\
**Created:** [October 15, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/top-engine-clean/74979 "2012-10-15T00:21:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Crashlefty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@Crashlefty](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Crashlefty)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/top-engine-clean/74979/1 "2012-10-15T00:21:49Z")

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I have a 2006 Rav 4 with about 75,000 miles on it. Recently, the dealer maintenance department recommended a top engine clean. What is that and is it necessary?

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**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/top-engine-clean/74979/2 "2012-10-15T00:55:17Z")

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Unless there is some unusual circumstance to cause carbon buildup there should be nothing to clean away. Carbon buildup is rarely seen when engines are dismantled. Engines with over 300,000 miles rarely have significant carbon buildup.

Do you pay a guard service to protect your home from elephant stampedes?

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**Author:** ![doubleclutch](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/doubleclutch/32/1281_2.png) [@doubleclutch](https://community.cartalk.com/u/doubleclutch)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/top-engine-clean/74979/3 "2012-10-15T05:00:54Z")

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This should be called a customer wallet clean.

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**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2012, 5:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/top-engine-clean/74979/4 "2012-10-15T05:37:16Z")

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They dump in a can of something called engine flush, run the engine a while, and change the oil. Then you get a large bill.

You can buy the engine flush yourself, if you must. But why clean an already clean engine??

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**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:** [October 15, 2012, 7:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/top-engine-clean/74979/5 "2012-10-15T07:27:56Z")

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The dealer maintenance department should be ashamed for pushing something this unnecessary. If they offered something like that to me, I would deliberately shame them.