How to clean an oilburner........

takza · Post by **takza** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 6:18 pm

"As an answer to all those that think breaking off a lot of crud does damage a friend an I did a test at local junk yard, with the help of the owner. We found a 1979 Toyota PU with a 20R 4-cylinder engine that looked like it was shot at and missed and $%^& at and hit. It smoked so bad it could be used by the Marines for beach assaults. We removed the valve cover and you could not see any detail, like a complete valve spring. the crud was both soft like tar and hard and shiny like glass. The dip stick shows a black spot on the end, but not up to the add mark.

Now here's what we did. We found several oil filters off other engines and cleaned them out with carb cleaner. Nothing but the best for our test. Then we put two quarts of 5w-30 Mobil 1 and two quarts of carb cleaner out of a 5 gal pail into the engine. We started up the engine and ran the snot out of it. It sputtered and smoked and with each passing minute, running at about 3 grand in neutral, it started running better. As the oil filter would get plugged up, we would change it and add a 50/50 mixture of Mobil 1 and carb cleaner. We reved it up and let it idle. Then we drove it around the canyon behind the junk yard, up and down the hills and never spared the horses. We beat this truck like a dog every Saturday morning for a month and each time it ran better and each time it plugged up a filter, and we unplugged it and put it back on.

Then we swithched from Mobil1/carb cleaner to Mobil1/Marvel Mystrry Oil. Every one took a shot at driving it. After a couple of weeks, it got driven during the week, too. In six weeks of brutal driving we put about 1k miles on the truck. We had to replace the spark plugs twice, using NGK's both times, nothing but the best for our truck. We also cleaned the carb and pcv a couple of times and put in a new air filter and finally a new oil filter, again nothing but the best. Today the truck runs great, compression is 1=165 2=170 3=165 4=160, thats up about 10 psi per hole, with no thickners or other stuff. If breaking off crud would damage the engine, we would have seen something. We took the pan off twice, first time we scraped it out, second time it was pretty clean. Oil pressure, with a mechanical gauge is 65 psi at 3k in neutral with, finally all Mobil 1 5w-30 oil. A lot of people watched our ASTM level official test and even took turns driving the truck around.

It now runs without smoking, knocking or clicking, starts right up and idles smoothly and about 800rpm, and revs like crazy without missing and it pulls the hill behind the junk yard in 4th gear lugging now (5-speed) which on the first day took a struggle in 2nd, buzzing it's brains out. Not very scientific but we had fun. The owner now used the truck for a parts truck, and finally sold it for money to someone down the street. Our testing was so much fun we are going to look for a new myth to bust."

Adelard of Bath · Post by **Adelard of Bath** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 12:14 am

That was not only an amusing story, but an interesting one...

any theories on why cleaning deposits out would stop it from smoking? Cuz I don't see how that would make rings work better...maybe valves though
I should try that on my 79 volvo heh drive it like I stole it!
wait sometimes I do that anyway

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:15 am

Possible that deposits get in between the rings and cylinder in some places allowing more blowby in others? Cleaning out gunk might allow the rings to expand to fit securely against the cylinder walls by removing sticky goo?
Interesting story heh... Was there any oil seepage that came thru? Moreover the question should be, did you find any of the varnishes to be plugging up holes that were shown by removing the gunk?

Guess that engine would be a lesson in regular oil change intervals with the occasional cleansing fill (carb cleaner, Marvel, Amsoil, SeaFoam, Power Steering Fluid...)

Where do you get pails of carb cleaner?

takza · Post by **takza** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:44 am

Rings stick.

Check out the basic ingredients on the right....

<a href='http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cg ... carb/choke' target='_blank'>http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cg ... b/choke</a>

tercel4wdrules · Post by **tercel4wdrules** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 1:40 pm

Maybe I should try that to "unfree" the rings on my engine?

takza · Post by **takza** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 6:24 pm

A more reasonable method might be to use that mix with the plugs out and let it sit for a week or so...add some each day.......then turn it over using the starter.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:10 pm

That mix...? All I see on the right is brands of aerosols? Even searching the ingrediants section for Champion Carburetor cleaner, Carburetor Cleaner, and Carb Cleaner, I get nothing. Maybe I'm just a dork? >.<

Adelard of Bath · Post by **Adelard of Bath** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:16 pm

Power steering fluid?

As for carb cleaner, I have seen it by the gallon at napa, that stuff is green and crazy compared to the spray can stuff! I bet I could get a pail of it at my local "fleet farm" agricultural supply place...not that I want to buy five gallons of it though!

Didn't I read Diesel fuel on one of the other posts, for mixing with your oil for a flush? diesel is kidna oily anyway

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 7:19 pm

I dunno how well diesel breaks down deposits, but I do know it is a pretty nice lubricant versus most things you could dump in your crank.
Dang straight its oily.. Ever had to siphon the stuff?!? :blink: :blink: :blink:
My uncle (mechanic) has always recommended P.S. fluid.. And it seems to work alright. I would not recommend it over the other things I mentioned, as they are superior.

tercel4wdrules · Post by **tercel4wdrules** » Tue Jan 11, 2005 11:59 pm

I can certainly try those methods and let the car sit for awhile. Then if I can't get it started, oh well. Too much smoke for an enclosed parking space and to burn all of that out I think they would call the Fire Department. That or we'll get pulled over and then burn it off while running the crap out of it.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:20 am

hehehe.... Just tell them you accidently put in a gallon of diesel.