black/brown sludge on my rocker arms

[Surrey]

Diesel fuel is full of detergents. You get sludge in stuff like the oil pan and dump diesel fuel in there it helps break down the sludge and remove some of the varnish. It's not thick enough to run the engine with though.

Okay cool.

Is there anything I could pour down the oil passages now while the engine is cold and I have the valve covers off? Or should I just clean out what I can and put it back together, then get it nice and hot before adding diesel?

 

[Snoranger]

Diesel fuel is full of detergents. You get sludge in stuff like the oil pan and dump diesel fuel in there it helps break down the sludge and remove some of the varnish. It's not thick enough to run the engine with though.

I've ran an engine with a 50/50 mix of diesel and 20w50 oil, at idle, for about 30 minutes... That 2.3l is pushing 350K miles now (about 120K ago) and still chugging along.

 

[adsm08]

Okay cool.

Is there anything I could pour down the oil passages now while the engine is cold and I have the valve covers off? Or should I just clean out what I can and put it back together, then get it nice and hot before adding diesel?

Pipe cleaners and carb cleaner/gum cutter. If you can find a place around you that carried AutoSolutions stuff the "Optimizer" is some real good stuff. Kinda like foaming pipe snake for your engine.

I've ran an engine with a 50/50 mix of diesel and 20w50 oil, at idle, for about 30 minutes... That 2.3l is pushing 350K miles now (about 120K ago) and still chugging along.

That mix is a lot thicker than just diesel. Diesel is thinner than most cooking oils. With the right engine you can run it on straight ATF. My shop foreman did that on his old 4.9 for a week to clean it out after a few hundred thousand miles.

 

[adsm08]

Dropping a can of seafoam in the oil before you get it warmed up to drain out will probably help as well.

 

[Surrey]

Okay then here is the plan for today...

1) clean up what I can with rags, suction gun, shop vac, or whatever else I end up using.

2) add seafoam to oil, get it nice and hot, drain the oil.

3)????? Should I add 50/50 diesel/20w50oil, run it for 30min at idle, then drain it right away? Im thinking if I let the 20w50 sit overnight it wont drain nicely? Or should I add the diesel/oil, run it for a while, then let it sit overnight and drain it?

thanks.

 

[Snoranger]

Okay then here is the plan for today...

1) clean up what I can with rags, suction gun, shop vac, or whatever else I end up using.

2) add seafoam to oil, get it nice and hot, drain the oil.

3)????? Should I add 50/50 diesel/20w50oil, run it for 30min at idle, then drain it right away? Im thinking if I let the 20w50 sit overnight it wont drain nicely? Or should I add the diesel/oil, run it for a while, then let it sit overnight and drain it?

thanks.

Honestly, I usually dont like to give any recommendations of adding "foreign" substances to your oil. I'll just tell you what I've done and the results. If i tell you to try "this" and your motor blows up... Who's fault is it?



Don't use anything flammable (brake cleaner, carb cleaner, etc) and a shop vac!!! Otherwise you may have a second nasty brown mess to clean up.

 

[Surrey]

Honestly, I usually dont like to give any recommendations of adding "foreign" substances to your oil. I'll just tell you what I've done and the results. If i tell you to try "this" and your motor blows up... Who's fault is it?

Mine. Im the one who is about to put diesel in his crankcase. You didn't pour the bottle...

Don't use anything flammable (brake cleaner, carb cleaner, etc) and a shop vac!!! Otherwise you may have a second nasty brown mess to clean up.

Good advice. lol

 

[MastuhWaffles]

Get yourself some scrapers and pipe cleaners and get in there!

 

[RonD]

Elbow grease has been test and is not flammable

I am just repeating what I read, I have never used it myself

 

[Surrey]

Elbow grease has been test and is not flammable

I am just repeating what I read, I have never used it myself

Elbow grease not flammable?!

Someone isn't working hard enough...

 

[adsm08]

Elbow grease has been test and is not flammable

Well that can't be right. Almost every time I use elbow grease something bursts into flames.




EDIT: Just read the label on the container I've been using for "Elbow Grease". It says "Napalm Gelatin".

 

[RonD]

Elbow grease not flammable?!

Someone isn't working hard enough...

Well that can't be right. Almost every time I use elbow grease something bursts into flames.




EDIT: Just read the label on the container I've been using for "Elbow Grease". It says "Napalm Gelatin".

I think I see the problem here.

Check the label on that can, you are not mixing the elbow grease with enough lubricant.
I believe "beer" is the recommend chemical compound and viscosity to reduce the fire hazard of elbow grease.

 

[Surrey]

I think I see the problem here.

Check the label on that can, you are not mixing the elbow grease with enough lubricant.
I believe "beer" is the recommend chemical compound and viscosity to reduce the fire hazard of elbow grease.

BEER : decreases the fire hazard of elbow grease, while increasing the fire hazard of eveything else... lol

 

[RonD]

BEER : decreases the fire hazard of elbow grease, while increasing the fire hazard of eveything else... lol

How true...........

 

[Surrey]

Okay then here is the plan for today...


3)????? Should I add 50/50 diesel/20w50oil, run it for 30min at idle, then drain it right away? Im thinking if I let the 20w50 sit overnight it wont drain nicely? Or should I add the diesel/oil, run it for a while, then let it sit overnight and drain it?

thanks.

Anyone have an opinion on whether I should leave this mix in overnight, or if it'll sludge up on me 'cause of the thick oil? Also would it be bad to leave it because then I"d be draining it cold, and it would be better to get fresh oil in there while its still hot?

I was about to put the other valve cover back on (long story...) and flush this crap. I want to leave the mixture in to break down stuff in the pan, but Im worried it will cause more harm than good.