Re: [alfa] Kerosene for engine flushing

["skippatnode" <skippatnode@xxxxxxx>]

Let me tell you about engine flushing!!  Many years ago I acquired (but will
never admit how) a quantity of 1010 jet engine lube oil and JP-4 Jet fuel
mixed about 50/50.  I replaced the oil in my '54 Ford with this stuff and ran
it to flush it out.  Well, flush it, it did!  It cleaned out dirt that had
been there for years and that was holding the engine together, it cleaned out
seals and it wiped a groove in the crankshaft at the rear seal so that no
longer held any oil in the engine.  After many unsuccessful tries to save it,
I ended up replacing then engine.
That escapade made me a believer in the cleaning properties in modern day oils
and the fallacy of "Mechanic in a Can" concoctions.  And, no, kerosene does
not have the lubricating properties necessary to keep your engine from hurting
itself while you are flushing it.  It works real good for cleaning the outside
of the engine and for cleaning parts in a parts cleaner, though.
Just keep your oil and filter changed and don't worry about the inside of the
engine being spotless.  You can take care of that in 100,000 miles or so when
you rebuild it again.
Happy Holidays everyone,
Skip Patnode
67 Duetto
Norfolk, Va
Try an aspirin before resorting to brain surgery



Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 14:36:02 -0500 (EST)
From: Joe Elliott <jee@domain.elided>
Subject: [alfa] Kerosene for engine flushing

A couple months ago several people mentioned filling engines with kerosene
to flush out crap.  Is it as simple as filling the sump with kerosene,
spinning the engine on the starter for a while (does kerosene actually
provide adequate lubrication to do that??), then draining it and filling
it with new oil?

Also, I'm planning on putting oil in my spare engine to do a compression
test--could I just leave the kerosene in it for the compression test, and
avoid putting 7 qts of good oil in there if it turns out to be screwed up?

Thanks,
Joe Elliott
'82 GTV-6
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided