B12 piston soak question

[Urshurak776]

After a piston soak, I hand turn crank a few turns to make sure all the B12 is out. Then add a couple tablespoons of Marvel Mystery Oil to each cylinder. Hand crank slowly to lubricate. Put old plugs back in. Fire it up. If I used just a single can of B12, I just let it rip until engine is started and smoke is gone. Then change oil/filter and plugs. If using a couple cans for tough jobs, I just drain oil when done and refill with something cheap.

 

[bladecutter]

How do you get the car to crank with plugs out?
When I attempted a piston soak, the car just buzzed when I cranked with plugs out.
You have to pull a fuse or something?
Hm, but I didn't even feel the car move and nothing came out of the spark plug holes?

Does your car have a push button start, or a key that you have to insert and rotate?
Can you see your engine from inside your car when you are sitting in the drivers seat, or do you need to be standing outside the drivers door in order to see into the engine bay while reaching into the car to crank the starter?

Can you see the serpentine belt from your vantage point, either when you are in the drivers seat, or standing outside the drivers door, while reaching into the car when you are trying to crank over the motor?

If you can see the serpentine belt, can you see it rotating when you crank the engine over?

Why does this seem so hard?
You should be aware of how your vehicle operates if you are trying to do this kind of work on it.
Please, THINK these things through.
The answers are really, really obvious in a lot of your questions.

 

[GDROOK]

I realize this thread is old, but for future topic searchers, I believe MrBaumTastic was confusing engine cranking versus engine running. It is two completely different things and often misunderstood by many DIYers.

An engine TURNING OVER or CRANKING is when the starter is engaged and the engine rotates but DOES NOT start or run.

 

[Donald]

So I am finally going to get around to soaking the pistons on my 2007 Camry with the 2AZ-FE that burns oil like it was designed for it. I have watched plenty of videos and read through numerous threads, but there is one question that I cannot seem to find the answer to.

It seems that most people do one or two things at the end of the soak: 1) Fire the car up with the B12 still in the crankcase and let it idle for X minutes to burn off the B12 in a giant cloud of white smoke, and/or 2) Take the car on a highway drive for 20-30 minutes with the B12 still in the crankcase to do the same thing.

Is there any practical reason to do either of these steps as opposed to just draining and refilling the oil after the soak? It makes sense to me that since the car is difficult to start after the soak anyway due to the oil being stripped from the pistons by the B12 that you would be better served to get that stuff out of there before trying to start it up. The only reason that I can think of to leave it in is to get extra cleaning from the B12 before it burns off in the same vein as a BG EPR cleaning.

Can anyone clarify this step for me? Thanks.

B12 is a solvent. You don't want to start your engine with a solvent in the crankcase.

 

[Hootbro]

B12 is a solvent. You don't want to start your engine with a solvent in the crankcase.

It is not going to hurt anything for a 30 minute or less short term run. Fuel also acts as a non polar solvent and while also not ideal, it is kept in check with reasonable OCI's.

 

[JZiggy]

I've done 3 piston soak procedures with B12, in all cases the treated engines are still running great.

After the soak, I change the oil to get most of the solvent out of the engine. Fill fresh, take it for a drive, then change the oil again. I do NOT like the idea of pumping compromised lubricant through a running engine, even for a very short time.

 

[mt23]

B12 is a solvent. You don't want to start your engine with a solvent in the crankcase.

B12 can be used as an engine flush. Instructions are on their website and no longer on the can. 1.5-2.0 ounces B12 per quart of oil in engine. Added to cold engine just before warming up for oil change. B12 evaporates out of oil at 130 degrees F

 

[Gus_Mahn]

I ran a 2.0 Audi with 2 cans of B12 in the crankcase. Once it got warm it started running like crap. I’d assume this was due to a bunch of extra hydrocarbons entering the engine through the PCV system. No permanent ill effects. Combined with a Ring Fling and Valvoline Restore and Protect, it went from 2 quarts of oil used every 500 miles to using a quart every 1200 miles.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Seems like B12 is going to be superseded by Valvoline Restore and Protect.

 

[4wd]

Seems like B12 is going to be superseded by Valvoline Restore and Protect.

As I said before - on an I4 it’s easy access and balanced distribution for a soak like at spark plug time - other configurations - nope!

 

[Elkins45]

Seems like B12 is going to be superseded by Valvoline Restore and Protect.

Not really. A two can B12 soak costs $12 and takes two days. A full course of Valvoline Restore and Protect takes much longer and costs around $100.

In the case of my Scions I did a full soak and then followed with Valvoline Restore and Protect as a bonus.

 

[Japanese]

Not really. A two can B12 soak costs $12 and takes two days. A full course of Valvoline Restore and Protect takes much longer and costs around $100.
In the case of my Scions I did a full soak and then followed with Valvoline Restore and Protect as a bonus.

Right, the B12 needs 1-2 days soaking (or overnight soak) and is done, while Valvoline Restore and Protect needs at least 4 OCI.
However, B12 cleans only your pistons and piston rings and strictly for oil burners, where Valvoline Restore and Protect cleans all engine internals, including sludge and varnish regardless of their location inside the engine.

 

[Tman220]

2007 Camry 2AZ-FE here with 350,000 miles. Factory piston rings never had the update.

Burned a touch over a quart every 5000 miles from day 1 til I started putting Valvoline restore and protect in at 315,000 miles. Over the last 5000 miles I have burned only a couple ounces. This oil is the real deal, but a doubt my engine ever had completely stuck rings so my cylinder bores never got destroyed unlike some of these engines which coked up a lot worse for some reason.

before restore and protect it got Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w20 every 5000 miles.

People have had hit and miss luck with B12, I am becoming a firm believer in Valvoline Restore and Protect, so much so I have switched my other vehicles over to it just to prevent any potential piston ring coking

 

[ClutchDisc]

Valvoline Restore and Protect cleans all engine internals, including sludge and varnish regardless of their location inside the engine.

I don’t think Valvoline makes that claim. And I can say in the past when I used it I was quite disappointed in its lack of cleaning ability.

 

[Elkins45]

I don’t think Valvoline makes that claim. And I can say in the past when I used it I was quite disappointed in its lack of cleaning ability.

My 2012 Scion has been through two changes and the view through the filler cap looks pretty much the same.

 

[tired]

I don’t think Valvoline makes that claim. And I can say in the past when I used it I was quite disappointed in its lack of cleaning ability.

They don't but we've seen it here. How many OCIs did you run?

Here's an example of the varnish cleanup, with before and after photos here.

 

[tired]

2007 Camry 2AZ-FE here with 350,000 miles. Factory piston rings never had the update.

Burned a touch over a quart every 5000 miles from day 1 til I started putting Valvoline restore and protect in at 315,000 miles. Over the last 5000 miles I have burned only a couple ounces. This oil is the real deal, but a doubt my engine ever had completely stuck rings so my cylinder bores never got destroyed unlike some of these engines which coked up a lot worse for some reason.

before restore and protect it got Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w20 every 5000 miles.

People have had hit and miss luck with B12, I am becoming a firm believer in Valvoline Restore and Protect, so much so I have switched my other vehicles over to it just to prevent any potential piston ring coking

That's a really impressive story. I assume that it is working on the oil drain back holes as well? Or is the mechanism of burning in the 2AZ that the oil doesn't drain back as well so it cokes up the rings from where it burns?

 

[ClutchDisc]

They don't but we've seen it here. How many OCIs did you run?

Here's an example of the varnish cleanup, with before and after photos here.

Six 5k OCIs, used it on a couple other vehicles and also saw no difference through the oil fill cap. It wasn’t worth the costly expense for a 5k mile oil so I stopped using it.

 

[Japanese]

Six 5k OCIs, used it on a couple other vehicles and also saw no difference through the oil fill cap. It wasn’t worth the costly expense for a 5k mile oil so I stopped using it.

But what was the reason to use it?
Also, it's not an expensive oil. It's just a couple bucks over all other synthetics at Walmart.

 

[ClutchDisc]

@Japanese The reason was just a why not, let’s see what it does reason.

It is expensive when you drive over 50k miles in a year compared to an oil I can run more miles. It just came down to the fact that I didn’t see a reason to spend the money for it, and I also don’t like that Valvoline isn’t a US company anymore. But that’s not what this thread is about.