Piston soak, alternatives to MMO?

Status
Not open for further replies.
The fleet manager where I work changed oil suppliers earlier this year, and I was gifted some almost empty 20 litre drums, consisting of (approximately) 4 litres Castrol Edge 5w30, 4 litres Castrol Tection 15w40 diesel oil and 3 litres Castrol GTX 15w40. I simply poured them all into 1 drum, very scientifically shook it up, and voila, my Frankenbrew!

Now keep in mind, I really don't care if this engine dies tomorrow, it's a sludged up old boat anchor in a car that owes me virtually nothing. If and when it lets go, I'll drop a $200 second hand engine in over a weekend, so no big deal. But...I can't kill it! Not that I'm trying to either, if I can avoid an engine swap I will, but the old girl just continues to purr along, regardless of how she's treated. Short trips, long trips, towing, driving it like I stole it, nothing fazes her! It's been on this current oil for 3000km, hasn't used a drop. And amazingly, from the little bit I can see through the fill hole, it's slowly beginning to clean the top end. I honestly expect the old thing will chug on to half a million kays, no worries at all.

As to how well they hold up when thrashed, in my experience, you can't hurt 'em. Even the earliest iteration of these engines, in the much maligned EA, were pretty bullet proof, and the AU is the absolute pinnacle of SOHC development. I may have a better answer in a few months though, when our eldest boy (17) starts driving it unsupervised...if it survives him, it'll survive anything!

I say drive more, worry less, and try not to stress about every little noise the engine makes - it's just character!
 
This down the plug holes into a hot engine
63604.jpg
 
Hmm sounds like an interesting mix! The cleaning could be from the diesel oil, I was thinking about doing a run with some diesel oil to see if it cleans up any slight varnishing

I guess you could be right about these engines, An old fella i know is a plasterer and had an EL. It had 410,000km on it and hadn't been serviced in around 100,000 or more! The think ran fine but not perfect... In that time it was used as a donkey to haul his trailer and boat around. He retired it last year when it ran out of rego and his dad died and inherited his jeep. It still ran fine and i checked the oil on it and there was nothing but dry black crust on the dipstick! Open the filler cap and yet more black crust! Hahaha how it was still running is beyond me so yeah i'll take your word for it.
Would love to see how many Ks i can get out of mine. I got mine when I was 18 (21 now) and it's put up well with me so far, even though i bought it off my dad who is way more of a hoon than me...
But yeah i'm more old school, i'd like to keep it running for ever and keep fixing it up, it's always amazed me when you see old men with 50s - 70s cars that look new that they've been driving since their teens-20s. I'd like to be one of those old guys! Haha
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow

A couple are around.
Techron is pretty lame here compared to the States, but can get it.
Nulon make a $25 treatment that has PEA in it at reasonable rates.


Ended up getting some of that
smile.gif
hope it works for that price! Car feels much more confident as it reaches the redline, not sure if that's down to the TCW3 I put in last week or the Nulon stuff but either way it will help clean it up
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top