Room-temp cleaning abilities of oils (CANOLA EXP!)

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A week ago (last Tuesday night, actually), I found some old spark plugs that came out of my 99 Corolla and decided it was time for some testing. I pitted my used PU+MMO against my "leftovers" bottle that I use for top-off, straight canola oil, and a dry plug, soaking one plug in each oil for a week at room temperature. The results aren't what I had expected, honestly; here's what went on:

Sample 1: PU 5w20 run straight until 6.25% MMO was added at 2k. Oil was drained and stored at 2738 miles.

Sample 2: Just under 1qt each of PU 5w20, PP 0w20, Rotella T6 5w40, and Valvoline NextGen Maxlife 5w30, with 8oz of MMO and a small amount of ATF (thanks to my wife!). This is my emergency top-off jug; thankfully it doesn't get used much.

Sample 3: Pure canola oil, cooking grade.

Sample 4: Just a dry plug.

Each of the first 3 samples was soaked in its respective oil for a week, then all four samples we re "scrubbed" with plain, dry, brown paper napkins. Each plug was identical prior to the soaking ans "scrubbing"; here's what they look like now (images shot from 3 angles, one with flash and one without at each angle, camera in full manual mode to ensure that settings are consistent between shots, changing shutter speed only to compensate for flash):

Sample order: 1 2 3 4
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You can see that sample 1 (*used* PU+MMO) cleaned up most of the ashen deposits on the ground electrode, but also redeposited a fair but onto the insulator, which is forgivable for a used oil. It's hard to tell from this angle but samples 1 and 3 also cleaned up most of the carbon from the body of the plug; sample 2 didn't fare as well. Sample 2 redeposited the most dissolved solids onto the insulator of all 3 samples, actually leaving it dirtier than before the soak; worrisome considering that this was all fresh oil. sample 3 left the insulator the cleanest, possibly indicating that it carries dissolved solids better than the other samples. It also performed nearly as well as sample 2 in dissolving ashen deposits from the ground electrode (which admittedly isn't saying much), which will become more apparent from other angles.

Sample order: 1 2 3 4
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Here you can really see how much crud was redeposited onto the insulator by sample 2. Likewise, you can see how much cleaner sample 3 left the insulator than the other samples; it was the only sample to leave the insulator cleaner than before the test! Looking at tip electrodes, sample 1 is the dirtiest after the dry sample, with sample 2 being slightly cleaner than sample 2 and sample 3 being the cleanest, but not by much. Sample 3's cleaning of the ashen deposits from the ground electrode leaves something do be desired, but you can tell comparing it to the dry sample that it did soak into and soften those deposits. Samples 1 and 2 appear to have removes some of those deposits, with sample 1 having the cleanest ground electrode of the lot.

Sample order: 4 3 2 1
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From this angle, you can see that samples 1 and 3 both cleaned up the corona staining completely, while sample 2 appears to have hardened it, making it more difficult to remove than the staining on the dry sample! Also of note is the contact point on each plug; sample 1 left this point the cleanest, sample 2 left it the dirtiest, and sample 3 beat out the dry sample by a fair amount. Looking at the ground electrodes, the only other functional part of these plugs we can see from this angle, it is clear that sample 1 did the most cleaning, while samples 2 and 3 cleaned the "inside" surface of their electrodes more than adequately, leaving both shiny and silver.

What's striking, to me, about these results is that the plain canola in sample 3 cleaned as well as, or better than, the PU+MMO in sample 1, in all cases except that outer surface of the ground electrode and the contact point. That is to say that it handled carbon and varnish as well as PU+MMO, but with no detergents or dispersants (in fact, with no additive pack whatsoever). Sample 1 clearly did better than canola with regard to ashen deposits and corrosion, which is unsurprising given its stout additive pack (even after nearly 2750 miles of use).

It appears that I've chose the best possible use-case (short of polluting the local water supply) for the "leftovers" in sample 2: emergency top-off use ONLY! Despite being all fresh oil, it fared much worse than either the *used* PU+MMO in sample 1 or that COOKING OIL in sample 3!

This tells me all I really need to know about the cleaning properties of canola oil, and my current "top-off" testing, combined with a UOA at 3k and 5k, will tell me what I want to know about how it holds up under real-world use in a hard-driven engine that sees plenty of redline and WOT.

Again, these plugs were soaked at room temperature for a week, no heating was done to the samples at any time during this test. Before anyone jumps in and points out that spark plugs in an engine don't (typically) sit in oil, I understand this; however, a spark plug is one place you're sure to find soot, ash, carbon, corrosion, and varnish, all of which you will find elsewhere in an engine, all close to each other and on a variety of surfaces; this, combined with the fact that I had them laying around and they were free and convenient, made them ideal test subjects.

Would the results of this testing in any way make me comfortable running canola straight? Heck no! It lacks any wear-reducing additives whatsoever and isn't very effective against soot and ashen deposits, though its ester makeup does make it quite effective at dissolving carbon and varnish and, most importantly, holding on to it and not redepositing it on other engine surfaces! It fared better than PU in this respect (I wish I had a virgin sample of PU to test with; perhaps I'll pick up a quart and drop that 4th plug in it for a week), which really did surprise me.

At this point, I'm confident in canola's abilities as an additive to a stout oil like T6 or PU, but I'll be taking a cautious approach in the rest of my experimentation and only advancing the research past a given point if each OCI in my testing is able to safely be extended past 5k.

Currently, I'm testing canola as a top-off oil with Rotella T6; presently, I have 8oz in a 4qt (due to oversized filter) sump (6.25%). I expect to be able to run this for 7.5k or longer. I don't foresee needing to top off any more, as th 8oz top-off at 165 miles was due to an improperly installed valve cover gasket and with roughly 450 miles currently on this oil (an additional 285 miles since the top-off) the oil level has not changed. I'll be sending a sample of this oil to Blackstone at 3k, then again at 5k, 7.5k, and 10k, assuming I'm able to push it that far.

If I can push this OCI to or past 5k, I'll be running 3qt T6 and 1qt canola, with the same sampling at 3k, 5k, 7.5k, and 10k, assuming I can push it that far. When wear metals start increasing or the TBN drops near or below 1.0, the oil gets dumped.

If the 25% run make it to or past 5k, I intend to run 50/50 T6 and canola, with the same 3/5/7.5/10k sample schedule. I don't expect to get much past 5k before the TBN falls through the floor, but I do expect wear metals to be reasonable at that point.

At any rate, I'll keep my flak jacket on while posting these results, as I'm certain there will be plenty of naysayers. To them, I have only this to say: you're more than welcome to try it yourself and replicate my results. I'm more than happy to be proven wrong, if someone's willing to step forward with actual proof.
 
I hope you are kidding about using Canola oil as a top-off oil!!

As the oil passes up into the head and lubes the valve train, it cooks and boils off fuel and water.

In thin layers the temps may go high enough to form sludge. That is why everyone loves to see photos under valve covers.

If you have ever used canola oil to brush onto vented pizza pan you'd see the iron-hard varnish it leaves behind.

I can throw a pizza pan with canola varnish on it into the bottom tray of a dishwasher, set to scrub, and the varnish doesn't come off.

Keep canola oil out of your engine.
 
Your test is meaningless. Engines don't operate at room temperature, and unless you have some serious issues the deposits on spark plugs don't come in contact with the oil at the level your "test" did. It was nothing more than an exercise in futility.
 
I say it's a good try and you did keep the variables to minimum, however I fail to see how this relates to motor or canola oil cleaning ability. You can soften up a lot of hardened and greasy deposits just by submerging them in water, but water alone will not clean them off.
In your experiment the detergents probably played very little to no role that is why canola oil did so well. Operating engine environment is something totally different than a jar sitting at room temperature. The oil is exposed to high temperatures, shear forces and pressures all of which break down its structure. The oil has to lubricate and cool the components while ensuring it leaves no deposits behind during that process. Cleaning is not part of its mission, even though some cleaning may take place.

Why do people keep confusing deposit control with deposit cleaning? I mentioned it a couple times already in other threads, with no explanation from anybody. People keep quoting sequence IIIg test and Honda HTO-6 test, but it appears they never read the actual test procedure, or they do not understand the purpose of these tests. Nowhere in those tests are dirty pistons or turbocharger shafts used to see how well they are cleaned by various oils. Brand new parts are used to see how much or little deposits are found after the test.

I think that canola oil simply cannot withstand engine environment and will break down, leaving some nasty deposits in the process.
This test is nice and all for a high school project, but I would not conlude, like you did, from that test that canola oil can be used in an engine sump.
 
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As mentioned above canola oil will oxidize and leave nasty deposits. Don't put it in your engine. The veggie motor oils out there use very special oils and antioxidants to allow them to survive in a crankcase.
 
As I posted in the other recent canola thread, I have found canola to be a really decent hand cleaner. Just rub a tablespoon or two over your hands for a minute or so, then wash with dish soap to carry away dirt and grime. Might need a small brush for around your fingernails if really grimed up.

I have noticed that the canola "feels warm" on my hands. I think it is just the oil trapping body heat, not necessarily a reaction to the other oils and grease it is lifting off. It doesn't get real warm, but I've noticed it. If you run out of store bought hand cleaner it works much better than soap alone. Of course it's a two step process and having someone to deliver the canola, soap and warm water is helpful. Usually walking in to the kitchen with really greasy hands will summon said help..

I'm sure other cooking oils would work as well. Canola is the cheapest cooking oil I keep on hand. (wife is allergic to corn)

maybe this thread does give a good use for canola on engine parts. If you pull a valve cover or Oil pan and it is caked up with sludge, then a spray can of canola oil doused liberally and let soak overnight might be a decent pre-soak?
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I say it's a good try and you did keep the variables to minimum, however I fail to see how this relates to motor or canola oil cleaning ability.

You may not see it and that's fine, but you must have missed the observations about the oil's ability to hold dissolved materials in solution and not redeposit them onto other surfaces. Canola won that, at room temperature which is where that really does matter, as it is as the oil cools that it will redeposit anything it can't hold at the lower temperatures. Don't be so quick to dismiss this without doing your own research, I've certainly done mine and this "test was more a case of me throwing something I had laying around into something else I had laying around and not really expecting much of anything, it wasn't even intended to be something I posted about on here but I found something I thought others would find interesting so I posted it here.

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
In your experiment the detergents probably played very little to no role that is why canola oil did so well. Operating engine environment is something totally different than a jar sitting at room temperature.

You're probably correct here and this isn't something I was considering as I was writing this. However, canola did outperform one of the oils by quite a large (in my opinion) margin and that is what I found interesting; moreso in light of your assertion that the detergents had little to do with it at room temperatures, which is likely correct.

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Cleaning is not part of its mission, even though some cleaning may take place.

Cleaning is part of my mission. I drive an 8th gen Corolla with unmodified pistons, perhaps you're familiar?

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Why do people keep confusing deposit control with deposit cleaning?

Good question. What makes you think that's what I'm doing here?

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I mentioned it a couple times already in other threads, with no explanation from anybody. People keep quoting sequence IIIg test and Honda HTO-6 test, but it appears they never read the actual test procedure, or they do not understand the purpose of these tests.

Where did I do this? Where did I even mention these tests or any comparison to them?

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Nowhere in those tests are dirty pistons or turbocharger shafts used to see how well they are cleaned by various oils. Brand new parts are used to see how much or little deposits are found after the test.

Thanks for the explanation for those ho are not familiar, I'm sure it has opened a few eyes here.

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I think that canola oil simply cannot withstand engine environment and will break down, leaving some nasty deposits in the process.[/qoute]
I think canola's history as an engine and industrial lube disagrees with what you think. Consider how many things oil companies add to the oil they sell that don't lubricate, don't flow well on their own, and would spell certain doom for your engine if run straight. Further consider that canola has been used as a marine and aviation engine lube since around WW-II; I'm not treading new ground here.

KrisZ said:
This test is nice and all for a high school project, but I would not conlude, like you did, from that test that canola oil can be used in an engine sump.

I've concluded nothing from this test, thus the additional testing procedures (which were already underway prior to this test). Once again, this "test" was just me screwing around and I happened to notice something interesting in the process and wanted to share it here.
 
Let me take this discussion in a different direction, but still relevant to canola oil.

I have a Briggs & Stratton side valve lawn mower engine that I have tore down to use as a demonstration/instructional tool. Carb and fuel tank are gone, muffler is gone, flywheel brake is gone...the only thing there is the block, the flywheel, and the rotating assemblies in the block (the piston, valves, etc). This is to show how the engine works as it rotates. I can turn the engine with a drill and a 15/16" socket on the flywheel bolt.

I eventually want to find an electric motor (such as from a vacuum) with a belt to drive the Briggs and a potentiometer "dial", such as used to control an electric train set. Then I can plug this into an electrical outlet and control the speed of the motor (and thusly also the engine) with my dial.

I want to keep lubricant in the engine, but don't necessarily need to use motor oil, as the engine doesn't run under its own power, nor will it ever introduce combustion gasses into the oil. Would canola oil be a reasonable lubricant in this situation? It's a splash lube engine, so I'd want to keep to something that has a viscosity that's at least *somewhat* close to a 30 grade oil.
 
I would agree that I don't see the point. Most of the base oils used in motor oils are paraffinic so they will have little solvency to them. Oils with more esters or alkilated naphthalene will have more solvency at room temps.
 
Originally Posted By: Tempest
I would agree that I don't see the point. Most of the base oils used in motor oils are paraffinic so they will have little solvency to them. Oils with more esters or alkilated naphthalene will have more solvency at room temps.


Not many people saw the point of Edison's toying around either; just saying.

At any rate, as I stated already, this "test" didn't have a point, it was quite literally me screwing around. If some find my antics entertaining, great; if I discover something useful along the way, all the better!
 
Originally Posted By: KeMBro2012
Originally Posted By: Tempest
I would agree that I don't see the point. Most of the base oils used in motor oils are paraffinic so they will have little solvency to them. Oils with more esters or alkilated naphthalene will have more solvency at room temps.


Not many people saw the point of Edison's toying around either; just saying.

At any rate, as I stated already, this "test" didn't have a point, it was quite literally me screwing around. If some find my antics entertaining, great; if I discover something useful along the way, all the better!


No problem from me...just trying to inform.
 
Thanks for all your efforts. Very interesting stuff no doubt, I really want to see your "real use" results, you are a braver sould than I!
 
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Thanks for all your efforts. Very interesting stuff no doubt, I really want to see your "real use" results, you are a braver sould than I!


Me? Brave? Nah, the guy who ran the stuff straight in a turbo subie that was already having issues is brave!
laugh.gif
 
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