flushing engine with Kerosene

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I came across people flushing their engine using kerosene/diesel, both in Forum n real life... I undestand that there are a lot of debate flushing the engine using such method..

I personally wont do that but i was thinking... instead of the traditional flushing method, mixing the engine oil and kerosene and run the engine for the couple of minutes...would it be helpful if we were to drain the engine oil, and refill it up with kerosene and let it stay in the engine overnight and drain off the kerosene next day completely and replace it with fresh engine oil? No running of engine at all, simply fill it up overnight and drain off...


I porsonally believe that it should be safer compare to the traditional flushing method but how effective is such flushing method? Any commment on this?

also, kerosene traped in the engine, that cannot be drained off... the amount could be small, but im afraid that it could caused problem to my engine in long run.. any comment?

my car is relatively young, a 2006' Yaris at 80K miles... i have been using fully Syn oil like Mobil 1, Amsoil and Redline and OCI very 6K miles.. I dont think there is any sludge problem, just want to try it out as a routine preventive maintainance...
 
I would tend to agree with you, except that the kerosene would then not circulate very well.

That said, doing just as you claimed, then refilling with oil will maintain some kerosene residues that will have solvency.

I like your idea, and it is how Id try to do it if I was looking to do a flush.
 
I wouldn't do it. Buy a good engine flush, or if you can get MMO use that. Search this section there's a lot of info on MMO, that is if you can get it.

Welcome to Bitog!
 
I'd say that's a little radical for the Yaris....likely wouldn't hurt it though.

I believe the technique requires draining the oil and then filling the engine completely....just can't get any more in there....then let it sit for a week or so.....then drain and fill with your choice of oil.

I'd consider doing ths on an engine that has sludge issues, stuck rings, or is using oil inexplicably....the Yaris is doing fine. Just keep running good oil and filters.
 
I know awhile back I had read a discussion around here of a guy who had a beater (Sludged engine) who filled the engine completely with Kerosene, let it sit for 24 hours and then drained it.

He did very short OCI for the next few weeks and the engine apparently cleaned up nicely.

I wouldnt do it to anything I cared about.
 
hmm.. think u got the point, if thats the case, i might also retain the old oil filter, after the so call "flushing". Just get some cheap oil and run the car for a couple of miles and drain off and replace both oil filter n the oil...
 
yah, read a lot about this MMO thingy but i couldnt get it here in Singapore... i can only get some engine flush chemical (eg STP engine flush). I ever bought 1 can before and i felt like cheated becos the chemical looks like kerosene & smell like kerosene.. In fact, I believe it is kerosene lol...
 
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It probably is mostly Kerosene. We have access to better products in the US, I guess I'm somewhat spoiled.
 
I see... but keeping the kerosene soak in the engine for a week might be too long for me... Im doing sales and I will need the car everyday for my work...

I have been maintaining my car pretty well i would say... did flushing using cheap dino oil every 18k miles by running the dino oil for a very short OCI...

Car in Singapore is very ex... got to take good care of it, otherwise, I will burn a big hole in my pocket if i got to get a new replacement for my current ride .. hahaha....
 
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FWIW years ago guy had an old LTD 351 with a lifter tick drained all but 2 qts out then filled it right to the top with kero ran for a few mins let it sit ran it let it sit did that for an hour end result was no more tick so go figure.
 
Kerosene flush was a common method 40 years ago but, with todays engines, I think I would not do it. I really doubt that anyone following a normal OCI with a good grade oil does not need to flush. However; if one insists, then use a recommended brand named flush and follow instructions. JMO. Ed
 
Many cars have very complete recommended service procedures for well past 150,000 miles in their owners manual. Torquing bolts, lubricating miscellaneous parts, even changing brake fluid. Pages and pages of recommendations but none recommending an engine flush.

So my question: Why bother? Why take chances?
Now, my 300,000 mile vehicles - one tow vehicle and one commuter vehicle - seem to be clean inside and run well with Mobil 1 0W20 and 20K OCI's

I suspect there are more proven detergents and dispersants in API/ILSAC oils then there are in the motor flushes.
 
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Unless neglected engines of today don't really see the sludge and build up they did years ago and with todays great oil's it's hardly heard of.

run a good quality oil and go..
 
Flushing with kerosene won't hurt an engine that doesn't need it!
If it does need it, it can cause problems, as well as help.
My thinking is to leave things alone, or clean them completely.
 
Originally Posted By: fsskier
I suspect there are more proven detergents and dispersants in API/ILSAC oils then there are in the motor flushes.


Likely, but in some cases one may be looking for solvency, not detergency.

Doesnt make it the right tact, and Id want to take other methods first.
 
I don't like sending strong solvents into the nooks and crannies of an engine designed to be lubricated by oil, even when sludge is present. Solvent cleaning should never allow any load to be placed on the engine until every trace of solvent is gone, which requires many, many oil changes and risks metal-on-metal wear.

You probably have little or no engine sludge in your Yaris, since you've run premium oils for 80k miles, so a harsh approach to engine cleaning is not recommended and could be dangerous. MMO is commonly used on BITOG, but I think Auto-Rx is the low-risk method best suited to cleaning an engine with little or no sludge. However, I don't know about finding ARX in Singapore...
 
Quote: Solvent cleaning should never allow any load to be placed on the engine until every trace of solvent is gone, which requires many, many oil changes and risks metal-on-metal wear.

Where do you get this from?
How long do you think a Solvent like Stoddard solvent would last at normal engine temps?
Would you consider gasoline to be a Solvent?
Have you ever owned a two cycle engine where the oil is diluted perhaps 50-1 in Gasoline?
 
When the solvent evaporates at normal operating temperatures, can you guarantee enough oil and/or additives will remain behind to prevent scuffing at every lubrication point in the engine? I can't. Also, the oil that remains will have serious viscosity loss, so it will shear easily. Gasoline is definitely a solvent.
 
How do I say this without ..

..why not program some fuel dilution into your tune? That should keep your engine nice and clean. It's a solvent, right?

Ooops, emissions cannot always be assured with tune based methods.

I guess the next best thing is to simulate fuel dilution.
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In the day, we would put a quart of kerosene in our big blocks, and let it run 15 minutes and drain the oil. No proof it ever did anything good or bad, but we felt like WE did something! It was days of 400 cubic inches, and thick oil. I just can't believe a couple year old Yaris would need a solvent flush
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