Focused cleaning

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I bought a car with a surprising amount of chunky, black crud on the oil cap's underside.

It's a 2007 Volvo V70 base w/ This is my third and it has a great service history. I conclude it did a lot of short trips. The white engines do like synthetic oil.

The PCV system has a drip recovery box which drains into a passageway cast into the block and crankcase wall.
The passage ends at the crankcase's bottom. When replacing the PCV box it is suggested you blow air into the drip-back hole and listen for it to bubble the oil in the pan. This'll confirm the absence of a clog.

I had the idea of draining my oil and filling the crankcase with denatured alcohol (a cheap, effective and unsung solvent) and letting it soak the pick-up screen and for mentioned passage. I'd never start the engine with a crankcase full of alcohol.

After an hour or two I'd drain the alcohol and fill the engine with oil.

What do you think? Buying and shipping 2 quarts of KREEN to my door would be appx. $46. Heck, I'd pour a gallon of Purple Power into the crankcase and drain it if I thought it would do some good.

As it is, the alcohol won't even touch any seals or gaskets except for rinsing through the head to the crankcase .
 
Sounds a bit different. But then again most of your posts do.
laugh.gif
 
Might work, but I don't know about pouring a solvent directly through your engine. Plus when you drain and put oil in it, there will still be some solvent in there....I'd be concerned about chunks breaking loose and killing the engine.

Why not do a few shorter intervals with an oil known for its cleaning ability? Then move on to your synthetic of choice.
 
If you are that worried about sludge in any form, I would remove the valve cover to see whats up top.

Personally, I wouldn't use alcohol to clean an engine unless it was apart on a bench.

Did you cut open the oil filter to confirm there are bits of sludge in the motor?
 
would the 1-2 hours soak time be enough?

maybe use mmo (light oil) or kerosene

would this kind off disturb/soften bigger chunks?

i would check the former oil filter first (already suggested)

- now BITOG freak out moment: what about the first start (metal surfaces cleaned by alcohol, until oil reaches them)

probably i would run the first oil stationary/30min/1hour, even under some load, just so it does not plugs on you while on the road.


you really love/like that wagon, don't you?
 
Four years ago, we purchased a 2004 Volvo XC70 at 91000 miles. Same basic engine. The grating under the oil cap had black crusty deposits. I had the service records for the previous 45,000 miles. Oil was previously standard quick lube oil at ~ 5000 mile intervals. Since purchase, I have used only synthetic Mobil 1, Pennszoil Platinum or QSUD with less than 5000 changes. The under oil cap grate is now shiny clean. I would advocate synthetic oil changes without any solvent cleaning.
 
Use kerosene if anything.

Solvents kill oil, it's what they do. If you have more sitting around inside, it'll eat your fresh oil.

Sure, it boils off, but do you trust that it all will?
 
Get the engine hot and idling then add 1 quart of kerosene as an engine oil flush, let idle for 20 minutes. Don't drive. Then turn off and do an oil and filter change. Leave out the oil drain plug for 15 minutes to let it all drain out.

I had an old Chrysler 318 V8 that had crud on the inside of the rockers covers, cleaned it all out! Kerosene often sold in 1 quart bottles as camping fuel for $2-3.

Old truckers trick.
 
I have done this sort of thing a few times on Honda V6 VCM engines that wouldn't hardly run on 3 cylinders anymore. I will write the procedure for you tomorrow AM if that's okay.
 
Crud on the back of the oil cap isn't a big deal. It's not allowed to get as hot as the rest of the engine. Have you changed the oil in it yet and inspected the filter?

I would use an A3/B4 at short intervals and call it good. I'm assuming the car runs fine so I don't see a need to desperately dump solvent into the crankcase.

If you do go that route, I would refill with a cheap 15w40 to do one final cleanse before filling it up with the good oil.

*What's the difference between your engine and the one in the S60 in my signature? That one has a sludger reputation.. Maybe because it's a turbo?
 
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put some of the crud into a jar with alcohol and see if it dissolves just by sitting there... before pouring alcohol in the crankcase...

also put some aluminium in there...
 
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First thing to do is pull the valve cover to verify there is a problem, minor crud and varnish can be addressed by running Mobil 1 0w40 for a few short OCI (3-5K).
If its a real mess you need to get these things..

2 gallons of carb ad parts cleaner, 2 gallons of kerosene, a funnel with a hose to fit inside the dipstick tube, a stiff parts brush and 2 gallons cheap dino oil with an oil filter.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/gunk-carburetor-parts-cleaner-complete-kit-cc3k/7040709-P

Start by draining the oil and reinstalling the drain plug, leave the filter on.
Pour 1 gallon of the parts cleaner down the dipstick tub, it will go directly into the pan without getting on any seals or gaskets. Use only 1 gallon you don't want it getting so high in the pan as it will contact the seals. Do not turn the engine over.

Leave that 24 hrs, it will dissolve any crud and deposits without harming aluminum, drain it and use the parts cleaner with the brush on the head, be careful not to get too much on the valve spring area (seals), you can let it soak for an hour or so to soften the deposits.
Once its clean wash it down thoroughly with kerosene and drain it. Reinstall the drain plug and fill with a gallon of kerosene and let it sit for an hour then drain.

With an pump oil can squirt the cam lobes and valve train with engine oil and reassemble the cover. Fill with a gallon of cheap dino and start the engine, let it warm and drain it, repeat only this time with a new filter.
Idle the engine for another 30 min and drain the oil again, fill with a good cleaning oil like M1 0w40 and a new filter.

This is the end result of head done this way, the engine had no sealing issues over the next 100K.



 
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