Can Fogging Oil Cause Excess Carbon Deposits

[1993_VG30E_GXE]

I bought a can of the Canadian Tire engine fogging oil, spray can. Directions say to spray it in the spark plug holes, then rotate engine by hand. Months later when I go to start up the engine, do you guys think that this fogging oil in there, will burn and form black carbon deposits on my clean pistons and rings?

To use or not to use for engine storage.

 

[Bluestream]

No need to worry

 

[mechtech2]

For a few months storage, don't use a product like that.
Return it.

 

[lipadj46]

For a few months just put some mmo in the fuel and take it for a drive.

 

[1993_VG30E_GXE]

Thanks for the tips guys. That's what I was thinking, it's probably not even necessary. Todays JAN 22. I'll be turning the maxima back on the road once the salt and snow melts which will be MAY 1 likely.

Plus, i'll admit that this car sat for almost a yr once with no fogging oil over a winter, was never turned on, then, when I did the overhaul in the summer I saw no rust in the upper cylinders. They were glazed, so could they even rust.

Plus I'll add that the cylinder heads are aluminum, so I don't see how corrosion could bother the combustion 'domes'. Now the cylinder block surface is cast iron, but thats smushed between the head gasket, and the upper cylinders glaze by now so they won't rust?

Can someone explain to me why this fogging oil is necessary in the spark plug holes? Is it really? What if one just turns their car on that being stored for winter, once a month and let it idle for an hr or two. This will re-lube the parts that the oil drained off?

All I have is Sta-bil, they don't sell MMO anymore in Canada. Can I just put the Sta-bil in the gas tank and that's enough, or should I spray some fogging oil into the gas tank.

 

[Jeepster_nut]

I got away from fogging too. I just use sta-bil year round. Fogging oil seems to foul the plugs easier and just make a smokey mess. I guess it is good for storing for years on end or maybe a damp environment. All my stuff is garaged so I stopped using it.

 

[Scienceman]

agreed.

 

[rclint]

I knew some guys that worked at a "junk yard" a local parts yard. This was the best parts place around, they didn't hand junk off to you, the mileage was written clearly on every motor, transmission etc, and you could walk the yard to pick your own stuff out. On the motors, I went to buy a motor for a truck I was working on, they always turned them over by hand, so he pulled the low mileage motor off the huge storage shelf (shelves were about 30' high, with holding spaces every 4' up or so) long story short the motor was seized up. I asked him if they had a lot of problems with this, he tried to twist a spark plug, he then said yes we have a big problem with people not spraying the cylinders down.. I was young then, and he was nice enough to explain that if you did not spray/fog the cylinders down 90% of the engines would freeze up/lock down/seize up whatever you want to call it... He also explained that low mileage motors out of new cars no matter what maker, aluminum, heads etc would do it faster than high mileage motors.. he even said he thinks it was due to no oil in the cylinders because they were still new-ish.

Glazed cylinders, aluminum heads, or aluminum engines make no difference on the rings freezing to the cylinder wall or whatever happens, I had a air cooled B&S and the motor was still new on a digger that froze up, and I pulled it apart cross hatches still on cylinder wall, top of aluminum piston still new with no carbon buildup, this was an aluminum block, aluminum piston, aluminum head, and it froze. I soaked it with several penetrating oils, heated the piston up and broke it loose easy.

Just a long winded wandering post, however if I were to store an engine over 1 month I would fog the cylinders, and if I did not fog the cylinders, stored the car for a couple months, and it seized I would be heart broken.. never forgiven myself if that were to happen.

 

[1993_VG30E_GXE]

Hummm, this is interesting new information rclint. Don't forget I just completed the overhaul in NOV and I haven't put on even 2000 KM yet. I had the non-precision hone done to restore the cross hatch, so it's possible my cast iron cylinders are still newish with the cross hatch.

This is something to consider. By the way, I read somewhere that the fogging oil can hydrolock the cylinder or something. What are they talking about? How much should I spray in the spark plug hole (then rotate crank by hand), and is there somewhere else to spray it too?

Considering I have completely un-glazed cylinders at this point, I'm thinking I should give this a shot.

 

[1993_VG30E_GXE]

Update: I called my 70 yr old machinist buddy and he started laughing at me when I said 3 months. He said "go get a hobby - get a girlfriend" , as in i'm a fool, just park it.

He also said oil can do just fine or 2-stoke oil...you don't need the "fogging oil", squirt it into the spark plug holes. If i'm concerned about hydrolocking he suggest turning over the car without the spark plugs in (using the starter) and any excess should squirt out - but "why would you put that much in anyways".

Clint I see your point though...it is valid probably for long storage in a humid environment...I may experiment for the fun of it, but i'll use the 2-stroke oil instead, as it should smoke less.

Anyone know if that "fogging oil" in the can is any different that engine oil? 2-stoke oil will still leave a film behind right?

 

[mechtech2]

Boneyard motors sit outside, with exhaust and intake ports open to ambient conditions. They need this type of prevention.