Flushing an engine with Diesel fuel???

[FCD]

a friend of mine said to me a few days ago that in his old 1989 Ford Escort, he used to flush the engine after each oil change with Diesel fuel! , he told me he'd drain the oil and put in a few liters of diesel fuel , and he would start the car and run it for no more than a minute, the drain the diesel out and put fresh oil back in, has anybody ever heard of a method like this?? i thought it was pretty odd, i know the guy pretty well and he has experience with cars.

 

[JHZR2]

Yes lots have done this... No good reason to do so IMO unless it's a one time thing addressing something specific.

 

[Kuato]

I have heard it done also...but never for EVERY change, and only in cases of a badly sludged engine.

How long did his Escort last?

 

[hatt]

I remember my dad doing it with kerosene 35 years ago on an old Ford tractor. Can't remember if it did anything. It's old school for sure. I don't see why you'd want to do it every oil change in 2016. The engine shouldn't be dirty or gunked up with regular oil changes.

I still have the tractor, kero didn't kill it.

 

[cmhj]

My dad did this too. Maybe with the oils we used 50 years ago it helped. But now I see no reason to do this if using the proper oil and being on top of your maintenance.

 

[krismoriah72]

In todays time, i would pull the EFI fuse and crank the engine over for 15 seconds then let soak, then repeat a few more times..crank then soak with diesel or kero.

I wouldnt start and let run.

 

[FCD]

I don't know how long it lasted exactly, but i think it had over 250.000 Km on it before it was stripped for parts a few years ago, i'm not sure he really did it every oil change though, i'll ask him about it soon

 

[Astro14]

It was once considered a reasonable maintenance practice.

My 1932 shop manual discusses kerosene flushes (pretty close to diesel) if needed to clean the engine.

Of course, it discusses 500 mile oil changes, 500 mile dual point adjustments, 500 mile spark plug filing and regapping, and 1,000 mile cylinder head removal for "decarbonization" among other things that would also be ridiculous on a modern engine.

 

[yvon_la]

When was that before 15 part per million ? Rofl! Ok if you are serious. Dont do that with normal diesel. Its almost break cleaner. If someone told me if you dont do this you die? Fine go get bio diesel 20% bio.

 

[xxch4osxx]

Originally Posted By: yvon_la
When was that before 15 part per million ? Rofl! Ok if you are serious. Dont do that with normal diesel. Its almost break cleaner. If someone told me if you dont do this you die? Fine go get bio diesel 20% bio.
huh?

 

[TheOnlySarge]

Yes we did this regularly when motor oil came in cardboard "cans" and straight weights

Those oils had squat for detergents and sludge was an issue.....this sludge is where the myth of paraffin wax build up came from. We didnt have sophisticated PCV systems/filtration etc. So oil of the day significantly sludged up and varnished everything. The answer was either kerosene or diesel fuel flushes after draining the oil. Yes it worked....you may even get 75K-100K out of a motor doing it religiously

If your lucky.
We also poured oil in our air breather for filtration (see oil bath) and we changed our oil about every 1000 miles. I remember Kendall coming out with the 2000 mile oil. That is what the "Kendall Hand" is doing holding up two fingers....no it isnt a peace symbol......it meant you can go 2000 miles on this oil. It was a big deal.
Absolutely no reason in todays engines on todays oil for any diesel fuel flushes IMHO.

 

[ARB1977]

My grandfather used to do it back in the day. My uncles used to say his engines were spotless. With today's oils I don't think it would be needed.

 

[abycat]

Originally Posted By: xxch4osxx
Originally Posted By: yvon_la
When was that before 15 part per million ? Rofl! Ok if you are serious. Dont do that with normal diesel. Its almost break cleaner. If someone told me if you dont do this you die? Fine go get bio diesel 20% bio.
huh?


he is commenting about todays dry diesel compared to the sulphur packed diesel of before.

 

[FCD]

Well the guy changed the oil in it every 1 and 1/2 or 2 years so it wasn't that incredible

 

[WobblyElvis]

I think there is a risk of the fuel in the crankcase detonating. That would be interesting.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
I think there is a risk of the fuel in the crankcase detonating. That would be interesting.


Nah, hydrocarbons don't detonate

 

[Yup]

Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
I think there is a risk of the fuel in the crankcase detonating. That would be interesting.


A friend had an old pickup and fuel was getting into the oil. It is very interesting. He was left a bit frazzled but OK. He also bought a new car.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
I think there is a risk of the fuel in the crankcase detonating. That would be interesting.


Nah, hydrocarbons don't detonate

I don't think diesel detonates that easily. You can light it on fire and it won't explode. You have to compress it before it detonates. Now if it were gas, that'd be a different story.

But yeah, it's a totally pointless practice on a modern engine.

 

[4wheeldog]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
I think there is a risk of the fuel in the crankcase detonating. That would be interesting.


Nah, hydrocarbons don't detonate

40 some years ago, I had an elderly chevy 6 cylinder truck. While climbing a hill, it started making godawful noises. I pulled over and had my buddy watch the motor, while I cranked it.

Those things had a large can contraption for a crankcase breather, held with a 1/4" bolt. It fired that can right past his head.

A holed piston will do that.

 

[Charlie1935]

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
I think there is a risk of the fuel in the crankcase detonating. That would be interesting.


Nah, hydrocarbons don't detonate

I don't think diesel detonates that easily. You can light it on fire and it won't explode. You have to compress it before it detonates. Now if it were gas, that'd be a different story.

But yeah, it's a totally pointless practice on a modern


engine.



Gas will burn also. The liquid doesn't explode, the vapors do.