ok, I've heard plenty of tips before, everything from water down the carb, to diesel fuel for oil, to trans fluid, and on and on and on. What sorta tips do yall have for cleanin sludge outta an engine. Not saying I have any, as I already know my problem, but if I could find a nice old engine, in better shape then mine, but all sludged up... wink wink nod nod... what would be the best way to clean it up short of a total rebuild. Thanx
if you find a runner...I've heard "Marvel Mystery Oil" works good on cleanin' gunk in an old motor. I've used it & seems to work pretty well.
Two parts - Motor oil Two parts - ATF One part - Parts Washer Solvent Run engine for a while, drain, fill with oil, run for a while, change oil and filter.
Water poured down the carb WILL clean carbon & combustion deposits off the tops of the pistons & combustion chambers/valves only,and only if done right.(I have a story about this). As for caked on crap in the entire crankcase area,lifter valley,oil pan,rocker arm area,I dunno. In my opinion,it should be taken apart & done right.Theres just no way that an additive will remove the sludge completely.Maybe after a long period of time,but again,I dunno. It will only open a can of worms as far as seals,clearances,gaskets go,not to mention the mess and several trips to the parts store for the additives,new filters,oil, etc. 2 cent special.
If it's sludge you're after, ATF will clean it up. The parts washer (mineral spirits?) is a bit scary to me. Throw a quart in and drive until your next oil change. The water-for-carbon trick does work. I have a story about that too. It involves a garden hose and a noisy motor.
Rislone Consentrate pour it in, drive to the store, pick up a six pack. Drive home. Change yer oil. 7 days later change it again
Water trickled down the carb is good. Techron Concentrate in the gas tank is strong but won't risk harming anything.
Grunge in the crankcase can be cleaned up with any of the above treatments. We all have our own special methods. Best way if you can get the gaskets for the engine is to do the flush treatment, then pull the pan and rocker cover off, and the intake if it's a "V" engine and then manually wash the parts with kerosene or a parts cleaner. Clean the oil pump screen while you're at it. Reassemble with new gaskets, change filter too. New oil. Engines don't get gunked up if it's changed regularly. But the old non-detergent oil I feel is partly to blame. I have a Ferguson tractor, TO-20 with a Continental engine. 1951, engine is a 54 model TO-30. It was full of gunk from using non-detergent oil. Probably wasn't changed very often either. The first thing I did was to get the new gaskets, but I couldn't get the pan gasket. I made up a spin on oil filter adapter (the original was a cartridge type, very expensive at $8 and hard to find) to take the Ford FL1A filter. All of my cars and trucks take this filter, and I get them on sale when I can, usually paying $2 -3 each. Use a good filter. First I pulled off the rocker cover and side cover and wasked it out with kerosene and a brush.. I mixed up a mixture of 30 weight oil and diesel fuel, 50/50, and ran it on idle until it was barely warm. Then I changed it. I changed the filter too. The oil came out black. I kept doing that, 5 or 6 times until it came out clear and amber. Then I added 30 weight Valvoline oil, detergent type, and a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil. I then serviced the tractor every year with more 30 weight, the MMO, and a new FL1A filter. I used a commercial flush after 5 years, as the oil was pretty dark. I never did pull the pan.. After 48 years of service (2002) I broke a valve spring retainer and I pulled the head to get the valves redone. All of the guides were shot,a s well as the 4 intake valves. That cost $135 including the new gaskets. The engine was very clean inside from what I could see. This year I did the commercial flush again and changed the oil. 52 years of service and still rolling.
I think running an engine with oil thinned with solvent may very well cause the camshaft and lifters the same mischief we try hard to prevent by adding ZDDP
The main problem with putting solvents in the crankcase is the possibility of plugging up the oil strainer on the oil pump. Take the pan off + do it the right way.
"If I could find an engine in better shape than mine" That suggests to me that you are intending to remove the engine you have and install the "better" engine. My suggestion ... BEFORE you install the "better" engine, drop the pan, timing chain cover, rocker covers, intake, head(s) etc. This allows you to completely clean the engine NOW, and also ensures a leak free engine because you are changing the gaskets and front and rear seal as well. I also always toss in a fresh timing chain. All this for the cost of some gaskets and a timing chain. The suggestions given by others may work well with an engine in a car, but in the scenario you are describing (if I understood you correctly) with the engine not installed yet, this is the route I would take.
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