Kerosene
 

Hello.

Anybody ever flush out an oil pan by just putting kerosene in and rocking the car and then draining it ???

Thx.

Re: Kerosene
 

It will not clean any serious sludge out. Drop the pan. Then you know what you have and know it is clean when you are done.

Re: Kerosene
 

Agree! Not a big job. Enjoy.

Re: Kerosene
 

Even if it would work, the dipper tray would prevent getting the complete pan cleaned.

Re: Kerosene
 

I made an air bubbler and used diesel fuel to clean the pan. I repeated this 3 times, then dropped the pan.
Don't experiment, as dropping the pan is the only way to get the sludge out.

Re: Kerosene
 

One thing your fighting is that often the crud in the bottom is mixed with water from condensation. this makes it less dissolveable with any petroleum product. That's what short trip driving does.

Re: Kerosene
 

I believe years ago in a land far, far away, they used to drain the oil, fill with kero, run it for a while, drain and then re-fill with oil. FWIW Tranny also.
Paul in CT

Re: Kerosene
 

I'm sure folks tried all sorts of stuff to keep from removing the pan. I doubt if it worked for any of them.

I've pulled old flathead pans and put MEK above the sludge build up and still had to get the scrapers out. That old oil soap & crud is some dense stuff.

Re: Kerosene
 

Ok. I get it.
I just drained the oil. It all came out decent. I rapped on the pan and it sure sounded clean and tinny. Very sheet metal.
Drop in the pan from underneath instructions say to reinstall the pump with a rod through an access hole in the side of the engine block. I’m ready to do this or do you guys have any tips ?

Re: Kerosene
 

There is a tool for holding the oil pump. do not use a standard bolt, must be npt thread. Regular bolt can strip the threads or crack the block. Only tighten bolt enough to hold the pump, over tightening can damage the pump.


If you have the pan dropped and pump out, inspect/clean the oil pump screen.


https://www.mikes-afordable.com/product/A6701.html

Re: Kerosene
 

No such crude techniques used here. :rolleyes:

Re: Kerosene
 

I don't think anyone mentioned it but you do have to remove the dipper tray. Place a 2x4 across the top of the pan and put a C-clamp in the hole for the oil pump and on top of the 2x4 and lift out the tray. At a recent club meeting we cleaned out a pan and the owner put the dipper tray back in the pan. Having never done this before, he just pushed down hard on the dipper tray thinking it was in place. It was not and when we started the car, the crankshaft was hitting the dipper tray. You would have thought that Bonney and Clyde were back in town! No damage done. You have to use a block wood and hammer to pop the tray back into the grooves. Ed

Re: Kerosene
 

That is how Pop taught me to do it. However, I agree, pulling the pan is still better, especially on an engine that you haven't had open before.

Ken

Re: Kerosene
 

Totally unrelated story I heard once.
A man was turning 100 years old and the reporter asked him to what he attributed his long life? He replied "kerosene". The reporter was stunned and repeated "kerosene"?
The old guy said, yea, I never drank any... Sorry. Chap