[AT] Switching from non-detergent to detergent oil

[Dean VP]

This is a rule of thumb I have used over the years of working with old and historically neglected
engines. If I find there is sludge settled in the engine crankcase I don't use detergent oil until I
have manually cleaned up as much of the sludge as physically possible.  The flush the crankcase
several times with kerosene and or Diesel Fuel.  Then if I am fairly confident that I have removed the
potentially large particles of sludge I then run the engine with Detergent oil and a new filter, if
used, for a short time making sure I get the engine up to normal operating temperature for a
reasonable period of time. Then again inspecting the crankcase if I find it to be clean I then drain
the detergent oil and change filter and then proceed with detergent oil and a new filter.   Following
this procedure I have never had any oil pressure line plug up.   In many of the JD engines I've worked
on the inside of the crankcase can be just horribly filled with sludge and the interior totally black.
Following this procedure I've seen the interior turn a bright yellow and appear so clean one could eat
off of it.  Detergent oil is amazing. 

Dean VP
Snohomish, WA

They say necessity is the mother of invention. 
Don't know who the father is, probably remorse.
Red Green

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of
Stephen Offiler
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2014 8:22 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] Switching from non-detergent to detergent oil

Here's what I have typically heard:

- for pressure-lube engines (oil pump and filter) you want detergent oil.
 Detergent keeps contaminants in suspension to be carried to the filter.

- for splash-lube engines, you want non-detergent oil.   No carrying the
stuff around in suspension.  You want just the opposite. You want it to
separate out as quickly as possible.  Over time, yes, that's sludge.  But
it's stable, it just sits there.

SO



On Wed, Aug 13, 2014 at 9:18 AM, charlie hill <charliehill at embarqmail.com>
wrote:

> If it was me, I'd fill the crankcase with diesel fuel and let it sit for
> a few day, dump it out and see what comes out, repeat if necessary,
> refill it with detergent oil, run it a few minutes
> and dump it and see what the oil looks like and go from there.
> But, that's just me.  If you don't want to take the risk just run the
> non-detergent oil.
>
> Charlie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dick Day
> Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2014 7:50 AM
> To: ATIS
> Subject: [AT] Switching from non-detergent to detergent oil
>
> I just acquired several older Briggs engines. They all run fine but
> discovered that the PO was using non-detergent oil.
>
> The manuals all say to use detergent oil.
>
> What can I expect to happen if I switch from non-detergent to
> detergent.  Everything else I have uses detergent and I would love to
> be able to stock they same type of oil.
>
> Thanks
>
> Dick
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