Off Topic for the older guys

[sloopdawg]

when I was young (early to mid sixties) my dad bought an old 53 ford pick-up truck.

my grandfather came and him and my dad were getting it runnin'. I remember they drained the oil

filled it back with kerosene ran it for a few minutes then drained out the kerosene, filled it back up

with oil and ran it up the road then drained out the oil again and refilled with oil and put on a new filter.

I guess my question is...

I found an old 72 f-100 (needs to be cleaned up and tuned up) should I do this to the engine as I'm getting it going?

I remember it seemed kinda' odd, even as a little boy to see them do this

but my dad said the kerosene cleaned out all the gunk build up

it worked cause the truck ran like a top after he got it all fixed up

[Vincent]

That is a practice, although I've seen it done with Marvel Mystery Oil instead of kerosene. Just a short run should be fine and it will remove the gunk.

[akirby]

I would only do it if you see evidence of a lot of sludge by removing the valve covers and oil pan.

[sloopdawg]

Thanks guys, that was the only time I've ever seen it done.

Wasn't sure if it was still done or if it was just an old school thing.

I would feel better using Marvel Mystery Oil, although I don't really know why

[enigma-2]

My uncle used to do this with all his cars. Cleaned out the gunk in the lifters and freeded up the rings. Never ran it on straight kerosene however, 50/50 with oil and only let it idle. Don't believe that I would try it on a modern engine however. I can see using MMO for this and stay safe.

[akirby]

My guess is it works on older vehicles with sludge because the sludge dissolves and gives you some lubrication.   But I'm not sure about putting kerosene into an engine without sludge.  I'd probably mix in some low viscosity new oil to be safe.

[BAYLENSMAN]

There are a ton of engine cleaners out there including my favorite "SEAFOAM" that get added to the oil and run for a bit then drain it and the old oil and accumulated sludge out of the engine. However, the 53 probably had been sitting with older oil, the stuff available since the 70's has anti fouling agents in it, so its probably not really necessary. With a FORD fuel system of that vintage I rather see the tank and fuel lines and the filters all cleaned first!

[thisguy159]

So in this forum older guys = 70? 

Edited March 8, 2019 by thisguy159

[sloopdawg]

LoL

I just figured the guys that were around in the early to mid sixtys would understand what I was talking about

your only as old as you feel

some days I feel 16  others  I feel 60

[Spree]

I know this thread is almost a year old but I have done this in a couple newer vehicles (87 Blazer and a 98 Blazer) that blew a head gasket and were all gummed up with the snotty oil/anti freeze mixture. Change all the gaskets first, clean the push rods and lifters the best you can and after everything is back together add 3 quarts of Kerosene + 1 quart of oil, let it run for 3 minutes at idle and out comes all the sludge. Change the filter and fill it up with oil, drive it for 500 miles and change oil/filter again. I would do this for a use car I bought. The worst it will do is nothing. The Kerosene clean method  works!