Thoughts on things like
Additives
Petrol types
Letting it warm up and so on
And just about any other internet information
Additives
Petrol types
Letting it warm up and so on
And just about any other internet information
Technical Old wives tales or not
- Thread starter koalar
- Start date
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Technical Old wives tales or not
Slick 50 on a rattly MK1 tipo, worked
In-line injector clean punto sporting 16v, may as well just used the stuff you put in the tank, but it was free
Petrol types ‘supreme’ yes you’ll see some benefits, if you do 10k a day
Lucas gearbox oil additive, worked on the ‘agri bug’ gearbox (farm vehicle with Land Rover running gear and a transit Ford/PSA engine) stopped it sounding like bag of spanners
Letting it warm up, yes, my Cherokee XJ sounds like me in a morning, I need my coffee and to come round, the Jeep has squeaks, groans that just disappear
NEVER buy cheap tools, not so much these days, seally/draper/eBay fodder all seems to be the same…I won’t buy snapon, (lots of bad personal and anecdotal issues) MAC doesn’t seem to be round here, teng tools professional I can’t fault, won’t buy silverline except their spanners as they’re made of cheese…so, in summary only buy recommended cheap tools, and don’t buy expensive JUST because of their name
In-line injector clean punto sporting 16v, may as well just used the stuff you put in the tank, but it was free
Petrol types ‘supreme’ yes you’ll see some benefits, if you do 10k a day
Lucas gearbox oil additive, worked on the ‘agri bug’ gearbox (farm vehicle with Land Rover running gear and a transit Ford/PSA engine) stopped it sounding like bag of spanners
Letting it warm up, yes, my Cherokee XJ sounds like me in a morning, I need my coffee and to come round, the Jeep has squeaks, groans that just disappear
NEVER buy cheap tools, not so much these days, seally/draper/eBay fodder all seems to be the same…I won’t buy snapon, (lots of bad personal and anecdotal issues) MAC doesn’t seem to be round here, teng tools professional I can’t fault, won’t buy silverline except their spanners as they’re made of cheese…so, in summary only buy recommended cheap tools, and don’t buy expensive JUST because of their name
OP
OP
I’ll start of with the Italian tune up
Blows away carbon build up
First of I am now only talking about petrol
The heads I have done have never had a lot of carbon build up
Carbon only sticks to metal at around 195-290C with a peak at 200C
At 325C the carbon start to break apart
Exhaust valves are 600-800C so too hot most of the time and would naturally clean
The inlet are cooled to 170-190C being washed by the fuel spray with its added cleaners so driven gently will not build up too cold
As a side note petrol direct injection turbo engines have increased carbon buildup if driven hard.
So as I see it
Driving to the red line occasionally will not fetch the temperature past 325C with the oil spray and water jacket and will make no difference to any carbon build up.
Driving towing a caravan up a steep hill maybe.
Blows away carbon build up
First of I am now only talking about petrol
The heads I have done have never had a lot of carbon build up
Carbon only sticks to metal at around 195-290C with a peak at 200C
At 325C the carbon start to break apart
Exhaust valves are 600-800C so too hot most of the time and would naturally clean
The inlet are cooled to 170-190C being washed by the fuel spray with its added cleaners so driven gently will not build up too cold
As a side note petrol direct injection turbo engines have increased carbon buildup if driven hard.
So as I see it
Driving to the red line occasionally will not fetch the temperature past 325C with the oil spray and water jacket and will make no difference to any carbon build up.
Driving towing a caravan up a steep hill maybe.
The dirtiest (petrol) head I’ve ever seen was on a Suzuki jimny, it was caked everywhere, plugs, injectors, valve seats.
38k on the clock and ran fine, a bit of smoke on start up
On stripping, the gasket had failed to air, no oil or water journals, very very odd
38k on the clock and ran fine, a bit of smoke on start up
On stripping, the gasket had failed to air, no oil or water journals, very very odd
I always turn on the ignition and wait till everything has normalised then start the engine. then let it idle for 30 sec's or so before moving off sedately.
OP
OP
I don’t, but some cars seem not to like being treated like this
The owners manual, states to start moving off gently but immediately
I half understand this. . Makes sense to me oil not circulating get more wear. But why it’s better to warm up the engine oil more quickly I don’t understand.
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I suppose ‘gentle’ is the key until oil is warmed and circulating fully
I have a friend who thinks forcing the drill/grinder/screwdriver/chainsaw is going to get the job done quicker…invariably wehn he breaks the drill bits, cutting/grinding discs, blunts saw blades it’s always the tools fault…he also has a habit of going through battery packs on his cordless tools
He bought me the classic:
‘Don’t ask to
Borrow
Touch or even look at
My tools’
For obvious reasons!
I have a friend who thinks forcing the drill/grinder/screwdriver/chainsaw is going to get the job done quicker…invariably wehn he breaks the drill bits, cutting/grinding discs, blunts saw blades it’s always the tools fault…he also has a habit of going through battery packs on his cordless tools
He bought me the classic:
‘Don’t ask to
Borrow
Touch or even look at
My tools’
For obvious reasons!
On buying my 1st Diesel.. I read the manual..cover to cover
It stated.. Do Not Idle.. start and drive
And that was a turbo..!!
But.. if you carefully treat something it will last
My 500 I bought last year..at 3 years old
Is only the 2nd FIAT Ive owned that gets through engine oil..
That diesel was FANTASTIC..
Ran with no oil circulating after an accident , repaired to make oiltight and it covered ANOTHER 250,000 And was still 'oiltight'
It stated.. Do Not Idle.. start and drive
And that was a turbo..!!
But.. if you carefully treat something it will last
My 500 I bought last year..at 3 years old
Is only the 2nd FIAT Ive owned that gets through engine oil..
That diesel was FANTASTIC..
Ran with no oil circulating after an accident , repaired to make oiltight and it covered ANOTHER 250,000 And was still 'oiltight'
Depends on the car if you click ours on and leave it the oil light goes out when the engine isn't running as it's got an oil pump that runs independent of the engine speed. So it brings it up to pressure as soon as you flick the key rather than needing the engine to be running.
I seem to remember reading at one point rich mixture can take the oil film off the inside of the cylinder bores so faster warm up would give shorter time on rich mixture and less time for it to act as a solvent. But that could be balls...
Otherwise once it's fired and if the windows are clear, go. It also does things like not close the wastegate if the car is properly cold so it's got effectively enforced gentle driving while it's cold.
It's almost like they expect you to be an absolute idiot and do everything possible to protect the car from you these days
.My old Sisley was driven from Manchester to Leeds with no oil in it by my best man, it had a hole in sump that he was ‘unaware of’ but ‘I thought I heard something hit the bottom of the car wehn I joined the M60, it survivedOn buying my 1st Diesel.. I read the manual..cover to cover
It stated.. Do Not Idle.. start and drive
And that was a turbo..!!
But.. if you carefully treat something it will last
My 500 I bought last year..at 3 years old
Is only the 2nd FIAT Ive owned that gets through engine oil..
That diesel was FANTASTIC..
Ran with no oil circulating after an accident , repaired to make oiltight and it covered ANOTHER 250,000 And was still 'oiltight'
OP
OP
K-Seal works
Wouldn’t recommend it.
Better to fix the problem properly
But sometimes needs must to get you home
Wouldn’t recommend it.
Better to fix the problem properly
But sometimes needs must to get you home
I would say if you are going to"Drive it like you stole it", then drive off straight away gently, until temp. gauge in the middle/normal before you flog the t*ts off it and it will last longer.
Bigger diesels always sound quieter when warmed up and all the metals have expanded.
Re additives, generally modern oils and fuels should be up to the job on their own.
Re tools, I have most of my Brittool combination spanners Whitworth, A/F , Metric that I got as an apprentice over 52 years ago, I have never been impressed by shedloads of over priced Snap On tools in a cabinet big enough for some people to live in, even more so when they cost more than I spend on most of my cars!
Bigger diesels always sound quieter when warmed up and all the metals have expanded.
Re additives, generally modern oils and fuels should be up to the job on their own.
Re tools, I have most of my Brittool combination spanners Whitworth, A/F , Metric that I got as an apprentice over 52 years ago, I have never been impressed by shedloads of over priced Snap On tools in a cabinet big enough for some people to live in, even more so when they cost more than I spend on most of my cars!
Used k-seal on the Ducato camper, got us from Switzerland (wehn clutch release bearing went) back to Yorkshire no problem
Used it on Polaris Ranger diesel, it didn’t work…ended up doing head gasket (which was a nightmare of a span-yanmar as there’s hundreds of variants) TWICE, it’s a bugger of engine to bleed
Hahahahahaha yes, indeedI would say if you are going to"Drive it like you stole it", then drive off straight away gently, until temp. gauge in the middle/normal before you flog the t*ts off it and it will last longer.
Bigger diesels always sound quieter when warmed up and all the metals have expanded.
Re additives, generally modern oils and fuels should be up to the job on their own.
Re tools, I have most of my Brittool combination spanners Whitworth, A/F , Metric that I got as an apprentice over 52 years ago, I have never been impressed by shedloads of over priced Snap On tools in a cabinet big enough for some people to live in, even more so when they cost more than I spend on most of my cars!
OP
OP
garages use to sell a dose of redex Bottom end bearing use to be shot at 50K miles. Truck drivers use to light rags on top of their fuel tanks in winter. None of which happen now 130 years of continued development in fuels, oils and materials. Means if a car is regularly serviced it will easily pass 200k even small stressed engines
Kept my old imperial sockets and spanner’s, got me out of trouble many times
It is recommended to drive away promptly to help warm up, as with the engine working, it will generate more heat than when idling. Until warm, it injects excess fuel, which will rinse the bores, causing more wear, so if possible to drive away gently, that will be better long term than idling until warm. Has to idle when I'm scraping the ice off of course. In that situation, have the blower on 1 only, not higher, or the higher airflow will cool the coolant and delay warmup. Increase the fan only when the temp gauge moves off the stop. The Panda climate control does this automatically, great fun as it winds it up, like a jet taking off.
If oil additives were necessary, or beneficial, the engine manufacturers would include them in their required specification, or the oil manufacturers would include them. They tend to improve one function, such as lubrication, but may reduce the oil's ability to neutralise combustion acids, or to carry soot to the filter.
Injector cleaner seems to be beneficial, if dosed once or twice a year. Especially on mechanical injection diesels. My brother has had a few old diesels, smoking when bought, dosed with injector cleaner, then again a month later, then annually. The smoking disappears.
If oil additives were necessary, or beneficial, the engine manufacturers would include them in their required specification, or the oil manufacturers would include them. They tend to improve one function, such as lubrication, but may reduce the oil's ability to neutralise combustion acids, or to carry soot to the filter.
Injector cleaner seems to be beneficial, if dosed once or twice a year. Especially on mechanical injection diesels. My brother has had a few old diesels, smoking when bought, dosed with injector cleaner, then again a month later, then annually. The smoking disappears.
OP
OP
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120,000 mile Fiat 1.3 JTD with EGR solid with carbon, inlet manifold liberally clogged with carbon from a 1mm layer at front of engine to 3mm at back of engine. Injectors 1 to 3 all came out but progressively more dirty. No 4 injector will not move. Solvents dribbled in had no effect and careful levering hasn't moved it at all - Nothing detectable. I've measured the height with a vernier to detect any movement - there is none. It's pretty much welded in place. If the extraction kit I've ordered does work, I think the injector itself is toast. If it does not work, I've wasted £70 and have a scrap engine. It's the risk you take.
All this, because the exhaust manifold favours exhaust gas flows into the EGR and slow driving allows soot to settle out from slow moving air. It's clearly more clogged at the EGR end. So with all the complexity of a water cooled EGR, including its own personal port across the cylinder head, why does it not include soot filters to clean the recirculated gasses? Obviously, it's not because the warranty runs out long before the problems arise. Oh No!
Other than that, the engine looks solid and really well designed. It's little gem. But if that injector wont move it's effectively scrap as no further dismantling is possible with it jammed in place.
Would fuel additives have prevented this problem? Maybe running it on biodiesel from day one (it burns cleaner than Dino diesel) would avoid the soot. Occasional doses of Redex, STP or even XTC - not a chance.
All this, because the exhaust manifold favours exhaust gas flows into the EGR and slow driving allows soot to settle out from slow moving air. It's clearly more clogged at the EGR end. So with all the complexity of a water cooled EGR, including its own personal port across the cylinder head, why does it not include soot filters to clean the recirculated gasses? Obviously, it's not because the warranty runs out long before the problems arise. Oh No!
Other than that, the engine looks solid and really well designed. It's little gem. But if that injector wont move it's effectively scrap as no further dismantling is possible with it jammed in place.
Would fuel additives have prevented this problem? Maybe running it on biodiesel from day one (it burns cleaner than Dino diesel) would avoid the soot. Occasional doses of Redex, STP or even XTC - not a chance.
If the extractor you have ordered works in the same fashion as mine in photo then beware of what I said earlier about dislodging the ceramic ball valve.
If you have a normal slide hammer you may be able to fix a chain or similar to the end and around the injector without dismantling.
