Hi all, what do you think of this, I have had my mk1 for over three years now, has over 210k km and still runs like a dream. I heard yesterday from someone who knew the previous owner of my car that one of the things he does, to all his cars, is that when he changes the engine oil he dumps the old oil then refills it with diesel and runs it at idle for a few minutes then dumps the diesel and then puts in the clean oil. I guess it is a flushing routine. As I say the car has always run sweet and the oil on the dipstick has always looked very clean. I have never heard of this and I don’t think I will do it myself but does not seem to have harmed it. I guess a gallon of diesel is cheaper than flushing oil. Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts or comments on this. Thanks.
Interesting post. I’m aware that diesel has both releasing and cleaning uses, as the engineering works I have worked at for around thirty years uses diesel for just that purpose, it works better than many so called releasing oils on rusted bolts and threads. If it does the same job to an engine then that makes sense to me, but as I’m no mechanic, not sure what effect it has as a lubricant on a petrol engine?
It may be ok in an engine that has been flushed regularly, the lack of pressure would worry me as it’s so thin.
It also may move too much crap on an old engine.
We used to warn the guys who drove the trucks not to use the truck oil in there petrol engines as it would loosen all the muck and gum up the engine. Needless to say some thought it was a story to stop them nicking oil…until one guy used it in his old ford and the engine blew as the oilways had clogged Oil for Diesels has more detergents in it apparently
Hi,
I’ve heard that you add a “cup full” of diesel to the oil about to be changed in the engine. Then run the engine to bring it up to normal running temperature. Then you change the oil.
Nigel
I have done this a number of times, but certainly not filled the engine.
I put about a pint of diesel in the engine and run it at idle for 20 mins before changing the oil.
The detergents are quite good at cleaning things.