ENGINE CLEAN OUT for '59 Cub

[Arizona Mike]

When I switched to Mobil 1, 15 W 50 oil about a month ago, the oil became very dirty after only about 20 hours.

Last weekend I changed the oil again. This time I rinsed the oil filter housing out twice before installing the filter; and over filled the crankcase by 4 oz. After running the engine about ten minutes and then letting her sit for awhile, I drained the oil filter housing again. The oil was pretty dirty and even saw some small (<1/16") pieced of sludge.

I replaced the filter again.

Engine oil is still very clean after 20 hours of mowing this week.

Mike

[S.H.A.F.T.]

When I got my Cub, I had no idea if the oil in it was detergent or non-detergent. I put a new filter and detergent oil in the Cub. The new oil got black very quickly and continued to do so for several short interval oil changes. At each oil change I would disect the old filter to see what I could find but that always looked pretty good. Now, the oil stays much cleaner much longer. In fact, the last time I changed oil was this past spring and the oil is still clear and clean. I'll change the oil again this fall before winter plowing.

S.H.A.F.T.

[John Niekamp]

I think as with most of these older engines, for so many years they were ran with non-detergent and like myself changing over to a detergent oil all of these deposits have broekn loose and caused the oil to get dirtier quicker. I was always rasied to keep the same oil in an engine that it was always used. Now how on earth can you do that when you don't know the life history and maintenance of an engine?

The solution is simple, short of a rubuild, do like I have and others have done and change it more frequently. I even heard of the "old timers" adding some kerosene in the oil and letting the engine idel and bring up to temp, then change it all. I have never tired it myslef. I think I'll just stick to the way I have done mine.

My first oil change on my Cub I used the brand of oil that I use in almost everything. I used a straight blend 30 weight Havoline, I've had excellent luck using it in everything else so I figure why not the Cub too. After seeing and feeling the oil that came out of the tractor while draing it the first time. I think ANYTHING would have been a improvement over the oil that was in it when I got it, even straight crude would have been a far sight cleaner.

John

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

John N, your description of your first oil change reminded me of my 48 when I bought it about 18 years ago. I had to run a wire up in the oil filter drain to get the sludge out, and the opening in the pan drain was so full of dirt the oil barely ran out.

[John Niekamp]

John cub,

Funny on what kept these things from siezing up and spinning a bearing or somthing. Yeah I have seen engines like that myself, mine wasn't quite that bad, but was getting close.

John N

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

That one had to have an0other block, the original was worn beyond saving.

[Jim Becker]

I even heard of the "old timers" adding some kerosene in the oil and letting the engine idel and bring up to temp, then change it all.

I think this is one of the cases where the "old timers" were nuts.

The reason it was never recommended to use a detergent oil in an engine that was old and dirty from non-detergent oil was that the detergent could loosen up clumps of deposits that might then clog oil passages. This was a real problem that happened in the early days of detergent oils.

Modern detergent oils are not supposed to do that any more. If so, you should be able to run detergent oil in dirty engines.

I think the kerosene approach would, at best, be like the old oil detergents and not worth the risk. Maybe if you want to try cleaning up an engine before a tear down?