Used Motor Oil

[Tom Trujillo]

I read the posts for the kero / waste oil scenario, however, for the technically challenged with a 97 12V, what would the ratio of waste oil to D2 be in the tank?



The waste oil I would have would be from my own family cars, mostly 5W & 10W - 30 mixed with the 15-40 from my truck.



Thanks in advance.

 

[keimmmo]

On the '92, I only add 2 quarts with a fill-up. Any more and it smokes so badly that I can't stand it. The 01. 5 will swallow a gallon per fill and doesn't smoke a bit! I plan to add 2 gallons per tank when I go to the States in October... unless I can't stand the smoke.



Neither of my trucks are exactly like what you have, but I suspect yours has more in common with my '92. I would add 2 quarts per tank and see what happens. You can adjust the amount up or down depending on smoke and your available supply of oil.



I hope this helps.



Steve Keim

 

[The patriot]

I believe 5% to 10% is safe under optimimum conditions.

I go as much as 10% in summer, and 5% in the winter.

Let it sit out in the sun in a container for a few weeks, then dont drain the last 2 or 3 quarts.

You should be GTG with the 12 valve.

Eric

 

[keimmmo]

Eric,



You are being REALLY safe if you are pouring only 1-2 quarts off the top of a gallon jug!!! I put my oil in gallon jugs. I pour all but 1/4-1/2 quart in the tank. When I get home, I pour all the "little bits" together and let it settle out again! I don't waste or throw away anything!



I do run a pre filter. I change both the pre and original filters when I see a slight drop in fuel pressure. I often get 25k out of a pair of filters, so I must not be pouring in too much dirt!!!



Steve Keim

 

[Dieselnut59]

I have put as much as 4 gallons in my personal (96) and work (98) trucks with no loss of performance or addition of smoke. I also have about 15 gallons of kerosene in the 98. Been doing the motor oil thing for a few months and have had no problems, loss of power or economy. The 15 gallons of kerosene has only a slightly different smell, but no loss of performance or power with the kero/diesel/oil mix.

 

[keimmmo]

Most places I travel, kero costs MORE than diesel. However, when I find it cheaper than diesel, I burn it. I add 1-2 quarts of oil to every 5 gallons of kero... plus my normal gallon of oil with every fill. On a 15 gallon fill, I would add about 8-10 quarts of oil. Sure makes cheap fuel!!! I have done it for YEARS without a problem.



The p-pump 12 valves will swallow about anything and like it!!! The 92 would smoke a little when it was new on straight #2. If you add too much oil, it looks like you are burning a pile of old tires!!! I try to be conservative with what I pour into the 01. 5 because of the VP. But, it is difficult to make it smoke no matter what it burns!



Steve Keim

 

[Johnstra]

Does anyone know if used synthetic motor oil can be burned? Seems I remember reading it doesn't burn as well but it will work.

-john

 

[Cooker]

Does anyone know if used synthetic motor oil can be burned? Seems I remember reading it doesn't burn as well but it will work.

-john

No. A true Group IV/V synthetic oil does not burn very well at all. I would not recommend it.

 

[67guzzler]

No. A true Group IV/V synthetic oil does not burn very well at all. I would not recommend it.

This is a little OT but still relevant. Is there a way to tell when you're in the store whether or not a synthetic is a true Group IV/V or a cheesy fake "Fullly Synthetic" mineral based oil like the Rotella T "Fully Synthetic?"



I didn't know about these groupings until recently and I couldn't see anywhere on the packaging where it explained what each product was.



I could guess and extrapolate from the prices but that would be a shot in the dark. Are there standards so that the consumer can see what they're getting?

 

[Johnstra]

Thanks Cooker. It's funny what guides some decisions. I was considering converting all my vehicles to synthetic lubes, but if I can burn used dino oil and not synthetic, I think I'll just stick with dino.

-john

 

[keimmmo]

First hand experience... cheap synthetics like Wal-Mart Super Tec burn fine, but I still limit the quantity and mix it with dino oil. Good stuff DOES NOT burn, it just drips out the tail pipe and gums up everything!!!



Steve Keim

 

[LandShark]

I was wondering about the comments on this thread about synthetics not burning so I did a little experiment. I burned about 1/4 cup of Rotella 5w40 Synthetic in a small deep stainless container with a small wad of paper towel as a wick. It burned just fine with almost no residue in the bottom. I then repeated with Mobile 1 10w30 and it burned just as well and maybe a little faster. No residue on this burn also. I also repeated this test with Rotella 15w40 with the same results. They all seemed to burn more or less the same.



Not very scientific but it appears show that synthetic oil will burn.

 

[Cooker]

I was wondering about the comments on this thread about synthetics not burning so I did a little experiment. I burned about 1/4 cup of Rotella 5w40 Synthetic in a small deep stainless container with a small wad of paper towel as a wick. It burned just fine with almost no residue in the bottom. I then repeated with Mobile 1 10w30 and it burned just as well and maybe a little faster. No residue on this burn also. I also repeated this test with Rotella 15w40 with the same results. They all seemed to burn more or less the same.



Not very scientific but it appears show that synthetic oil will burn.

Certainly synthetic will burn but because of the higher flash and fire point of syntheic oil it is not as well suited for burning in a combustion chamber.

 

[keimmmo]

I have tried to burn only two synthetics. The Wal-Mart Super Tec 5W-30 that I use in my transfer case burns fine. I tried Amsoil once... it killed the power and economy and dripped out the tail pipe!!! I used injector cleaner for weeks to get it running right again!!!



Steve Keim

 

[LandShark]

Certainly synthetic will burn but because of the higher flash and fire point of syntheic oil it is not as well suited for burning in a combustion chamber.

Flash point of Rotella 15w40 is 415 degrees Fahrenheit, for Rotella 5w40 synthetic it's 431 degrees Fahrenheit and for Mobile 1 5w40 it's 439 degrees Fahrenheit.



I don't see how this small difference in flash points could make a difference in how the oil would ignite in the combustion chamber. My understanding is that at the top of the compression stroke, the compressed intake air is between 700 and 900 degrees Celsius.

 

[ESorensen]

synthetics

I just put almost 5 quarts of mobil 1 5-30 or 40 in my tank before a full fill up. No smoke in my 01. 5 and milage went up almost 1mpg. Also dosen't drip out the pipe at all.

 

[keimmmo]

As I was reading this morning, I realized that the "drip out the tail pipe" problem was on the old '92. The '01. 5 has burnt SOME synthetic oil without a problem. I really don't understand it, but I'll bet the model is the difference. Like I have said, I used injector cleaner in that old '92 for WEEKS after trying to burn Amsoil in it!!!



Steve Keim

 

[Johnstra]

I poured a gallon of used dino motor oil into my truck yesterday. Runs fine and doesn't smoke any more than it did, but my fuel pressure is about 3 psi higher than it was and my lift pump tick is noticeably louder with the motor oil in. I think I'll cut back to a half gallon next fillup.

-john

 

[05mxdiesel]

Well I started adding 2 quarts to my tank and so far no noticeable differance. I am going to keep an eye on my fuel filter though. I've been offering all my buddies to bring their trucks over to change their oil. I'm telling them that I am analyzing different oil viscosities over time, they are all powerstroke owners. :-laf

 

[John - K5AWO]

Oil Mixture

My truck is a 98. 5 and I have been running used motor oil as much as 50/50 with diesel with no ill effects other than changing fuel filters more often.

I strain the used motor oil by running through oil filters to be sure it doesn't have any trash in it and then thru a final filter which is a fuel filter for the Ford fuel injection cars. It's one of the bronze metal type filters.

Using a 12 volt electric fuel pump I bought from AutoZone to push the used oil thru the filters. After the above is done, I mix it depending on temperature. Here in Phoenix in the summer, I run as much as 50/50. In the cooler months, I back it off to maybe 25/75 oil to diesel.

I haven't noticed any extra smoke visually while driving except on take off from a stop.

John