Cleaning engine internals...

[knighty]

if you're using the generator a lot you could always hook up a little pump and oil filter? - an electric pump would make life easy, they pretty much any filter will be better than non?

 

[zeppelin builder]

I wouldn't use it it will loosen solid crap that's going nowhere and then go through the bearings just give it an oil change

a friend had a old bedford petrol van
thought he would run it on hi detergent diesel oil to give it a flush out ,after a weeks running it started smoking like hell the oil had removed all the carbon deposits off the pistons that had been helping seal it up .
needed a set off rings to get it back to non smoker status !
it would be detergent oil ie universal tractor oil used in this engine any way.
diesels are very compression sensitive so if it starts easy and dosent smoke too much i wouldnt worry too much

 

[wookie]

Once you've cleaned it, run it on a classic oil designed to keep the crud in suspension rather than a modern oil that uses oil filters.

It's already running on classic oil, but I always thought classic oils were designed to allow the crud to settle out ?

Modern oils keep it in suspension so the filter pulls it out, classic oils tend to have very little detergent and dispersent to keep the crud settled in the sump pan to be cleaned out.
I'd say you're better of on a normal full detergent modern oil personally.

I'd rather the crud settles in the sump and doesn't keep going around the engine as there is only a basic strainer rather than a proper oil filter. So I intend to continue using classic oil rather than modern.

I have owned a number of lister Petter marine engines, I take the side doors off, remove the strainer, get my hand in there, and wash the sludge in the sump out with white spirit, suck it out with an oil extractor, and wipe it out with a rag.

Thanks for the advice, sounds like a plan to me So far its had a couple of oil changes but I've not cleaned it out properly.

diesels are very compression sensitive so if it starts easy and dosent smoke too much i wouldnt worry too much

It starts very easy, it's electric start All joking aside I've never tried hand starting it as I don't have a handle for it but when it motors it doesn't take long before it fires, Mind you it's on a far bigger battery capacity that it really needs, I get a small amount of smoke when it first fires up but after that it's totally smoke free, as it's plumbed into an exhaust pit it's a little hard to tell but I suspect it's fine.

I might try running it with the exhaust just venting to the garage rather than into the pit to see what's happening but I suspect it'll be fine. If I do I'll have all the doors and windows open so I don't kill myself from the fumes.

if you're using the generator a lot you could always hook up a little pump and oil filter? - an electric pump would make life easy, they pretty much any filter will be better than non?

As much as I like preventative measures I don't think it's worth the trouble, it's only a backup for when the electric goes off, so usually clocks up less than 50 hours in a year, but when it does go off it might be running for 3 to 8 hours in a stretch.

 

[PhillipM]

I'd rather the crud settles in the sump and doesn't keep going around the engine as there is only a basic strainer rather than a proper oil filter. So I intend to continue using classic oil rather than modern.

As you found though, it also settles on stuff that's not in constant, fast motion, like the governer

 

[wookie]

As you found though, it also settles on stuff that's not in constant, fast motion, like the governer

True, but once it's had a damn good clean out and I then carry on changing the oil every year regardless of how many or few hours run it should remain in a better condition I course I could be delusional and talking out of my derrière.

I prefer classic oil as it's supposed to have better anti-wear properties and suit engines with larger tolerances... of course that could all be advertising gumpf.

 

[PhillipM]

It does tend to have more zddp which is good for flat tappets etc.

 

[knighty]

do you have a steam cleaner? when it's hot I'd take some covers off and give it a good steam clean, leave it a while to drain/dry (till next day?) then stick it back together and keep running it as you have

 

[wookie]

do you have a steam cleaner? when it's hot I'd take some covers off and give it a good steam clean, leave it a while to drain/dry (till next day?) then stick it back together and keep running it as you have

No but if I ever find one cheap enough I'll grab it with both hands, they are a hand piece of kit but I'd hardly use one to justify the cost of buying one.