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
It's already running on classic oil, but I always thought classic oils were designed to allow the crud to settle out ?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.
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.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.
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.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.
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.diesels are very compression sensitive so if it starts easy and dosent smoke too much i wouldnt worry too much
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.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?
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.
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.As you found though, it also settles on stuff that's not in constant, fast motion, like the governer
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.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