pre boiling engine oil

ronaldo84

i was told a neighbour used to do this years ago to start a old tractor. he used to drain the engine oil ,boil it in a large pot and pour it back into the engine to start the engine. does it work??

Slidey

Never heard of that.

How cold was it that he needed to do that? Seems like a lot of trouble to go to.

There is a trick you can do with a rolled up newspaper but it is frowned upon by most

101sean

Sounds a bit extreme, never heard of it being done, may work with a big old single cylinder tractor with gallons of oil in the sump. The usual thing back in the 50/60s advertised in the motoring press was a paraffin heater to go under your sump overnight but with modern multigrade oils and batteries, anything should start in the cold. Countries with proper cold weather plug their vehicles in with block heaters to pre heat the coolant in the engine.

ronaldo84

Slidey wrote: »

Never heard of that.

How cold was it that he needed to do that? Seems like a lot of trouble to go to.

There is a trick you can do with a rolled up newspaper but it is frowned upon by most

it must have been very cold and this is going back 40-50 years ago

newmug

Slidey wrote: »

Never heard of that.

How cold was it that he needed to do that? Seems like a lot of trouble to go to.

There is a trick you can do with a rolled up newspaper but it is frowned upon by most

Whats the newspaper trick?

Slidey

Set fire to it and let the engine pull in the warm air from the burning paper.. it is hard to do with one person and there is the risk of pulling in bits of ash off the burning paper but it does work.

Johro

In that case would pointing a heat gun at it not do the same? If it's just about the engine sucking in hot air?

Slidey

Oh it would ya, problem is heat guns generally ain't found when you need something to start in the cold

Johro

Slidey wrote: »

Oh it would ya, problem is heat guns generally ain't found when you need something to start in the cold

Okay, you're gf's hairdryer then. Alright alright, same problem... I reckon my zippo would do it though.

mancity1

what can also work is draining the water/coolant and re-filling with hot water in some old tractors

nophd08

ronaldo84 wrote: »

i was told a neighbour used to do this years ago to start a old tractor. he used to drain the engine oil ,boil it in a large pot and pour it back into the engine to start the engine. does it work??

Might be easier to fill cooling system with hot water and place a fan heater pointed towards sump for about half hour or so.
I've often done this with old A-series and crossflow race engines after they've been parked up for a long time.
As for boiling the oil in a pot.....rather you than me op.:D

Slidey

What is the flash point of engine oil....

101sean

Dunno, but you'd singe more than your eyebrows if you over cooked it! :eek:

bmw535d

generally a far safer option is to light oily rags and put the under the sump for a wile and then another near the breather intake when you try to start it.
prevents ashes from news papers being sucked in and lasts about 10 times longer. my dad used to do it all the time with the old ford tractor as there was no heater plugs.

doctorchopper

We use these in Canada, they stick to the bottom of the oil pan, you can get either magnet one or adhesive ones

http://www.jegs.com/p/Moroso/Moroso-Self-Adhesive-Heating-Pads/745633/10002/-1

a much better choice is a circulating block heater that ties into the coolant line
http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://images.canadianlisted.com/nlarge/engine-block-heater-tank-style-or-circulating-block-heater-50_4727037.jpg&imgrefurl=http://edmonton.canadianlisted.com/car-parts/engine-block-heater-tank-style-or-circulating-block-heater-50_382240.html&h=500&w=666&sz=202&tbnid=IjWuuUB58sI_NM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=138&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcirculating%2Bblock%2Bheater%2Bpicture&zoom=1&q=circulating+block+heater+picture&hl=en&usg=__pkajR6GRxjB1wzs6BSrp_4GaC4s=&sa=X&ei=iHMOTcPmL8G2hAfGhJG3Dg&ved=0CCEQ9QEwAA

scudster

Think i remember watchin somethin on tv about a big old aeroplane engine having an oil preheater. It was some sort of burner which heated the oil container. They showed the oil beforehand and it looked almost grease like. After it was heated it was a good bit more fluid. Still took quite a few turns to put it goin even after preheating

tabby aspreme

Slidey wrote: »

Set fire to it and let the engine pull in the warm air from the burning paper.. it is hard to do with one person and there is the risk of pulling in bits of ash off the burning paper but it does work.

That brings back memories starting a Thames Truck my father had when i was a young lad ,it works though.

gofaster_s13

Slidey wrote: »

Set fire to it and let the engine pull in the warm air from the burning paper.. it is hard to do with one person and there is the risk of pulling in bits of ash off the burning paper but it does work.

Seen a senior mechanic in a Commercial vehicle distributors in Dublin trying this a few years ago, he didnt know that an apprentice was after giving it socks with the easy start before he had a go, the engine gave a bit of a cough and the mechanic disappeared in a sheet of flame(wheres the stunned eyebrowless smiley:D)