Putting used motor oil in your diesel fuel?!

slowrev · Nov 2, 2004

"At least if he is going to use used engine oil, he should at least use synthetic for its longer lasting properties that might relate to better milage.... "

Junkman,
I am not sure synthetic would work the same as dino oil. The flashpoint and stuff is higher, might not burn as well. Will synthetic oil burn ok in a used oil furnace? My FIL gave me a couple of gallons of what I believe was Mobil 1 and it would not burn very well at all on the brushpile. Synthetic oil is good stuff, but it is different stuff as has been preached many times on this board, and might not work the same as dino oil in all miss/applications.
Just a thought, looking for an answer.

Ben

SkyPup · Nov 2, 2004

Just tell him to quit using used motor oil and use old brake fluid instead, the flash point is the same as #2 diesel. If he really wants to get the most benefit of recycling used automotive fluids, he can spike his used brake fluid diesel fuel additive with some used radiator fluid for good measure.

Dargo · Nov 2, 2004

Ick! Brake fluid tastes awful!! Have you ever had it splattered or accidentally sprayed in your mouth when bleeding a brake line? Nasty! It tasted worse than when I got a mouthful of premix gas for my two cycle motorcycle when siphoning some out of the tank. Heck, antifreeze isn't bad, gasoline burns a little, and diesel leaves an awful aftertaste. Brake fluid is the worst!
Besides, I've never changed my brake fluid. Are you supposed to? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Anyway, I think I'll just keep putting good ole #2 diesel in my tank. I don't think I'll get very creative with my expensive diesel engine and injection system on it.

Junkman · Nov 2, 2004

Moving this thread to a higher level, the answer to the question of changing brake fluid, the answer is yes, you should. Brake fluid is hydroscopic. That means that it will absorb water in its normal state from the moisture in the air. This moisture (water) will homogenize with the brake fluid and be carried all the way to the brake cylinders. Brake lines usually rust out from the inside to the outside and will eventually develop a leak. That is the reason for the dual braking systems that we have today. There are silicone based brake fluids available, but they are not recommended for disk braking systems. If you have an older car that has 4 wheel drum brakes, then the silicone based fluid is great. It doesn't deteriorate nor does it absorb water. You will need to drain and rebuild all the wheel cylinders and the master cylinder, and blow out the lines before installing it.
If you have disk brakes, then the best thing to do is to drain the master cylinder, and refill with fresh brake fluid of the proper rating for your car. Then bleed the brakes starting at the farthest wheel from the master cylinder, working your way to the closes. You want to get all the old brake fluid out and completely replace it with fresh. This should be done every 2 years on average. This is not a mileage dependent service requirement. The only place that I don't think that this needs to be done, is possibly in the parts of the country that don't get much humidity or rain, such as Death Valley, and other desert communities. Other than that, change the fluid once every two years.

SkyPup · Nov 2, 2004

Never have ingested any for good reason, they are all hypertoxic to the mammalian kidney system. Some are comprised of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, borate ester, or silicone.

SkyPup · Nov 2, 2004

( Brake fluid is hydroscopic. That means that it will absorb water in its normal state from the moisture in the air.. )

Yes, as you said, that is another good reason that all the old timers always use brake fluid as a diesel fuel additive to help prevent destruction of their FIE from water contamination! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Soundguy · Nov 2, 2004

( I have seen a lot of new machines that clean everything from transmission oil to anti freeze and reinstall it into the vehicle )

I just saw an add for re-formulated antifreeze in a heavy equipment magazine. One of the big makers is re-refineing it, and selling it via 55 gallon drum for fleet services.. Supposedly the price for the re-refined stuff is now less than the new.. and is *guaranteed to be as good as virgin material.

Soundguy

Junkman · Nov 2, 2004

anti freeze doesn't wear out, only the lubrication and anti corrosive properties are diminished with time. If the fluid is cleaned and these properties reinstated, then it is as good as virgin anti freeze. Many years ago, we would install used anti freeze in vehicle that we knew that were not going to be driven, but stored for a long time. Saved a lot of money vs. fresh anti freeze. We never wanted to leave them dry because someone was bound to start one and overheat the block because they didn't check the radiator first.

Dargo · Nov 2, 2004

Gosh junkman, I'm hurt. I didn't intend to take this thread to a lower level by espousing my culinary dislikes for certain automotive fluids. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Anyway, I was not the star student in college chemistry (perhaps if I were, I would not have had the unfortunate experiences of tasting those unsavory items) but I believe the word you mean is hygroscopic. If I recall, hygroscopic describes the tendency of certain materials to absorb moisture from the air, other gasses, or perhaps, in rare situations, neighboring solids in which it comes in contact. Being that I liked biology better than chemistry, I am more familiar with terms such as hydrophobic and hydrophilic. Hydrophobic materials, of course, would have a make up of particular lipids that would be "water hating", and thus repel water rather than absorb them. For example nylon is a polymeric structure that is hydrophobic. In contrast, hydrophilic compounds and materials are considered "water loving" and readily absorb water. It is difficult in the lab to create a more hydrophilic structure than regular ole cotton. I always got confused as to whether floor dry is technically considered a hygroscopic material or a hydrophilic material. Either way, it tasts bad too. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Smile, I am! I won't even go into how sodium chloride creates a hypotonic condition in human cells which can be fatal, or that the ingested amount of ethylene glycol required to produce toxicity in animals (mammals included) is approximately 1.0 to 1.5 mL per kg, or 100 mL in an adult.

However, it is interesting that I need to be changing my brake fluid in my vehicles and I have neglected to do so. Thanks! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

RalphVa · Nov 2, 2004

I suck brake fluid out of master cylinders and replace it about every 6 months. About every 4 or 5 years or if one brake pad is wearing faster than others, I'll bleed the brakes to flush the fluid out through the bleed points. Benz actually recommends bleeding the brakes once/year. The stuff is hydroscopic. Water will lower the boiling point and cause vapor formation and actually vapor lock your brakes to where they won't work! The water will cause corrosion, too.

Don't put anything but diesel fuel treatments made for it or kerosene, up to as much as 50% in winter for antigel, into diesel fuel. Motor oil is much higher boiling and probably will cause excessive carbon formation due to improper combustion.

Mobil 1 ought to recyle like other used motor oil. They can actually redistill used motor oil, maybe treat it with a little bit of hydrogen over a catalyst and it's as good as virgin oil. Multifuel furnaces can burn it fine.

Ralph, 31 years as a lube process engineer