Snake Oil Scores Again

Texasmark1

Well-known Member
Bought this 1988 tractor recently with only 900 verified hours. That's 30 years and 30 hours per year, most in the summer as it was used as a brush hogging driver. Fast forward: Have a vibration in the engine. Looked up Ford 3 cylinders and harmonic balancing (have none on the front of the crank like on a car/truck), and engines that are inherently balanced and all that stuff.

Went through all new fluids and all that, fuel is fresh, CAV pump with dual filters, incoming is clear plastic so you can see if any water is in the fuel....none. Cracked the injectors and made sure no air was trapped. Popped the valve cover and checked the valve gap....right on spec. Put the paper on the tailpipe and checked for suck and blow.....nothing but blow-blow so valves are seating properly,

Was helping somebody with an injector problem and got to thinking that I may have a partially plugged injector that is squirting rather than misting due to the age and little usage.

So I put in 4x the recommended amount of Power Services Snake Oil (the grey container) in half a tank of fuel and ran it for awhile and let it sit for several days to soak in. Today I got it out on the road for half an hour or so and ran the engine at max rpms (2150, book says 2200 is max for the CAV pump). Got it back home and runs really smooth for a 3 cyl, like my other 3 cyl diesel.

Once again SO has proven itself to me so I continue to invest my money in it......let's see, how much snake oil can I buy with what 3 new injectors would cost me? Wink!
 
About twice a year our oldest Polaris ranger will not start and leaks gas out carb. I add some sea foam to the tank and pinch off gas line till its starts running and let of vise grips and it runs perfect.
 
Good to know it worked, but the injector may have returned to functioning normally with a good workout.
Ben
 

I think that if an official poll were taken here that Power Service products would easily show a classification as a valid treatment as opposed to snake oil.
 
chances are about equal as to whether it was the SO or some hard running that cleaned it up. Put it on something and work it harde for a few hours and you will really be pleased. Our chore tractor always took a half day of plowing every spring to get back up to full power after a winter of light work.
 
That's exactly why I posted this. People believe what they want to believe for their own reasons. I furnish proof that I don't conjecture. If it works it works!
And guarantee you PS and Sea Foam aren't snake oils.
 
I had already done that. First thing I did when I got it was change the dirty oil. Then worked it half a day in the field. Probably 20 hours on it since purchasing, plenty of time for it to have cleaned up itself. Changed the oil again as the new oil and running had cleaned up the sludge in the bottom of the oil pan....from sitting so much.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top