Topped up with alloy wheel cleaner instead of oil

greystones

So, as the title says ...picked up the wrong bottle (they looked the same) and started topping up oil. Realised it was wrong stuff as soon as I started pouring but by then I'd say about a cup full had gone in (2-3 glugs).

I carried on topping up with oil (about half a litre) then drove the car off the drive on to the road so it's now mixed as much as the engine running for about a minute.

As it happens it's due a service so I thought get that done and all is well. It's a 4 mile drive to the garage.

There's around 5 litres of oil when fully topped up which it is now plus a bit of wonder wheels.

What to do? Drive to garage get it serviced and all should be OK?

Wig

Sounds like the right approach to me.

You could put 50/50 oil and alloy cleaner in a jar, shake it. possibly heat it in an old sauce pan and allow to cool before putting back in the jar.

Then wait and see if one of them settles to the bottom. If the cleaner is on the bottom, you could just drain off the sump and the cleaner at the bottom should come straight out.

Robisere

Wig wrote: »

Sounds like the right approach to me.

You could put 50/50 oil and alloy cleaner in a jar, shake it. possibly heat it in an old sauce pan and allow to cool before putting back in the jar.

Then wait and see if one of them settles to the bottom. If the cleaner is on the bottom, you could just drain off the sump and the cleaner at the bottom should come straight out.

Preferably saving the drained oil?

greystones

Wig wrote: »

Sounds like the right approach to me.

You could put 50/50 oil and alloy cleaner in a jar, shake it. possibly heat it in an old sauce pan and allow to cool before putting back in the jar.

Then wait and see if one of them settles to the bottom. If the cleaner is on the bottom, you could just drain off the sump and the cleaner at the bottom should come straight out.

Cheers. I'm not bothered about draining all the oil as the service was due anyway. More concerned if driving a short distance will harm. Or if the cleaner is corrosive to engine, cams etc.

vikingaero

Wheel cleaner is normally highly acidic, sometimes there are a few alkaline versions. It's not good for metal or engines. Pour a drop or two onto a concrete or tarmac drive and watch it fizz.

forgotmyname

I wouldnt start the engine up at all.. Not even for 10 seconds, never mind a few miles.

It wont mix with the oil.. If its waterbased the oil will float on top of it and that will get sucked through the engine more than the oil.
And have zero lubrication qualities.

That 4 miles may take 30,000 - 50,000 miles off the life of the engine.

Not worth the risk. Well not to me anyway.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Engine has been run so too late for the best action.

If twer mine i'd nip down to whoever sells the cheapest oil (probably Asda or Wilkinsons) and buy 2 gallons of the stuff.

Then give the engine 2 flushes with this cheap stuff for about 10 miles each, then allow to drain overnight and put proper oil in together with new filter.

If your engine has known oil traps such as in the cam castings i'd remove rocker cover and sponge all trapped liquid out of there too.

Wig

It's already been started.

If it were me, I would do the jar trick to see if it sinks, if it does, I would drain off the bottom of the sump, about half a litre....put that into a jar and see if it seperates out.

Then if I didn't have the means to tow my own car to the garage... I'd drive it the 4 miles as I don't think it's going to have any real effect.

I'd tell the garage to drain and flush -with flushing oil- and then fill with clean oil.

I don't trust garages to do things correctly so I'd do all of it myself and then there won't be any 4 miles.

TrickyWicky

Well at least your engine will be nice and clean inside eh?

Seriously, do the jar trick. You need to establish whether the stuff is heavier or lighter than motor oil. Then you need to find out where the oil is sucked from in your engine - top or bottom.

Personally if it were me, I'd just drain out the whole engine again and start over. If you don't want the hassle, call your breakdown service (if youhave home start) and get them to take it to your local spanner monkey.

forgotmyname

Drain the oil, Put a cheap supermarket oil in there, But make sure its the right grade. Drain that and refill with proper stuff.

londonTiger

alloy wheel cleaner will have a degreasing affect so it will break down oil. I would suggest buying a trolly jack, and some axle stands (do not drive it) and do an oil change on the spot. Buy some cheap engine oil from a bulk supplier, make sure it's the right grade and do drain the oil twice, once with the current oil, second time with new cheap oil, and then fill up with completely new oil and then drive it to a garage and ask them to inspect the oil.

ideally though - if you know of a friendly mechanic who is willing to come out and inspect the oil for you - outright it may be the best option.

Worst case scenario engineer will have to take everything off and manually clean out everything.