Oil fire starters in an EPA stove

[Deppizzymo]

So... I make black diesel for my 6.9 idi Ford and end up with waste motor oil sludge that I end up burning up / dropping off at auto parts store just to get rid of it. I have heard of people using this sludge to soak bark/kindling to make very effective fire starters/super kindling. Is this something that would damage a stove? I have an awful lot of bark and it would be a good way to kill two birds with one stone and get rid of both. I figure this is probably not something I would want to burn in any decent quantity but I was just curious if a few oil soaked pieces of kindling would be a terrible thing to put into an EPA non-catalytic stove? (New 2022 Lopi Liberty)

 

[bholler]

So... I make black diesel for my 6.9 idi Ford and end up with waste motor oil sludge that I end up burning up / dropping off at auto parts store just to get rid of it. I have heard of people using this sludge to soak bark/kindling to make very effective fire starters/super kindling. Is this something that would damage a stove? I have an awful lot of bark and it would be a good way to kill two birds with one stone and get rid of both. I figure this is probably not something I would want to burn in any decent quantity but I was just curious if a few oil soaked pieces of kindling would be a terrible thing to put into an EPA non-catalytic stove? (New 2022 Lopi Liberty)

Without knowing what contaminants are in the sludge it's hard to say if it would hurt the stove or chimney. But allot would depend upon how many fires you start. I really only start from cold a dozen times a year at most

 

[ericm979]

At least for me bark has turned out to be poor kindling, even when well dried. Our tree species evolved with fire and many have fire resistant bark.

I do a lot of cold starts because its not consistently cold enough to run the stove all winter. When I am splitting I grab the small pieces of wood that get split off and drop them in a garbage can placed by the splitter. The cans go into a building where they dry. So I have a good supply of kindling. Some wood species drop a lot of kindling and some not much. Also by saving the kindling there's less of a flammable pile left where I do the splitting.

 

[stoveliker]

The other thing to consider is that motor oil generally burns quite dirty. So it is surely not good for the great outdoors.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

Non-catalyst should be fine. I don't see the need for an accelerant when starting a fire, but it shouldn't hurt anything if you do use a little.

 

[Deppizzymo]

Appreciate the responses. This is less me needing better kindling and more me wanting to get rid of some crap. I am thinking the sludge is probably nothing good... it's basically what is at the bottom of your oil pan when you do an oil change. I'd say in a sealed stove soaked into 1-2 pieces of kindling would probably make zero difference but I also have no idea since this is my first winter/first stove haha. Maybe I'll save the experimenting for down the road.

 

[DonTee]

I would just take the sludge you can’t use and recycle it as used oil, and not put it in the woodstove. Or if you really want to burn it maybe use it to start bonfires or something outside.

 

[GrumpyDad]

Burning oil creates a lot of black nasty smoke. I can't imagine that would be good for anything it touches honestly.
I know those fire starters have a little bit of something in them to cake them together and is flammable. They dont exactly burn 'clean' either.
I use those in my fireplace because it's just so damn easy to get a fire going. One of those then a couple of thin pieces with an air gap then a small piece of wood, air gap, larger piece, close my fireplace doors, once the fire is ripping, open the doors up and enjoy the fully going fire that I started 5 minutes earlier.

 

[stoveliker]

Again, that statement is incorrect because it is too general.
If you have a cat stove (and while the OP may not have one, there are other readers out here that do, and might get the wrong idea), this (metal ions) could be a problem for the cat.

Finally, "perfectly fine" is a relative notion - it depends on the standards of care for our planet that the person uttering them has.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

People all over the world are wearing out hundreds of millions of tires and releasing that tire dust into the environment, but you get fined for leaving a tire on the side of the road. It seems people care more about the appearance of pollution than the actual results. Cars burn gas/oil while ships burn heavy oil and one ship pollutes more than 1 million cars, but it's ok because it is commerce? How about paint/solvent/cleaner fumes and vapors. All of those voc's. Take a look at the sherwin williams logo some time. Runoff from asphalt is loaded with chemicals, and the air quality near newer roads is not much better because of the offgassing. Over 2,000 nuclear bombs have been detonated, over 500 of those were in the atmosphere. Artificial colors/flavors/sweeteners are everywhere. The chemical off gassing in your car is insane. The levels of formaldehyde and other gasses in modern homes greatly exceeds accepted safety levels. Just the chemicals in common shampoo gives me the creeps.

I really would not worry about a teaspoon of oil in a woodstove, when you are burning tons and tons of other organic matter. You do grease and oil your equipment don't you?

Do you use lead free ammo? Primers are approximately 35% lead styphnate and lead peroxide (and also contain barium and antimony compounds)

If you like bbq, you are consuming ketones, aldehydes, pyridines and pyrazines.

Wanna know what chemicals are made when you burn resinous wood? It's crazy.

 

[stoveliker]

Oh I agree, the world is being polluted to chit.
That's why I try to not add to that when it's not necessary. There are perfectly fine alternatives to burning metal laden oil in a stove.

 

[GrumpyDad]

People all over the world are wearing out hundreds of millions of tires and releasing that tire dust into the environment, but you get fined for leaving a tire on the side of the road. It seems people care more about the appearance of pollution than the actual results. Cars burn gas/oil while ships burn heavy oil and one ship pollutes more than 1 million cars, but it's ok because it is commerce? How about paint/solvent/cleaner fumes and vapors. All of those voc's. Take a look at the sherwin williams logo some time. Runoff from asphalt is loaded with chemicals, and the air quality near newer roads is not much better because of the offgassing. Over 2,000 nuclear bombs have been detonated, over 500 of those were in the atmosphere. Artificial colors/flavors/sweeteners are everywhere. The chemical off gassing in your car is insane. The levels of formaldehyde and other gasses in modern homes greatly exceeds accepted safety levels. Just the chemicals in common shampoo gives me the creeps.

I really would not worry about a teaspoon of oil in a woodstove, when you are burning tons and tons of other organic matter. You do grease and oil your equipment don't you?

Do you use lead free ammo? Primers are approximately 35% lead styphnate and lead peroxide (and also contain barium and antimony compounds)

If you like bbq, you are consuming ketones, aldehydes, pyridines and pyrazines.

Wanna know what chemicals are made when you burn resinous wood? It's crazy.

It's all theater. Whatever the current thing is, support it, get angry about it, scream how we have to do something about it, dont really care, just run around screaming to some mystical government entity that is going to take care of you all, feel good about yourself for not actually doing anything.

Change happens when people really want it and they take personal steps to improve.

 

[bholler]

It's all theater. Whatever the current thing is, support it, get angry about it, scream how we have to do something about it, dont really care, just run around screaming to some mystical government entity that is going to take care of you all, feel good about yourself for not actually doing anything.

Change happens when people really want it and they take personal steps to improve.

Yes and overall the people in our country and many others want a change towards taking better care of the environment.

I completely agree that many people are naive and don't realize how many of the things they are doing contributes to the issue. I also agree one person using a little oil to start fires really isn't going to make any difference in the grand scheme of things. But why when it can just be recycled and fires started with just a little paper and kindling?

 

[blades]

Ah Heck I make fire staters out of pumky wood soaked in some diesel that was previously used to wash chains in . pieces are about 1x1x3" . 1 piece is all i generally need from cold start. during the main heating season that is not very often - maybe 3 times a week, got to empty the ashes about that often. No cat in my stove but at start up you are bypassing the cat anyway. I do not run my diesel truck that often so I do not find making my own fuel to be advantage for the cost of equipment and time devoted to same.

 

[EbS-P]

I cold star probably 10 loads a week. I use a small butane kitchen torch an fat wood from my back yard. I probably have a 3 year supply. When it’s gone I’m getting a bigger torch. If I really want to treat my self to a new gadget this is what I will get. And if I don’t just a benzomatic for a 1# propane bottle.

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[Isaac Carlson]

I have a small box of 3" long pieces i use for starting fires, and that will last me all year. Half the time I just light the wood.

 

[GrumpyDad]

Yes and overall the people in our country and many others want a change towards taking better care of the environment.

I completely agree that many people are naive and don't realize how many of the things they are doing contributes to the issue. I also agree one person using a little oil to start fires really isn't going to make any difference in the grand scheme of things. But why when it can just be recycled and fires started with just a little paper and kindling?

For me, I honestly find it EASIER to use a little bit of paper and a few sticks, then build up from there. I absolutely hate lighting those fire starters. I can't see them well, they fall down, they go out, they take awhile to light and they dont burn/spread fast enough.
Paper balled up around some sticks then kindling, then a few small splits - is literally like lighting a fuse for me. But Ive been lighting fireplace fires for quite awhile. It wasnt always like that, and back in the day I absolutely loved those fire starters. It was after I inhaled some of the fumes once, and noticed the smells in the room before the flue would warm and draft, that I realized I was probably breathing in stuff I shouldnt and I made an effort to build fire the way man was intended to

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I took some saw chips and a little wax and made a damp mix of it. Just enough wax to wet the chips. Then I packed it in a 2" pvc pipe about 2 feet long. I pushed it out when it was cool and it looks just like a giant wood pellet. I chip a tiny piece off with my knife when I need a firestarter. I made that thing about 10 years ago and still have most of it. People see it and ask where I found giant wood pellets, lol.

 

[fbelec]

i personally would not use it. i start cold fires a lot. every day. when starting cold a little is back drafted into the house until the chimney gets hot and that is smelly. i go thru about 2 trash barrels full of kindling every year to start one. i know another subject for another day, but i do a top down and use left over 2x4's i cut to 6 inches long by 1/2 to 1 inch thick and paper on top three pieces rolled and tied into a knot light then close the door thats it. if i don't have paper about 30 seconds with a lighter and the stuff just takes off. plain wood

 

[oilstinks]

I don't do this but some of the old timers used to soak dry corncobs in diesel or kerosene for fire starters. Stood them up in a bucket and added a little fuel in the bottom and they soaked it up. I've seen flue systems that burned waste motor oil through a drip system and the pipes seemed to corrode much faster. Not saying that's what actually happened but it seemed that way.

 

[Cluttermagnet]

Bingo! Some old timer from Texas posted his method with kerosene soaked
pine cones here. I found it worked best for me after trying a bunch of methods.
I gather cones from local Eastern White Pines. Plentiful around here, many
places to find them including several big trees in my own yard. I let them dry
a while; I have good surpluses of them sitting around. I soak them in a couple
of big coffee cans, the ones that look like almost a gallon in volume. Metal ones,
I wouldn't use plastic ones. I have a bunch of the red dyed kerosene. Pine cone
gets shaken off and put next to wadded paper with tinder on top, then kindling
and small splits built over it. All this between two normal sized starter splits.
Takes off very well, any false starts are rare. BTW I don't burn every day,
every new fire gets started this way. Kerosene has a slow rate of flame spread,
so It's a good way of doing this. Always starts slow like a lantern. It's sort of
the anti-gasoline- gas is very volatile and likes to ignite quite explosively.
Gasoline belongs in engines, not fires...

Which brings me to the topic at hand. I would simply like to add this- if
burning off oil sludge-soaked 'starters', I would suggest it would be way less
polluting if they were *not* used as fire starters but rather, thrown into a
good hot fire with plenty of coals. Higher combustion temp = less nasty smoke
and more complete combustion- FWIW... But yes, waste oil really ought to be
recycled, better than burning...

Clutter

 

[Eman85]

I've been in shops where they drilled a hole in the side of the stove and ran a piece of tubing from a bucket to the stove and poured their old oil in the bucket and had it drip into the stove while it was burning. Served 2 purposes got them more heat with less wood and got rid of their waste oil. Is it good?, no. But neither are the smudge pot type heaters that burn diesel. Neither is a lot of the things we do for comfort and convenience. 2 stroke engines aren't exactly environmentally friendly.
I'm an actor performing in the theater of thinking I'm making a difference too. I recycle my waste oil, I recycle my cardboard and plastics and play the games to make myself look and feel good about it. Then I fire up my racecar with leaded fuel, run my pickup that has had the cats removed or burn big brush piles from the trees I've cut.

 

[Caw]

I've been in shops where they drilled a hole in the side of the stove and ran a piece of tubing from a bucket to the stove and poured their old oil in the bucket and had it drip into the stove while it was burning. Served 2 purposes got them more heat with less wood and got rid of their waste oil. Is it good?, no. But neither are the smudge pot type heaters that burn diesel. Neither is a lot of the things we do for comfort and convenience. 2 stroke engines aren't exactly environmentally friendly.
I'm an actor performing in the theater of thinking I'm making a difference too. I recycle my waste oil, I recycle my cardboard and plastics and play the games to make myself look and feel good about it. Then I fire up my racecar with leaded fuel, run my pickup that has had the cats removed or burn big brush piles from the trees I've cut.

Where do you get leaded fuel in the US these days?

 

[Eman85]

Where do you get leaded fuel in the US these days?

Race gas, available at some stations or engine shops, AV gas available at the airport.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

People all over the world are wearing out hundreds of millions of tires and releasing that tire dust into the environment, but you get fined for leaving a tire on the side of the road. It seems people care more about the appearance of pollution than the actual results. Cars burn gas/oil while ships burn heavy oil and one ship pollutes more than 1 million cars, but it's ok because it is commerce? How about paint/solvent/cleaner fumes and vapors. All of those voc's. Take a look at the sherwin williams logo some time. Runoff from asphalt is loaded with chemicals, and the air quality near newer roads is not much better because of the offgassing. Over 2,000 nuclear bombs have been detonated, over 500 of those were in the atmosphere. Artificial colors/flavors/sweeteners are everywhere. The chemical off gassing in your car is insane. The levels of formaldehyde and other gasses in modern homes greatly exceeds accepted safety levels. Just the chemicals in common shampoo gives me the creeps.

I really would not worry about a teaspoon of oil in a woodstove, when you are burning tons and tons of other organic matter. You do grease and oil your equipment don't you?

Do you use lead free ammo? Primers are approximately 35% lead styphnate and lead peroxide (and also contain barium and antimony compounds)

If you like bbq, you are consuming ketones, aldehydes, pyridines and pyrazines.

Wanna know what chemicals are made when you burn resinous wood? It's crazy.

All of your reasoning is compelling, but choosing to burn something inside your house that is so full of highly carcinogenic matter, and making it airborne in your living space, is undoubtedly an unforced error. Any damage inflicted would be upon oneself and ones family. "Well, I'm probably gonna get cancer anyway because of stuff completely out of my control" ain't no way to live.