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[JoshuaFH]

Don't ask me how it happened, but a good dob of motor oil got in my kitchen sink, and apparently it's clogging it.

What cuts motor oil? WikiAnswers tells me Nitroglycerin, but holy shit man that's an extreme option. Is there an easier way of going about that?

[LordSlowpoke]

Use a drain cleaner that contains hydrochloric acid and hope to all hell your pipes can handle it.

don't hold me responsible if this fucks up by the way

[nenjin]

Could try engine degreaser. i'll make the same statement as above that I can't be held responsible for what happens to your plumbing afterward.

[martinuzz]

you could try draining it off, since it will be floating on water. Dunno how exactly. Do not try a hose, as you would while draining a petrol tank with your mouth and a hose. Motor oil is a substance you really do not want in your mouth.

[weenog]

Typically you can cut grease with thinner grease.  Also, heating up congealed grease will tend to make it less viscous.  Try heating up some cooking oil (nothing that congeals at room temperature, bacon grease is right out) in a saucepan and pouring it down the drain to loosen up the clog.

[Virex]

Motor oil consists mainly of hydrocarbon oligomers. Ideal solvents would be xylene, toluene, chlorobenzene or chloroform, but I don't think you have acces to either of those. Less ideal solvents that are still worth a shot would be white spirit, paint thinner and possibly acetone. Solvents that I expect not to work, or at least not work well are strongly polar or waterborne solvents including hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, lye sollutions, amonia and cleaning alcohol.

Also, heating will cause it to become less viscous and speed up the dissolution process. However, do not use open flames if you can avoid it since there is a possibility that flammable fumes will be produced, especially when using a solvent.

[foil]

Take u bend off from under sink and clean it.  Remember to put something under it to catch all the crap that comes out.

IF the drains are fitted properly most of the oil will have run out the house and the only issue should be in the bends under the sink.

Does the bath or shower drain away properly?

[DJ]

Yeah, this is why sinks have those u-bends on the outbound pipe. Should be fairly simple to disassemble and reassemble.

[JoshuaFH]

Alright guys, problem solved. Turns out there were some other blockages that were compounding this problem, but it's been alleviated now.

[Nightscar982]

I hope you used the acid, because that would solve everything pipe related.

[wierd]

Drain cleaner wont work chemically, because motor oil is a fully saturated hydrocarbon with no hydoxyl group tail to trans-esterize.

You need VERY VERY hot water, liquid dawn dish detergent, and aggressive agitation.

[MonkeyHead]

You could, you know, just use fire...

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Yeah, sure, burn something in a tightly enclosed space, I'm sure that won't have any consequences.

[LeoLeonardoIII]

I love how the problem hath been solved but people are still giving advice.

"Did yer try running da water real hot-like?"

[sackhead]

I love how the problem hath been solved but people are still giving advice.

i love how we managed to go nearly 15 posts in a thread like this with out someone writing MAGMA!!! in large red letters