Early motoring

It always amazes me that old cars blew so much oil smoke.

How did they keep the plugs clean?

If I had a smokey engine like that I'd be forever replacing of cleaning plugs.

Zuffen

The big thing was castor oil as the best lubricant but it burns at a muich lower temperature than mineral oil.

I still love the smell of castor oil and can remember the cars and bikes at Fisherman's Bend and the various hill climbs Dad dragged us to when I was a little kid. From memory I think the speedway blokes used it as well.

All WW1 aircraft used castor oil and many of the motors were total loss system. You do not hear how the pilots very often would come back with their underpants full - not from fear but from breathing the fine castor oil mist blowing back over the cockpit.

Yes Land Speedway 'sliders' loved the castor oil as do model aircraft of days gone by. We followed a not so old 4wd while heading south and had to slow right down to let it get the hell a long way ahead of us it was burning so much oil. Never a cop when you want one.
Just remembered that those 'sliders' ran a total loss oil system as well so they oiled the track for all who followed.