Another Sludge Engine help Question pls. *w/pics*

J

jgscott

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Nov 16, 2017
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Location
Georgia
Aquired 2014 Nissan Altima 3.5 V6 with 211k for a Song. Maybe? So I decided what the hell, and got it. I did see the sludge inside the oil cap before I got it. I changed the oil once with a Auto Zone filter and put some Walmart full Sys GDI 5/30 in it. So what should I do? I oil sludgepour in treatment? Or should I just try a few oil chnages and filter with Mobile 1 High mileage, or the Penn Ultra Platinum? Considering droping the pan to clean and screen maybe.

The Pics actually looks worst than they are, if that even makes any sense being it has sludge. I have seen way worst though, I mean way worst. I dont know the story or history other than it looks like it does for a reason, and/or not. The sludge is semi- kinda harden a bit, some of it. What would you guys do? I mean to try and help it some? Thanks.

BTW: I has no other engine issue (not yet), no smoke, no leaks, runs strong, quite and smooth like a top, with Sludge. Drive about 275 total miles and checked, no oil comsumption..... yet. I'll try to take some more pics to post up.
IMG_2574.jpg
IMG_2575.jpg
 
Last edited:
Step up the oil changes to high mileage oil and filter changes every 3-4k. I have also had good luck with adding MMO half way between changes and changing out the filter only at that add interval. You dont want to get too agressive trying to clean the sludge out or you could end up plugging an oil gallery or collapsing a lifter or 2.
 
Ok good stuff. So I am just a basic DIY home gargae oil change guy.

Now some dummy questions? What is MMO?

Is the Mobile 1 High Mileage a good one to use to help some?

I called the guy who got the car for 2 weeks then Sold it to me. He now just a few mins ago tells me he did a Flush with 1/2 can of Motor Medic Motor Flush then changed the oil and filter just 300 miles ago. That worrys me. Said he did because he took it to a Nissan Dealer and they told him it was heavyly sludged. I'm take you guy's advise here. I thought the engine would be ok myself too.

1 more pic attached.
IMG_2576.jpg
 
To clairfy the 2 pics in 1st post are the cap openning right side wall. The above is straight down bottom.
 
I can say I don’t typically buy Mobil 1 but my grandmas car was heavily sludged up where she kept forgetting to change the oil and after 2 changes with Mobil 1 Extended Protection at 3,000 each the sludge was gone completely. So I’ve always told people if they need to get sludge out use Mobil 1.
 
A Nissan VQ 3.5 engine would be thrilled to get an Euro oil, Mobil 0w-40 is widely available, fairly priced and does a good job cleaning engine internals. Cheap diesel rated oil would be useful as well. The Motor Medic flush the previous owner ran through the engine isn't that strong so I doubt it loosened up enough buildup to cause a problem. Still would be a worthwhile effort to remove the oil pan and check the oil pickup screen for clogging.
 
I'd have my doubts that this would be any song I would like. I'd steer clear of any additives. If you were going to do anything to it, and were it mine, I'd remove the valve covers and clean out the sludge. Following that, I'd remove the oil pan and clean the pan/pickup screen. The upside to this is that with neglected OCIs, often the gaskets need replacing anyways and this is an opportunity to replace them.

However, if you're unable to DIY the above, I'd run frequent (3-5k) OCIs with M1 0W-40. You can still pick up a 5 qt jug at Walmart online for relatively cheap.

For reference, here's a quick pic under the cap on my 07 Maxima.

IMG-2256.jpg
 
AutoMechanic said:
I can say I don’t typically buy Mobil 1 but my grandmas car was heavily sludged up where she kept forgetting to change the oil and after 2 changes with Mobil 1 Extended Protection at 3,000 each the sludge was gone completely. So I’ve always told people if they need to get sludge out use Mobil 1.
Click to expand...
M1 ep is that effective? Didn't know that. Thought you had to go boutique to get results like that.
 
JavierH19 said:
M1 ep is that effective? Didn't know that. Thought you had to go boutique to get results like that.
Click to expand...
That’s what I used and it cleared it up. That was about 4 years ago now so I’m assuming it’s the same now too. I had heard it cleared up sludge then so I picked that one and it sure did. Nobody specified to me which formula I needed so that’s what I got as it only had 50,000 at the time so I didn’t see a need for high mileage then.
 
Don't aggravate anything and just drive it, as you're not going to reverse the effects of previous neglect at this point. Perform regular OCI moving forward and enjoy the car. My '07 Maxima was a great car, it too was neglected but not mechanically, it only had 140k kilometers on it. Here's what it looked like after I bought and restored it in 2019, it had been parked on the owner's lawn for more than two years, I paid $1500 for it including winter wheels and tires. It cost an additional $1000 for parts and taxes to make it road worthy. This picture was taken when I brought it home the first time, it was a Friday afternoon, and I treated myself with a full detail after more than twenty years. Monday, I was scheduled to take my wife for surgery, and on our way, we were rear ended. I drove it for 2 more years and sold it for more than I paid.
20190510_195022.jpg
 
AutoMechanic said:
That’s what I used and it cleared it up. That was about 4 years ago now so I’m assuming it’s the same now too. I had heard it cleared up sludge then so I picked that one and it sure did. Nobody specified to me which formula I needed so that’s what I got as it only had 50,000 at the time so I didn’t see a need for high mileage then.
Click to expand...
Oh only 50k. The sludge can bake on and polymerize to be harder after hundreds of thousands of miles and become difficult. That sludge was pretty fresh. Still though. Not bad.
 
Hey thanks all for the help. I think I am going to just try a few Mobile 1 Extended protection 3k-4k Oil chnages with either the Nissan filters or Fram Ultra. Also going to take the Valve covers off do a little cleaning plus Gaskets and the Oil Pan and pick up. Should be good to go for another 100k I hope.

I just edited and realized I mistakenly typed Altima but it's actually a Maxima. My goal like another poster was to put it back together and drive the odometer off of it, like one other poster mention here, to give it a 2nd life. It has No CVT problems right now ( I already have the Fluid and Filter ) to change it 2x's, and thinking about finishing the CVT with some Reline I have left over from a Accord if its the same.

Max7c92a2cacbc74de68c243273d8b36491.jpg
 
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