Findings upon draining 2.7L Chrysler

[vtb]

I've been using PP (5K ocis) in my Sebring since I found BITOG, a little over a year ago. Many thanks to all. The chrysler 2.7l has a rep as a sludger, but is not showing any evidence in my particular case (fill hole looks clean, no issues yet). About two years ago, the oil light would flicker while it was hot and idling, like coming off the interstate and sitting at the off ramp. Since using PP, this has not happened. Is the PP cleaning the oil sending unit contacts, cleaning up sludge and deposits?
I do see little black hard chunks in the oil when draining. Is this sludge, dirt, or what?

 

[HangerHarley]

Originally Posted By: vtb
I've been using PP (5K ocis) in my Sebring since I found BITOG, a little over a year ago. Many thanks to all. The chrysler 2.7l has a rep as a sludger, but is not showing any evidence in my particular case (fill hole looks clean, no issues yet). About two years ago, the oil light would flicker while it was hot and idling, like coming off the interstate and sitting at the off ramp. Since using PP, this has not happened. Is the PP cleaning the oil sending unit contacts, cleaning up sludge and deposits?
I do see little black hard chunks in the oil when draining. Is this sludge, dirt, or what?

Sludge.

If PP Can do that.. I wonder what PU will do to mine. Even in Half the fill (Not ALL PU.)

I hope those Chunks were Stationery and not Circulating. How Long are your OCIs? Those Chunks could really mess something up.

500 Mile OCI? 1000 Mile OCI?

 

[Thermo1223]

Well the only you'll know for sure is to pull the pan or valvecover.

I'd gather that showing your oil pressure light doesn't flicker anymore is a good thing telling that PP is doing it's job.

Keep using quality filters!

 

[defektes]

Cut open the filter, would love to see what it has gathered.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: vtb
I've been using PP (5K ocis) in my Sebring since I found BITOG, a little over a year ago. Many thanks to all. The chrysler 2.7l has a rep as a sludger, but is not showing any evidence in my particular case (fill hole looks clean, no issues yet). About two years ago, the oil light would flicker while it was hot and idling, like coming off the interstate and sitting at the off ramp. Since using PP, this has not happened. Is the PP cleaning the oil sending unit contacts, cleaning up sludge and deposits?
I do see little black hard chunks in the oil when draining. Is this sludge, dirt, or what?


the black flecks are sludge- your 2.7 is being a 2.7. That is the one and only Chrysler engine I'm ashamed they ever made.

What oil did you use before, and how many total miles? If you used a non-synth and neglected oil changes in the past, it may just be that the PP is cleaning out old sludge and that none is forming now.

As for the pressure- the oil never gets to the contacts of the pressure sender (or shouldn't). If your oil light used to flicker and now doesn't, I'd suspect that your sending unit is failing and no longer indicates properly- does the light come on (and STAY on) if you turn the ignition on with the engine not running? If it doesn't come on under that condition, then its not working. Sending units are cheap- just replace it.

 

[vtb]

I'll check the oil light tomorrow, thanks. Before, it got cheap conventional and long oci's (between 6-9K). I don't know what the history of it was prior to us getting it in 2004 with 52K on the clock. 93K on it now. No coolant issues, I'm sure of that. Runs fine right now, fingers crossed. Good power, nothing funny.

 

[vtb]

5K on the PP, now.

Before that, 6-9 K on dino.

 

[440Magnum]

Early 2.7s also had some issues with timing chain tensioner failures, but I think that was licked before 01.

The 2.7 can be a good engine with decent care, but its just notoriously hard on oil. Maybe not as bad as a Nissan v6, but still pretty tough and tough in a different way- the Nissan loads it up with wear metals, the 2.7 cooks its oil to goo.

A good resource for the care and feeding of 2.7s might be the LH Forums, although it maybe less active now that the LH cars have been out of production for so long. I know one guy on there had well over 200k on a 2.7 with no issues, but he's been very careful about oil and changes for the whole life of the engine.

 

[ledslinger]

I have a 2000 Concorde with a 2.7. I got it last year with 60K on it and have put about 12K on it. I have had idle oil light flicker, the sending units leak into the connecter, I think there is a service bulletin about it and the connecter. The area where the sending unit mounts is very hot due to the cat converters being along side the engine. The plastic in the sender and connector deteriorate from the heat.

I replaced the sending unit and still had oil light flicker with 10W-30 Sheaffer 7000 and 5W-30 Castrol Edge. I am using GC now with no light flicker. I think this is a great oil for this engine.

The engine is pretty good until it fails. I get 29 MPG in what I think is now called a full size car. Not much grunt, but enough.

 

[Nickdfresh]

I thought only certain vintage 2.7L years (up to 2002 or 2003 IIRC) were sludgers.

 

[vtb]

If I can get it open without destroying it, I'll post filter pics. It will probably be next weekend. It did feel very heavy when I removed it, more so than just being full of oil. It will be interesting to see what's in there.

Any other suggestions from anyone on keeping a 2.7 alive?

I used to own an 02 Sebring with a 2.7, oil light got steadily worse and more frequent, I was going to deal with that, and then it started the transmission death whine, lasted about another 9 days.

 

[vtb]

Sorry, no pics, but I did cut the filter open. Wavy media, no visible sludge chunks, black as night filter media. Well built filter.