Heavy carbon/sludge build up 2006 Camry 3MZ-FE????

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AzFireGuy79

AzFireGuy79

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I was checking out some things on my 2006 Camry SE and thought I would take a look under the old oil cap. Guess what I found! Heavy carbon buildup to the point it almost totally blocks oil from draining past into the cylinder head. I added Auto-RX 1,000 miles ago but it was in the dark and I couldnt see [censored]! Keep in mind this car has only 22,000 miles and has been serviced ( previous owner) at the dealer its entire life. I called my local Toyota dealer and they are demanding all prooof of service for the oil changes. So they are basically going to come up with an excuse like its my fault. Typical. The dealer I bought it from in colorado is sending me the proof of service since I have only had it long enough to drive it 1,500 miles! I didnt think carbon/sludge was an issue on the 3MZ-FE????
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Is the view from the oil cap a very accurate way at knowing what you are really seeing? I'm not just asking you, but anyone for that matter? I personally do not know.
 
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Nope thats not it I scraped it down to that point the other night. I had also heard this about Toyotas so at first I wasnt really that concerned. After some light scraping with a flat head I started to worry. Until toyota pulls the valve cover ( its under warranty or I would just do it) I will not know if its a case of low to no flow in that area or something more serious. Might be nothing, but considering the service that was always done it should be gleaming under there.
 
Spitty, good point...
AZFireGuy79, as far as you are concerned, the Autor RX thing never happened. I work in the insurance industry...each case is handled as "case by case" and depending on who you speak with, they may react differently, so make no mention of that. Only state you have use proper OCI's with your oil and kept up on maintanance...that's all. They don't need to know anything else. (Period!)
 
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Originally Posted By: AzFireGuy79
I was checking out some things on my 2006 Camry SE and thought I would take a look under the old oil cap. Guess what I found! Heavy carbon buildup to the point it almost totally blocks oil from draining past into the cylinder head. I added Auto-RX 1,000 miles ago but it was in the dark and I couldnt see [censored]! Keep in mind this car has only 22,000 miles and has been serviced ( previous owner) at the dealer its entire life. I called my local Toyota dealer and they are demanding all prooof of service for the oil changes. So they are basically going to come up with an excuse like its my fault. Typical. The dealer I bought it from in colorado is sending me the proof of service since I have only had it long enough to drive it 1,500 miles! I didnt think carbon/sludge was an issue on the 3MZ-FE????
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I would love to see a photo from the filler view; any chance you could post one? So many Toyota/Lexus owners believe they have sludge, but it *usually* turns out to be the baffle (which has a gritty black texture that looks like a layer of sludge).

Obviously, you will know significantly more when they pull the valve cover to check it out. Please report back.
 
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Oh hey, I love that site! The dude says he's a Toyota Tech, but in the last photo that says "We're done. Qslim thoughtfully puts some oil in the engine", he's got a picture of a funnel stuck in where the coolant goes. It even looks Photoshopped, the radiator cap is kind of ghostly looking.

That is a hideous engine though.
 
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Originally Posted By: Pablo
Dude - cool down. Toyota uses a black textured baffle right inside the filler. Is that what you see?


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Hope you didn't scrape off the baffling material too much and end up with it all over the valvetrain.
 
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Are you sure you are not seeing the black crinkle finished oil baffle? I bet you are. Their is no way that car is carboned or sludged up in 22,000 miles. If he never changed the oil and just kept toping off it would not produce so much sludge and carbon deposits to do what you are saying. I recomend you remove the valve cover and take a closer look!! I think you need to calm down a make sure you have all the facts before you go off the deep end. If infact it is sludged up their is no way it was serviced dureing those 22,000 miles at all and the oil woul dhave had to have been something along the lines of an SA oil.
 
I was not aware that carbon was used as a finish on baffles!
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I have no proof from the dealer that it was indeed serviced, so who knows if what they are telling me is the truth. That is yet to be seen. I have a pretty extensive backround in engine rebuilding and wrenching in general, so its not like im some freaked out yuppie who doesnt know what Im looking at. It is carbon build up! Im not going off the deep end. I am just expressing displeasure at this finding. Maybe its just in this one area and everything else may turn out to be squeaky clean. I hope it is. The dealer here in Peoria is going to take the valve cover off tomorrow to see what exactly is going on.
 
I hope your proof from the selling dealer is good. Without proof that stands up to scrutiny you will have a tough time. Beyond that don't worry until the valve cover comes off. That baffle you are looking at can look pretty crusty and mean nothing.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I'm guessing this one way to clean that engine of sludge.

http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/sludge/cleaning_sludge.html


My dear GOD! I've seen neglected Chevy's with 200,000Km on them with less [censored] build-up then that! That's RIDICULOUS! If in fact the mileage is accurate, then there is simply no excuse for it.


That was one of the sludge-prone engines.
 
8700 miles, that's crazy. Just what would have happened? That's not any serious stretch of mileage by any means. That's almost a normal factory OCI these days.
 
79, even though the previous owner did regular oci's that doesnt mean the owner made sure to top off the oil every week or two, and I dont know about your engine but my corolla can burn down oil halfway or slightly more to the low mark on the dipstick by time for the next oci if I dont add any oil. If the owner wasnt aware of that as many arent and never topped the oil off then that could be the cause for build up.
 
Originally Posted By: strombony
Spitty, good point...
AZFireGuy79, as far as you are concerned, the Autor RX thing never happened. I work in the insurance industry...each case is handled as "case by case" and depending on who you speak with, they may react differently, so make no mention of that. Only state you have use proper OCI's with your oil and kept up on maintanance...that's all. They don't need to know anything else. (Period!)


Good advice, make sure your inline with the TSB also in your communications.

http://www.chrysanindustries.com/pdf/products/toyota_tsb071002.pdf
 
Great advice. One thing I am concerned about in all this though. I just dropped the car off at the stealership and immediately the service manager isdemanding service records. I told him that I would have to get them from the dealer I bought the car from. What the [censored]. Does this mean they are going to tell me to go get screwed if I cant get previous records? I doubt they will even take the valve cover off. I detest dealers. I know not all are like this but its just frustrating. Thanks for all of your ideas.
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