If everything else checks then your lucky.
Oil sludge
- Thread starter Donkeye
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I remember about 40 years ago tuning a slant 6 in a rural postmans car. No PVC in those days, and it was driven too slow to get much road draft. It was ticking rather loud, so needed the valves set. Basically the valve cover was pretty much a solid mass of jellied oil. I disturbed as little as I could, set the valves and buttoned it up. He drove it for years after that, with just plug and point changes. Had over 300K on it when it was sold.
Sludge is not always bad as long as it stays put.
Rod
Sludge is not always bad as long as it stays put.
Rod
No! I manually scraped chunks off in one engine I had....it only takes one small piece to clog an oil delivery hole and spin a bearing.
For that minor amount if it is running well then close it up and either do a cleaning flush or several short i tervals with a good cleaning oil.
Originally Posted by FordCapriDriver
Tell him to manually scrape off as much as possible, and run very short oil change intervals for a while, 2000 or 3000 kms
For that minor amount if it is running well then close it up and either do a cleaning flush or several short i tervals with a good cleaning oil.
Originally Posted by FordCapriDriver
Tell him to manually scrape off as much as possible, and run very short oil change intervals for a while, 2000 or 3000 kms
Just drive it. I don't think there is any point in trying to clean up that mess. The damage has been done. Put fresh oil in it and hope for the best.
I bought an 1975 Volvo 240 that looked like that. The valves were making a racket (solid lifters) so I took it to the dealer to be adjusted. They gave me a hard time about changing the oil more often... duh.
That car actually ran pretty good and didn't use much oil.
I bought an 1975 Volvo 240 that looked like that. The valves were making a racket (solid lifters) so I took it to the dealer to be adjusted. They gave me a hard time about changing the oil more often... duh.
That car actually ran pretty good and didn't use much oil.
Seen this more than once with different results. Dad had Oldsmobile with V6 he bought decided to do valve cover gaskets since leak and his looked similar. He decided Kerosene bath and shorten OCI was plan which seemed to work but only for short time then started knocking. I did used engine 5.0 Ford that had sludge so I scraped cleaned then removed pan and flushed. Needless to say I pulled pan while in vehicle (pain in rear) after interstate test drive with clogged screen. Engine lasted warranty from used car department. Mine I bought knowing V6 Buick had sludge so regular 3k oil changes and lasted 2 years. My last one I bought that had sludge was my Saturn just short OCI for 3 oil changes then Synthetic. Oil leaks that I never fixed since only quart every 4k. Toyota recommends clean and vacuum top of engine.
Many choices with no guarantee so I say if it is a customer then either rebuild or get one remanufactured as anything else you do customer almost always blames mechanic.
Many choices with no guarantee so I say if it is a customer then either rebuild or get one remanufactured as anything else you do customer almost always blames mechanic.
Just put it back together and fill it with HDEO and an oversized filter if you can find one (?). Maybe change the timing chain and guides if it really needs it, but leave that stuff alone. Pull the pan and clean the oil pick-up. New gaskets and back in the chassis. Drive for a few weeks and put it up for sale
We've seen some sludged engines here with every cavity filled.. That said, this one isn't bad.
I'd take a pick and a strong shop vac to the stuff on top and put it on an A3/B4 diet for the rest of it's life.
We still have a lot of unanswered questions. Was this bought as a replacement?
I'd take a pick and a strong shop vac to the stuff on top and put it on an A3/B4 diet for the rest of it's life.
We still have a lot of unanswered questions. Was this bought as a replacement?
Richard Widman has the following recommendation in his Corvair Oil Guide:
Bottom line recommendation #10:
Forget the myth that you can't put high detergent oils in older engines or engines that have been using poor quality oil. I do it every day! 50% of this market is API SF or lower, frequently without thermostats. They are full of sludge. Some drain plugs come out looking like a cork, with an inch or so of thick sludge on the end. No matter what the engine, I put in a 10W-30 high detergent CI-4 oil and instruct the customer to come back when it thickens up, or the following week if he doesn't want to check it himself. Once it no longer thickens up quickly we move on to 15W-40 and add a 1200 mile engine cleaner. At the end of that cycle we move to whatever oil the engine should have.
Bottom line recommendation #10:
Forget the myth that you can't put high detergent oils in older engines or engines that have been using poor quality oil. I do it every day! 50% of this market is API SF or lower, frequently without thermostats. They are full of sludge. Some drain plugs come out looking like a cork, with an inch or so of thick sludge on the end. No matter what the engine, I put in a 10W-30 high detergent CI-4 oil and instruct the customer to come back when it thickens up, or the following week if he doesn't want to check it himself. Once it no longer thickens up quickly we move on to 15W-40 and add a 1200 mile engine cleaner. At the end of that cycle we move to whatever oil the engine should have.
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