I posted a while back that my engine sounds a bit tappety. I had soem spare time today so began to have a good look down the oil filler and I could see quite a lot of sludge on the engine block wall, the camshaft area looks ok but there was a bit of sludge on one of the of camshaft bolts.
I am suspecting this sludge is blocking a yet or something or just stopping the oil from properly reaching the tappets so it does need removing. However what is the best way of removing this? I have always been warned against engine flushes but in this case is it the best cause of action? Should I just get another oil change done (as suggested once on here).
Oil was changed 480 miles ago but I suspect before that it had done 15k without a change.
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leave it alone and get radio 2 on theres big country on
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I've got a potential 500 mile round trip coming on BUT the advice from most people including you from my previous thread (before I found the sludge) was it is normal for these engines to be a little tappety. I don't want my chain snapping on the Menai bridge while a load of Welsh people laugh at us.
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Have you tried off the shelf engine flushes?
If they failed:
1. Diesel oil - drain engine oil, refill with 2/3rds diesel oil, top up with cheap engine oil.
Run engine to normal op temp, let it cool & drain.
Refill again with cheap engine oil. This is to flush remaining Diesel oil out.
Run to temp, allow to cool, drain, change filter, refill with choosen oil you are going to keep in engine.
Not everyones cup of tea, see, I already know so no need to tell me.
2. Take to main dealer, indy, etc., and (pay through nose to) have them flush the engine.
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Leave it alone Rattle - just do half the normal interval oil and filter changes -(mileage or months)
Hope you enjoy the camping trip ;-)
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Have you tried off the shelf engine flushes? If they failed:
DO NOT use engine flushes....
they have a habit of moving the sludge ok..... then blocking the oilways.
as already said... change the oil at short intervals for a while.
even better, can you post a few pictures for us to look at? it may be a normal build up, most cars do have some sludge, without causing problems.
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on the Menai bridge while a load of Welsh people laugh at us.
I think you`ll find we will not laugh at you,but probably stop to help.
Just rattle your rattle Rattle,then I`ll know it`s you.
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I don't want my chain snappingon the Menai bridge while a load of Welsh people laugh at us.
Ha ha ha! I only live 1/2 a mile away i certainly will come & laugh
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Auto Rx ?
www.auto-rx.com/
www.netparts.co.uk/store/index.php?main_page=produ...5
Edited by dervdave on 30/05/2009 at 16:05
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We used to use Shell Rimula or Rotella-both oils designed for large slow-revving diesels-they were very high in detergent.
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I still use it in our old indirection Punto. A relatively high ash content though to give a high TBN - might cause spark plug fouling on a petrol engine.
That said - I did use a straight 30 grade diesel oil in my hard worked triumph twin in the Summer of 67. Not much faith in VI improvers at the time, I seem to remember ;-)
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My advice would be to leave it alone. A happy tappet is a noisy tappet (within reason!) Perhaps just change the oil a bit earlier next time.
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I was a mobile car tuner for 14 years and I always checked and/or adjusted the valve clearences where possible ... I remember once tuning a Simca 1501 I think it was, now these engines were noisy from new but this critter sounded like a diesel so I whipped the rocker cover orf and I'm not kidding you - there was more black sludge around the valve gear than oil - thick it was, like John Innes No.3.
I checked the tappets and believe me - I could get the whole feeler gauge set under some of them (and some!)
It ran ok afterwards and as I gave a guarantee on my work, I never heard from him so it must have been ok - that is the thing about French cars - the engines are more or less bullet proof - its the electrics that let em down!
Anyway, I ain't seen black sludge for years now with modern/ engines/oils, but then I'm not "in the game" anymore either ... if I had the black stuff in my engine I'd be a tad worried about it, which is why I would only use the best oil for my engine.
Diesel engine oil in a petrol engine to clear it out? yes I've heard of it and would consider it in your case, or as per others - change the oil more frequently and get in some good runs - Cornwall is looking nice :)
I also used to say a noisy tappet is a healthy tappet - but then I've seen too many of the critters with no clearence whatsoever - which tends to burn out the valve seat somewhat! OHV tend's to increase in clearance over time where'as OHC tend to close up ... well, that's what I found *in general* anyway.
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I was a mobile car tuner for 14 years and I always checked and/or adjusted the valve clearences where possible ... I remember once tuning a Simca 1501 I think it was now these engines were noisy from new but this critter sounded like a diesel so I whipped the rocker cover orf and I'm not kidding you - there was more black sludge around the valve gear than oil - thick it was like to say a noisy tappet is a healthy tappet - but then
5 yrs ago I used a dessert spoon for the mountain of sludge in my son's neglected Pug309 OHV - old Talbot engine I think - probably similar to your Simca - I could rattle a 25 thou feeler in the valve gear- 80,000 miles. Tightened it up to sound less like nuts in a biscuit tin; still rattling along nicely at 100,000. Oil flushes waste of money - leave overnight to drain - you'd be amazed how much gunge one dirty drip every 20 secs creates in the tray...
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>>Auto Rx ?
www.auto-rx.com/
It looks to me that the 'after' pictures don't use a sepia filter.
Edited by bathtub tom on 31/05/2009 at 02:32
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"It looks to me that the 'after' pictures don't use a sepia filter"
My thoughts entirely. Another derivative of 'Snake Oil' ?
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Don't flush your engine.
I would imagine that this sludge is merely the result of lots of short journeys, with the engine not getting fully hot. The best thing to do is to start using your car a bit more, go on a few longer journeys.
If you do continue to do predominantly short journeys, then there's some advice in the owner's manual about how to work out a shorter service interval. In normal use, however, there's nothing wrong with a longer interval as long as the correct oil is used.
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I always find synthetics clean up an engine that has been run on mineral oil, but only after a year or so. The trouble is tappets are hard to unblock as there is no flow into their tiny oilways if they are blocked so the flushing fluid never gets to the blockage to dissolve it.
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I must confess to using Wynn's engine flush at every service, including the 144,000 miler I did on the S60 today. I have no evidence it works, I have no evidence it does any good at all, but I've always used it. A silly habit really.
Apart from once, the engine has had fresh oil every 10-12k throughout its entire life, using good brand synthetic or part synthetic oil, so it shouldn't strictly have any sludge in there.
Daft, I know, but old habits etc.
Cheers
DP
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DP I bet you haven't had elephants in the fridge since using the Wynn's either. :-)
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Sludge is better left rather than loosened and circulated round the engine.
If you want to clean it out, you should do it very thoroughly or not at all.
Don't just tip in a can of sludge cleaner and leave it at that. Drain the oil when hot, and fill with proper flushing oil. Put on a fresh filter. Run it for about 10 minutes, varying the speed, making sure the oil gets really hot. Drain the oil, put in fresh ordinary oil, with a new filter. Run for about 50 miles, then drain again and replace the filter. Do the next few oil changes at much shorter intervals than normal.
In short, it's not normally worth it, unless you are reviving an engine that has been standing for years, or cleaning up a neglected engine.
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>>DP I bet you haven't had elephants in the fridge since using the Wynn's either. <<
(hehehe!)
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>>DP I bet you haven't had elephants in the fridge since using the Wynn's either.
LOL - alright you lot. ;-) Now I can't stop in case the elephants appear. Thanks for installing another niggling doubt in my already insecure mind! :-)
It's almost autopilot now. Warm the engine up, drop the Wynn's in, run it for another 10 mins at fast idle, switch off and drain immediately. It would feel strange changing the old routine in any way, shape or form.
Besides which, it's only a fiver, unlike the stuff the dealers put in at service time....
Cheers
DP
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>>> LOL - alright you lot. ;-) Now I can't stop in case the elephants appear. Thanks for installing another niggling doubt in my already insecure mind! <<<
In actual factuals, in my mobile tuning days, I used to use Wynns engine flush myself - especially on the Mrk 3 Escort - it never failed to quieten those hydro lifters!
Another product I used to swear by was STP EFi cleaner - it would work wonders on the ole injectors - all you had to do was bung it in the tank and give it a short run .. there you are - A specialist :)
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I am suspecting this sludge is blocking a yet >>
Oil was changed 480 miles ago but I suspect before that it had done 15k without a change >>
IMO, your engine could have suffered some serious real damage. I think you should get a new engine fitted before you go on your long journey to the wild frontier. ;-)
Edited by jbif on 01/06/2009 at 21:52
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