Advice: Slight sludge issue

[binglax09]

98 Volvo 5cyl turbo with 300K miles. Running 5w20 conventional at the moment.

I swapped the head on her due to a burnt valve. In a rush to get it done before the winter I didn't get the new/used head cleaned! yes yes I know, I am mentally challenged!

Anyway, after I had it all back together it started getting on oil light after driving around for 5-10mins. I would shut if off, restart and it would stay out again for 5-10mins. To make a long story short, what was happening was the dislodged sludge on the dirty head collected in the pick-up screen thus the oil light. When I turned the vehicle off the oil would push the build up off the screen. Restart and proper flow would return.

I really hate dropping the pan on these vehicles SO I would drain the oil out while filtering through a shirt. Put the oil back in, drive for a bit, then repeat. This got most of the sludge out in a very easy manner.

So no more oil light! BUT I still have stuff draining out with the oil, although not as much I still want to get it cleaned up....

Ideas:
Run an Auto-RX treatment
Keep draining and refilling (kinda a pain)
Pour K1 through to get the bottom of the pan clean (no not run the vehicle with K1)
Forget about it and keep on running it like normal
orrr any other ideas?

Thanks for your advice!

 

[The_Jeff]

What if you bent a brake line and went in through the oil drain plug hole and hosed the pickup up with *something* under pressure (I'd use #2 heating oil for its cheapness)?

Or is there a windage tray in the way?

You could also run 50/50 30 weight and #2 heating oil, not up to temperature, but stop and start the cold engine repeatedly so it goes in through the sock then drains back out over and over. Maybe removing the filter each time if this helps it break its prime.

 

[binglax09]

I'm not worried about the pick-up screen as much as just getting the crud out of the pan. The screen is clean enough to get proper oil pressure as the light goes off instantly when started and stays off with no poor engine noise.

 

[SuperDave456]

How long can you drive it before the oil light comes on?

Try to go 500 miles or such before the next drain so that the detergents and dispersant have time to work.
You might want to drive it around up and down the highway and come home to drain it while it is HOT!

Also, when have you checked your PCV system?

I'm not sure I would do any MMO or AutoRX until you get to the root cause of the sludge.
Until then short OCI's are the cheapest way to go. Start with 250 or 500 miles and go up from there.

 

[unDummy]

Definite short OCIs. Use Pennzoil conventional GF5/SN oil or other SN/GF5 oil.

Can you fit a tube down the dipstick, like a mityvac or oil extractor type hose/tube?

Turn your oil pan into a parts washer!

Neighbors car had similar issue. And, sludge/crud was caused by low oil levels and overly extended change intervals. Didn't want to pull oil pan or valvecover, and consulted me for my troubleshooting mechanical experience. So, I stuck tube down dipstick to hit pan. Added 1 quart of Gunk 5 minute flush(or use kerosene/biodiesel). Connected airline to hose and ran a steady stream of air into the oil pan for a couple hours. No need to run engine. Air/solvent movement cleaned up bottom of engine, oil pickup,.... change oil and keep on driving with short intervals. Kerosene/biodiesel is $5 a gallon. Good for 4 oil pan/pickup washings before an oil change. You usually only need to do it once. But, if you have more crud wash down into the engine, repeat as needed prior to any oil change.

 

[binglax09]

I have driven it about 300+miles and the light has not come on nor will it in my opinion since I have drained the majority of the particles out.

I have done about 7-8 drain and refills, all done while hot and instantly after shut down. As in one guy in the car and me under taking the drain plug out right as it shuts down. This way nothing has settled and it hot and moving fast.

The PCV system was replaced, I would have done it when I did the head but it had already been done.

The sludge is due to the head that I installed. I was going to have a machine shop clean it but I ran out of time and I just needed to get the thing installed. A very stupid thing to do on my part but at-least I didn't destroy the motor.

Now I'm just trying to clean it up a little. As I don't care much about the sludge sitting in the head as all the oil passages are clean.

The sad thing about this is the 300K mile bottom end was mint, the head I took off had only a touch of tarnish. The kind of motor you could eat your dinner off of. Now I just screwed it all up.

 

[bustednutz]

If you've gone 300 or so miles already.....don't worry anymore. Now you can change it with a really good filter like a Mobil 1 or a Purolator Pure 1. I'd run a top notch synthetic in a 0w20 for the rest of the winter. The cleaning additives in those oils will slowly and effectivly clean up that head. Or run a top Synthetic in a 5w30 and a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) for 3000 miles. That will really make things sparkle, and its also gentle cleaning.
That would be exactly what I would do. I've done it before and am doing it again now with great results. No worries.

 

[binglax09]

Yeah, I'm not to worried about the light as even if it ever did come on I just shut it down instantly. I got pretty good at that haha!

I was just looking for any advice pertaining to getting the crud that is already oil-borne out of the motor.

I'm running cheap 5W-20 and a Purolator classic at the moment. I have a ton of Mobil 1 High Mileage and Mobil 1 Extended Performance and Purolators from the Advance Auto Parts deal but I really didnt want to use it up on this if Imjust going to keep having to drain it.

I'm kinda liking the idea of K1 with a bubbler, do that a few times to get the junk out of the pan. Then go to a dino for a little while THEN to a syn.

Is Auto-RX worth it in the application?

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: bustednutz
Or run a top Synthetic in a 5w30 and a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil (MMO) for 3000 miles. That will really make things sparkle, and its also gentle cleaning.
That would be exactly what I would do. I've done it before and am doing it again now with great results. No worries.


I agree, or you can save a few $$$ and use a good 5w30 conventional for a 3000 mile OCI and get very good results as well. Either is fine, and you'll have nothing to worry about.

 

[Boss302fan]

MMO and Pennzoil conventional oil work very nice in cleaning up any mild to mod sludge...

 

[Not the Autorx Frank]

Use whatever is on sale with a short OCI repeatedly. Frequency would be my emphasis. Use cheap filter too. MMO might speed up the process as well. Once you are satisfied that all the loose material is out. ARX it for the ring packs. Just my .02..