Originally Posted By: dubie2003
Either way thou, to be safe start with MMO and cut open the filter and see how it is doing. If you need more potentcy, then Kreen can be used.
I will defiantly be cutting my filters open to check progress, thanks!
Originally Posted By: electrolover
ok first off kreen is not harsh, its perfectly safe.
now it sounds like you have a pretty good game plan!! i would do a few short ocis with Pennzoil Conventional and MMO then step up to kreen. i think if you get the sludge out slowly at first you wont have any problems.
i dont know if i would change the screen yet, try a run with mmo and see what happens. BUT WATCH THAT OIL PRESSURE OR LIGHT!! if the light comes on shut er down fast. but i think if you have a little sludge in the pick up screen it will probably get dissolved pretty fast.
i would be worried about the screen getting clogged after cleaning has started not before
I was going to change the screen because I have already had the dreaded oil light go on. That and who know how many times it happened to the previous owner and if/how long they drove. The sensor is actually trips at 20 psi, so it's much higher than most. Another issue is the sensors tend to go bad as well.
Originally Posted By: Trav
I just did a Honda sludge motor,use gumout carb and parts cleaner in the gal can with a stiff parts brush to clean the
junk.Let it sit an hour or so then brush them with kerosene so any seals don't get damaged.
I have used Kreen in quite a few engines over the last year with many miles running it with no issues whatsoever,
i would honestly have no fear using it to clean up any remaining deposits.
Run it with cheap dino for 1K before reverting back to your normal oil.
Soak the turbo oil feed tube in the Gunk cleaner overnight,it will be spotless inside.
Thanks for the heads up, is that Gunk engine cleaner? I actually read your thread on Kreen and it's why it is an option i am strongly thinking about.
Originally Posted By: JRed
Instead of MMO, run DIESEL at a 20-25% concentration with some cheap HDEO. It's cheaper, and I've always wondered if it would actually work.
Come on, do it!
Haha, thanks but I think I'd rather go with a more proven method
Originally Posted By: Johnny
to BITOG
Thanks
Originally Posted By: chubbs1
Welcome. There is a member named "Trav" who is a great guy and just finished cleaning a sludged Pilot. He did an excellent job and posted pics. PM him and I'm sure he will be happy to help with any other suggestions. I agree that taking the VC off before you make a decision will be better, but fear not the Kreen. Use an HDEO and get the oil up to temp as much as possible during the cleaning process. Elbow grease helps too of course...you sound like you know what you are talking about. Best of luck and keep us posted!
Thanks, I will defiantly be posting picks. He has actually already replied to this thread & I have read his thread on his success with kreen
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Is the turbo making any noise at all? How does it look as far as end-play?
If you've got no boost, it may also be a vacuum hose(s) is clogged, perforated, off causing loss of boost.
I'd like to see some pics of the sludge before deciding which action to take. I'm a big fan of the "slow and steady" approach to these kinds of things (if you're not able to really get in there and clean it up mechanically, that is.) I'd suggest using a good heavy duty engine oil like Rotella and running that for a few shorter intervals.
I have zero experience with using solvents in my crankcase, so take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt. IMO, only oil should ever go in the crank case. I will never use anything other than oil in any of my cars. I just don't see any need to do otherwise. If the car is running now, then what's the rush? You got it for a great deal, so maybe it's best to switch from too-long intervals to normal intervals and let the oil do its job over time. JMO
I have not pulled the TIP to check but am positive the turbo is toast. If a vacuum line was clogged or split the wastegate would fail to open and I would overboost causing the ECU to go into limp mode. I will be pulling it hopefully this weekend though, but i can tell by the motor response that its is more of a restriction at this point.
Originally Posted By: Familyguy
Originally Posted By: Rick_Moranis
Hello, I'm a noob member but frequent reader of the forums. I picked up a 99 Passat Wagon for a song with some issues and once the oil light flashed I knew one of them was sludge.
I do plan on pulling the valve cover off as well as dropping the pan to clean it and also to replace the oil pump pickup tube. I have also noticed that the turbo is shot by lack of boost (if any).
From my research I have foundt 2 options that I like and was hoping to get some additional opinions before I take action.
My initial plan is to use MMO (20-25% concentration) with either Pennzoil Conventional or HEDO w/ initial short OCI's (500-1000 miles)
The other (more aggressive option) is to use Kreen which I have read a lot of positive reviews on, but have also read an equal amount of people strongly against using harsh solvents in the crankcase.
I also was looking for recommendations for the best solvent to clean sludge & varnish out of the oil feed and return lines for the turbo. I wasn't sure if perhaps soaking them in diesel or kerosene for a couple of days would do the job. I already have a spare turbo, but figured I would wait to replace it until I was able to de-sludge the motor so I didn't fry the new one also. I was going to get new lines but dropping $350 on a motor I am skeptical about seems like a waste, especially if they just get clogged in the cleaning process
I guess a lot of which option I use will also depend on what I see once I get the valve cover off as I'm aware that minimal sludge can clog the pickup. But judging by the turbo & the fact it's got 176000 on it, i'm guessing its pretty bad.
I also noticed that it wasn't getting up to temp, which could be another issue. So a flush and T-Stat are in order. I will be removing all the classic VW PCV junk to the trash where it belongs and replacing with a simplified catch can setup.
Thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated, thanks
The longitudinal 1.8T in the Passat is NOT really known for being prone to sludge. If you're paranoid, replace 1qt of oil with MMO for an entire oil change interval. I'd recommend Rotella T6 5W-40 synthetic ($19/gal at Walmart) and either an OEM Mahle filter or Purolator PureOne PL25401 ($6-7 at Advance Auto).
As for the turbo, it's far more likely that you've got a blown diverter valve or a leak in the plumbing than a bad turbocharger. Use the 710N diverter (only about $40) which was found on the TT instead of an expensive aftermarket unit or the worthless OEM part. Replace the diverter (it's almost certainly bad by now) and then pressurize the system and listen for leaks. ONLY after you've done that should you start thinking about a new turbo. They're not even that expensive anymore (about $600...and you might as well spring for a K04 for a wee bit more and have the option of goosing the boost up to 1.4bar or so). That'd be good for 230-240hp or so with appropriate chip programming.
Good luck,
I think your backwards here, the passat (1.8t's), especially early AEB's like mine, are the sludge buckets. They had a 3.7 quart capacity and 7500 mile plus OCI's on dino. The golfs and jettas (transverse) have a quart more capacity and started using synthetic sooner (the 1.8t wasn't in the MK4 (transverse app) until 2000 (although some were considered a 99.5) the longitudinal versions being available since 95 in the A4. The longitudinal versions are what caused the TSB's by VWoA to switch to the larger oil filter and synthetic due to sludging.
I'm positive there are no boost leaks & I will double check the DV but know from past experience that the turbo is most likely cooked. I should have mentioned that this isn't my first vw or 1.8t. My fun car is a modified 1.8t w/ a 50 trim making north of 350 hp. This is my daily that I can pack up with gear and head for the mountains.....as long as everything goes right lol
Originally Posted By: ARB1977
My buddy's Audi has the same engine. About three months ago he got a letter saying that the 1.8T was sludge prone and if there were any engine repairs made to submit his receipts to Audi. Long story short I told him to start using Mobil 1 0W40 for a few short oil changes. This last oil change for the last 500 miles he added MMO. He said this weekend helping was going to change it. I'll be interested to see what he finds.
I am to, keep us updated. I don't have much info on this car. I do know it was purchased from a reputable used car dealer approx 3 1/2 years ago.
Originally Posted By: electrolover
i think i would try MMO before i filled it with diesel or kerosene
I agree and feel much safer doing so.
Thanks for all of the reply's I will be updating as asap
