Thanks for all the feedback so far. I really appreciate it. I'll buy a good used engine if I have to but will try solvent flushes first. If I can get some flow to the top I'll run it a little, do a couple oil and filter changes, drop the pan, clean the screen, etc. Then I'll try the Auto-rx. I took pics when the pan was off and plan to document the process as best as possible... if I get a chance.
Audi A6 clogged with sludge. Any suggestions?
- Thread starter nikenick21
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How many pathways exist for oil to get to the heads? If there is a manual available that shows the oil flow through the engine, I can't believe that some careful work wouldn't unclog any clogged passageways. Compressed air, solvents, manual cleaning and the like will surely get you some flow. At that point, running solvent flushes, quick OCIs, frequent filter changes, and maybe one or two cleanings of the pickup screen will very likely get the engine back in good working order. There is no way, if this were my car, that I'd throw in the towel at this point.
Originally Posted By: MGregoir
You would be better off buying a rebuilt motor and sending this back as a core for someone else to deal with.
Best advice on here!
You would be better off buying a rebuilt motor and sending this back as a core for someone else to deal with.
Best advice on here!
JHZR2
Staff member
run neutra and/or a neutra/LC20 first to get the big gunk out relatively safely, and then do a double auto-rx regimen to really clean things up...
JMH
JMH
You've got nothing to loose. I would remove the valve cover(s) and pour a cheap cleaner through it. Diesel, gunk engine flush. So what if you spent $50 on gaskets and several gallons of cleaner. Run it on short oil changes with Mobil 1 HM.
What if you spent $100 on it? It may work.
What if you spent $100 on it? It may work.
Hey Quest, I'm in the Vancouver lower mainland. MMMMM coffee!! You give sound advice as usual on this forum!!
I'm assuming an autotech's approach is different than a car/oil enthusiast. Just like anything I've seen what happens to cars with sludge problems first hand NOT reading info on the internet.
Some flushes are more or less aggressive. Ignorance is bliss and you may feel your doing well. If your intentions is to sell the car to an unexpected buyer by all means do the scuzy dealership "fix it". More often than not deposits will throw a rod bearing due to lack of flow. Think you fixed it?? One day on the freeway your car will throw a clot (dislodge sludge at a fast rate) and your car will have a stroke
Your existing motor is an excellent core. Slude in a hot tank will dissolve immediately and stubborn oil galleries can be dealt with manualy with a brush.
Sludge especially the granular type will not miraculously dissolve. It will get stuck in the oil pickup. This is often seen in the toyota's. In the VW/Audi world I have not seen to much of them in my shop but I've been told its more of a mollasses consistancy. Regardless of what type of deposits if you have no flow your just depriving your engine without oil.
Oil pickup tubes are quite fine (screen) in nature. With any full flow system you'll need to come in one way which is the pickup tube. All the filter swaps will not remove more sludge. Oil is not like electrons.......The path of least resistance does not really apply to a cars engine
Hopefully my two bits and Quests input on his professional experience shows a trend on proper ways to approach this problem. Volvohead's observations on seals also must not be taken lightly. If your components are in good shape its not worth throwing a rod over a 5-10 dollar bottle of "so called quick fix"
I'm assuming an autotech's approach is different than a car/oil enthusiast. Just like anything I've seen what happens to cars with sludge problems first hand NOT reading info on the internet.
Some flushes are more or less aggressive. Ignorance is bliss and you may feel your doing well. If your intentions is to sell the car to an unexpected buyer by all means do the scuzy dealership "fix it". More often than not deposits will throw a rod bearing due to lack of flow. Think you fixed it?? One day on the freeway your car will throw a clot (dislodge sludge at a fast rate) and your car will have a stroke
Your existing motor is an excellent core. Slude in a hot tank will dissolve immediately and stubborn oil galleries can be dealt with manualy with a brush.
Sludge especially the granular type will not miraculously dissolve. It will get stuck in the oil pickup. This is often seen in the toyota's. In the VW/Audi world I have not seen to much of them in my shop but I've been told its more of a mollasses consistancy. Regardless of what type of deposits if you have no flow your just depriving your engine without oil.
Oil pickup tubes are quite fine (screen) in nature. With any full flow system you'll need to come in one way which is the pickup tube. All the filter swaps will not remove more sludge. Oil is not like electrons.......The path of least resistance does not really apply to a cars engine
Hopefully my two bits and Quests input on his professional experience shows a trend on proper ways to approach this problem. Volvohead's observations on seals also must not be taken lightly. If your components are in good shape its not worth throwing a rod over a 5-10 dollar bottle of "so called quick fix"
Alanu,
You're coming dangerously close to labelling all people who try to fix something 'themselves/in situ/easily' first as being scuzzy and cheap...you're right that a full rebuild is the best way to guarantee the engine will run like new, but for those of us who don't just have 4-5k lying around to throw at a problem trying other methods would seem to make sense to me.
If it does fail, then you do have to come up with that money anyway, but if it works and you don't have to spend the money, then you are way ahead of the guy who listens to someone like you, who says 'yeah, engine is badly sludged, have to rebuild it. No, no way around it, gotta rebuild it, and its gonna cost you...'
You're coming dangerously close to labelling all people who try to fix something 'themselves/in situ/easily' first as being scuzzy and cheap...you're right that a full rebuild is the best way to guarantee the engine will run like new, but for those of us who don't just have 4-5k lying around to throw at a problem trying other methods would seem to make sense to me.
If it does fail, then you do have to come up with that money anyway, but if it works and you don't have to spend the money, then you are way ahead of the guy who listens to someone like you, who says 'yeah, engine is badly sludged, have to rebuild it. No, no way around it, gotta rebuild it, and its gonna cost you...'
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