Changed the cam in my LS1 and discovered SLUDGE

Status
Not open for further replies.
Faulty PCV valve coupled with rich fuel mixture will quickly make a mess. Unburned fuel blowby with no crankcase ventilation is a prime cataylst for sludge.

Hope you faired well in Northern Louisiana from Katrina.

Once the ventilation is corrected. Run another ARX with dino, cleaning and rinse. Looks like these deposits are easily removable.
 
Everything is North Louisiana is the same except for the added population of storm refugees. We are also having trouble finding fuel due to shortages that hopefully will disappear now that President Bush releashed some of the reserve crude. Fuel prices have soared over 3.00 per gallon for 93 octane, but I have no choice but to tolerate it even though my monthly budget has no like in it. My car will run nothing less @ WOT.

I'm also going to post a warning thread on www.ls1tech.com and www.ls2.com about the catch can setups + running rich causing sludge buildup. Today I'm buying 6 qts. of Delo 400 15w40 to prepair for the Auto-rx treatment I start in a few days.
 
hmmm i have a 99 ta ls1 car that has similair problems.....what i found was the fuel lines and fuel rail was rusted badly causing leaking injectors...computer never set a code till it stopped running....ran this way for years....inside of the engine was badly sludged up...after fixing everything in the fuel system the inside is starting to look a little better...bought the car with 25k on it...stopped running @ 50k...has 67k on it now.Also i tried running the catch can deal and found yes it stopped the oil from going into the intake BUT after fixing the fuel system problem it stopped using excessive oil...the fuel was washing the oil down and pcv system was pulling it into the manifold.TRY THIs...pull the dipstick and smell it...does it have a strong fuel smell?Also do yourself a big favor and pull the fuel line off the at the frt where the rubber fuel line comes off and goes to the fuel rail....look inside the steel line.I have a link to gm's site that explains the trouble...by the way i spend over 3600 fixing this mess...they claim the ethonal is causing it.Read here under returnless fuel systems..really made me mad because the dealers will lie their azzes off about this mess.The inside of the fuel rails also rust badly because the ethanol holds water but the water can't get through the injectors so it sits inside the rail just rusting it to pieces....my rail actually had pin holes from the inside out....i talked with a tech that runs a LS1 shop and told me its very common on these cars...of course gm is NOT fixing it or coming up with a solution....tech told me he mods the system with a fuel pres regulator at the rail with a return line...nomo trouble after that because the water goes bk to the tank which is plastic. Local dealer admited this is a huge problem with new gm trucks using this returnless fuel system.Also the dealer tech was the only honest guy in the entire bunch...he told me flat out its because of the ethanol...he said noone whats to admit it.The warranty refused to pay for it claiming fuel contamination...i had to pay the entire bill...New fuel pump ***,new fuel lines,new fuel rail,new injectors,new rubber hoses..total was over 3600 dollars http://service.gm.com/gmtechlink/images/issues/cnt_mo/TLcme.html#story7

[ September 08, 2005, 02:39 AM: Message edited by: 99PontTA ]
 
99PontTa, thanks for the info as I was about to upgrade to the LS6 intake and upgrade my injectors. I will check both the fuel rails and injectors for rust contamination. I have thought my car should be a little more potent on the top end and this contamination of the injectors might be the problem as well as the fuel dilution problem I have. Thanks again for the link as well.

Mike
 
I also bought some Chevron Delo 15w40 at Wal Mart last weekend with a new filter. Frank is sending me more Auto-rx and as soon as it arrives I will drain my current oil filter, change the filter, and refill with the Delo and Auto-rx. We're going to kill this slugde.
grin.gif
 
quote:
Originally posted by Unleashedbeast:
Yesterday was the good ol' cam swap in my Gen 3 LS1 V8, but the discovery wasn't pleasing at all. Under the valve covers all grayish metal was covered by a black sludge and looked like gloss black powder coat. I wasn't to worried at this time, but when we removed the front timing chain covered I was floored. EVERYTHING in the engine was coated with this filth.
frown.gif
Both the oil pump and cam gear looked to be gloss black powder coated. Everything that oil could possibly touch was coated with this black film. You had to rub the surface kinda hard with your thumb so that you could see the varnished metal beneath it. Now here comes the upsetting part.

I bought a bottle of Auto-RX a couple of months ago just for the heck of it and the fact I had 80K miles on my car. I changed the oil filter and simply added the contents to my current fill of GC 0w30 (Hope I don't upset the elves, lol). I left it in there for 1500 miles and then changed the oil (Castrol GTX 10W-40) and filter (Supertech 3675) then ran the car another 1,000 miles for the rinse phase. I only dropped the rinse oil 500 miles early so that I could change the camshaft in the engine. So, after discovery of the sludge and reassembly of the engine I had a bottle of Seafoam sitting on the shelf. I added it to the 6 qt. fill of Castrol GTX 10W-40 in hopes that the solvent based cleaner will help remove the heavy black sludge that has plauged my engine better than the past Auto-Rx that has just ran a complete clean and rinse cycle. Even the stock camshaft removed from the engine had sludge discoloration building up on the cam lobes, NOT GOOD!!!

"Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, your my only hope."

How do I remove this virus from my engine? I bought the car used with 25K miles on the clock and have babied it ever since with nothing but Mobil 1 10w30 synthetic or German Castrol 0w30 and have NEVER went past recommended intervals. I am now worried that the past owners either neglected the car or the car had more miles than the odometer cared to tell me about.

Would the gurus please help me.
frown.gif

Click to expand...
First off, you are to use conventional oil in the cleaning phase.

Second of all, you have to run the rinse phase for 3000 miles, not 1000, not 500, a full 3000.

You can't complain if you didn't follow the directions.
dunno.gif
 
I may be wrong, but doesn't the Corvette have an engine oil cooler? If it does the oil isn't getting up to temp with the type of driving being done.
 
quote:
Originally posted by BlazerLT:
First off, you are to use conventional oil in the cleaning phase.

Second of all, you have to run the rinse phase for 3000 miles, not 1000, not 500, a full 3000.

You can't complain if you didn't follow the directions.
dunno.gif

Click to expand...
I wasn't complaining at all, just wanted to get advice for proper removal. Frank took care of me and now I am cleaning with Auto-RX and Delo 400 15w40. I will rince with the same oil and then start the second cleaning application all over again. My new job is 15 miles away and takes enough drive time to get the oil up to temp before shutdown.
smile.gif


[ October 02, 2005, 03:39 PM: Message edited by: Unleashedbeast ]
 
quote:
Originally posted by slc10844:
I may be wrong, but doesn't the Corvette have an engine oil cooler? If it does the oil isn't getting up to temp with the type of driving being done.
Click to expand...
I don't have a Vette....mine is a Trans Am...no oil cooler
wink.gif


99PontTA -

I now have the LS6 intake and 28.8* injectors. My old fuel rail and injectors showed no signs of rust as we rarely see any ethanol in our fuel down south. My car after tuning felt alot stronger with the new intake though.
wink.gif
 
quote:


99PontTA -

I now have the LS6 intake and 28.8* injectors. My old fuel rail and injectors showed no signs of rust as we rarely see any ethanol in our fuel down south. My car after tuning felt alot stronger with the new intake though.
wink.gif
[/QB]
Click to expand...
i'm jealous!
 
Just passed the 1000 mile mark on the 1st cleaning process. The oil is starting to darken. When I did the intake swap I went ahead and replaced the knock sensors. I had to remove the valley pan to fix a seal and I noticed the cam still looked brand new. Nothing was settling on it so that's a good thing. I also noticed it was easier to rub off the sludge with my finger. The Auto-Rx is disolving it well. Guess after the second rinse phase I will remove the valve cover and take pictures. I do have pictures of the buildup to post with them to compare.
 
Well guys, I just rolled over the first 2,000 miles in the first cleaning phase and let me say the oil is pretty dark. I also consumed about 1/2 quart over the 2K time period. The good thing is now that I have to drive 15-20 minutes to work allows the oil to reach full temps before shut down and makes the cleaning process better. The cleaner is doing what it is supposed to do and I will have pictures of before and after by the time this thread is finished. I change my oil tonight and start the first rinse phase.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
Cleaner for coolant system
Replies
9
Views
446
joshuawes1984
J
Valvoline Restore and Protect Success? 2009 Sonata 235,000 miles
2 3
Replies
59
Views
4K
JohnnyG
alaskanseminole
2016 JK 3.6 Pentastar 91k mi; 1k mile oil change interval after engine work - used oil analysis
Replies
15
Views
372
MrBubba
W
2014 GM 3.6L startup clatter and cam phaser confusion
Replies
6
Views
708
Woodsnut
K
What is responsible for making a GDI engine prone to sludge engine oil more than a port injected engine?
2
Replies
24
Views
2K
nthach
Back
Top Bottom