Clean oil pickup screen by soaking with?

[takoda97]

Hi,
I may have a clogged pickup screen that I plan to check with a videoscope through the oil drain on my 97 Dakota if possible. I cannot remove my pan and would have to take it to the shop.

I was wondering if I could fill up the oil pan up to the pickup screen with some sort of solvent/detergent cleaner and let it soak without the engine running. Maybe for a day or so. ie. Gunk motor flush or Amsoil Flush. I'll list my questions numbered to make it easier:

1. About how much liquid would I need to put in the pan of the 5.2L 97 Dakota to reach the oil pump screen, roughly 1-2 quarts?
2. Say I put 2 quarts in through the dipstick tube. Would this liquid come in contact with any rubber seals or anything from the time it's entering through the dipstick tube and after? I assume 2 quarts in the bottom of the pan will only come in contact with the metal pan, the pickup tube, and nothing else(ie. no rubber) right?
3. Would Gunk or Amsoil flush be effective cleaners straight with no oil mixed with them, in a non-running engine? All I want to clean now is the pickup screen.
4. Would there be something better to use that could safely soak in the oil pan without running the engine?

Thanks,
Sorry my first post is filled with so many questions

 

[AandPDan]

Why do you think you have a clogged pickup tube?

The best way is going to be pulling the pan.

 

[takoda97]

Originally Posted By: AandPDan
Why do you think you have a clogged pickup tube?

The best way is going to be pulling the pan.

Regardless of if I do or not, I want to prepare so I don't continue to waste time without the truck. I think I might because at warm idle, the oil pressure light comes on and when accelerating again it goes off and the pressure raises again. As far as this thread, I'll assume that I do have a clogged pickup just so we're all on the same page and this thread doesn't get too confusing.

Thanks

 

[UNC151]

Originally Posted By: takoda97
I think I might because at warm idle, the oil pressure light comes on and when accelerating again it goes off and the pressure raises again.

This could also be indicative of a worn out oil pump or excessive clearances in the bearings. How many miles on the truck (unless I missed it)?

 

[fdcg27]

This might be a case where a run of Kreen would make sense.
I don't think that you'll soak this problem away.
It's also very possible that you have a badly worn oil pump or a leak in the pickup tube.
AandPDan (the grocer or airframe and powerplant mech?) is right in that the best way to deal with this is to remove the pan.
You can then easily replace the pickup tube as an assembly along with the oil pump, all of which will be fairly cheap.
You'll also be able to see whether you've got a sludge problem, which is about the only way you're going to end up with a clogged pickup screen.
Maybe a good first resort would be to use a real gauge to determine what oil pressure really is.
You might just have a bad sender.

 

[takoda97]

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
Originally Posted By: takoda97
I think I might because at warm idle, the oil pressure light comes on and when accelerating again it goes off and the pressure raises again.

This could also be indicative of a worn out oil pump or excessive clearances in the bearings. How many miles on the truck (unless I missed it)?

131k. The worn out oil pump is possible along with a bad oil pressure sending unit. I'm pretty sure it's not the bearings at 130k and since it happened out of nowhere. I'm praying it's not the pump itself

I know it's bound to go at some point, but I'm not ready yet, just paid enough on the truck already and only had it since summer.

Thanks

 

[Zaedock]

If it happened out of nowhere, I would plumb in a mechanical gauge to verify the pressure before you start guessing at the cause. The 318 is a tough engine and I doubt its anything to do with the bearings.

I have rebuilt two 318's over the years and the pumps/bearings were still in decent shape. Check the sending unit.

 

[AandPDan]

Start with the mechanical gauge.

 

[Warstud]

Change your oil filter first.

 

[Chris142]

Most likely a bad sender. But I bet that a gallon of gas poured into the drained pan and set a few days wpuld break up any sludge if its blocking the pickup screen

 

[widman]

It you have pressure at higher rpm's, it isn't a clogged sump, since it would starve more at higher rpms.

Suspect the gauge first, pump second.

 

[takoda97]

Any reason why I shouldn't just replace the oil sender with a new genuine Mopar one rather than using an external gauge? I know a gauge would be more accurate, but if the pressure shows fine one the new sending unit...?

Would the engine flush break up the sludge or is it not powerful enough you think?

Also the oil filter is a recently changed NAPA Proselect from the shop I believe. They changed the oil not too long ago. Well, in miles. IT's been a couple months. I don't know the oil changes that were done before that as I bought the truck late this summer.

Thanks

 

[UNC151]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
But I bet that a gallon of gas poured into the drained pan and set a few days wpuld break up any sludge if its blocking the pickup screen

If a solvent is desired (and determined that it is needed) then Berryman Chemtool would do the trick. There have been several posts about using it on sludgers to clean them up. It would definitely remove any and all sludge in the pan. I would thoroughly drain it and do a very short OCI to remove any remnants. Before I did all of that though, I would pull a valve cover to see if sludge actually existed--as others have said it could be a number of things and not a clogged pickup.

 

[takoda97]

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
Originally Posted By: Chris142
But I bet that a gallon of gas poured into the drained pan and set a few days wpuld break up any sludge if its blocking the pickup screen

If a solvent is desired (and determined that it is needed) then Berryman Chemtool would do the trick. There have been several posts about using it on sludgers to clean them up. It would definitely remove any and all sludge in the pan. I would thoroughly drain it and do a very short OCI to remove any remnants. Before I did all of that though, I would pull a valve cover to see if sludge actually existed--as others have said it could be a number of things and not a clogged pickup.

Would the videoscope linked below be able to go through the oil drain hole and "see" the pickup screen for me?
http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MV400-5-5-Di...;keywords=autel

At this point I'd like to minimize the chance of me messing something up by physically taking things apart. I don't have a warm place (just the driveway for now) to work on the truck and would like to keep what I need to do simple if possible.

Thanks for the B12 suggestion, I've read about it before but am glad to hear from you that it should do the trick if necessary.

Thanks

 

[artificialist]

Berryman chemtool is great stuff. It is similar to Seafoam, but Berryman is stronger and costs less.

But if you can't find Berryman B12, Seafoam products are still excellent.

 

[takoda97]

Originally Posted By: artificialist
Berryman chemtool is great stuff. It is similar to Seafoam, but Berryman is stronger and costs less.

But if you can't find Berryman B12, Seafoam products are still excellent.

I'm a little confused with the B12, there seems to be more than one Berryman product labelled B12. Will seafoam work by just letting it "soak" the filter without running?

Thanks

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Warstud
Change your oil filter first.


+1 I had low oil pressure measured with a mechanical gauge that went away with just a filter change. Filter was examined by Amsoil and they said it was full, but not defective.

 

[UNC151]

Originally Posted By: takoda97
Originally Posted By: artificialist
Berryman chemtool is great stuff. It is similar to Seafoam, but Berryman is stronger and costs less.

But if you can't find Berryman B12, Seafoam products are still excellent.

I'm a little confused with the B12, there seems to be more than one Berryman product labelled B12. Will seafoam work by just letting it "soak" the filter without running?

Thanks

You are going want to use one of these (depending on how much you need--probably the 1 gallon can): Berryman Chemtool

 

[tomcat27]

I'd have to agree with the Berrymans. as you may know, the magnum engines use a much finer screen than many engines and they are known to clog up. there is also a known problem with the sending unit, but many engines have been ruined because someone assumed the gauge was at fault.... please let us know the results of your video inspection.

 

[bigt61]

Soaking the screen at this point is treating a problem you aren't even sure you have. I'd run a little thicker oil known for cleaning (like Mobil 1 0W-40) and let it go until the spring when it warms up a little. Just drive it gently over the winter - if the Mobil 1 cleans the screen, possibly the problem gets solved cheap.