Liqui Moly Sludge Remover video. Did I come to the correct conclusion?

[Owen Lucas]

Disclaimer: I'm shilling my latest YouTube video here but wanted to run my results by the forum based on some comments I have been getting.

2008 Buick Lacrosse 127k miles. Venerable GM 3800 engine. Never flushed before.

Drained the old oil, Hershey's syrup consistency. Completed 3 oil & filter changes (each filter opened up) with running the engine for 20 minutes in between so I could have very clean oil to start with and to rule out any contamination from remaining engine oil. This way I can confirm that the oil became dirty from the sludge remover.

LM Sludge Remover instructions state to drive 200km (124 miles) then drain, which is what I did.

Drained oil came out dark, which to me means the sludge remover cleaned up the engine, or does oil become dark after driving for 2 hours at highway speeds? The appearance of the media on the additive test filter looked clean . Would the dissolved sludge / varnish particles be small enough to pass through? Final filter was a Fram Extra Guard PH3387A (Ran our of Super Techs).

Beaker on Left is 5k Oil, next 3 are oil rinses, second from right is new oil, last beaker is the test oil with sludge remover.



P.S. I called Liqui Moly tech support in Germany to ask about the difference between the sludge remover and proline flush and an engineer stated that the LM Sludge Remover is intended for the European market and not the US. He said that the Pro Line Engine Flush is the superior product and that the sludge remover was never approved for sale here. Basically LM did not apply for permission to sell here nor did they file any technical paperwork, maybe MSDS?

 

[UncleDave]

Who cuts a filter dome end up???

 

[Owen Lucas]

Who cuts a filter dome end up???

Its easier for filming purposes, but not easier on the wrist!

 

[Donald]

No one ever said that a sludge remover would not remove sludge. But as with any sludge remover you run the possibility of loosening large chunks of sludge that could clog an oil galley and ruin the engine.

In addition sludge remover is a solvent not a lubricant so you have some oil and solvent running through the bearings and other places in the engine that get lubricated by engine oil. Not particularly good either.

 

[OVERKILL]

Generally sludge and varnish have carbonaceous particles in them that will indeed get caught in the filter, so if you didn't get any of that, it sounds like it didn't do much in the way of cleaning.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Generally sludge and varnish have carbonaceous particles in them that will indeed get caught in the filter, so if you didn't get any of that, it sounds like it didn't do much in the way of cleaning.

So basically, the oil cooked into a darker color. I was expecting to see more in the filter as well. Wish I had another Super Tech to compare with as the Fram had a darker media and the ST was a light yellow, better to verify discoloration and particles with.

 

[sk_pete]

No one ever said that a sludge remover would not remove sludge. But as with any sludge remover you run the possibility of loosening large chunks of sludge that could clog an oil galley and ruin the engine.

In addition sludge remover is a solvent not a lubricant so you have some oil and solvent running through the bearings and other places in the engine that get lubricated by engine oil. Not particularly good either.

scarecrow too much.
engine will build up dirt no matter what oci you do. first are the piston rings..

 

[Owen Lucas]

scarecrow too much.
engine will build up dirt no matter what oci you do. first are the piston rings..

For what its worth, some of the reviews on Amazon for LM state that oil consumption has been reduced after using the product. I think those are outlier cases though for very poorly maintained engines, which is when these products work best.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Disclaimer: I'm shilling my latest YouTube video here but wanted to run my results by the forum based on some comments I have been getting.

2008 Buick Lacrosse 127k miles. Venerable GM 3800 engine. Never flushed before.

Drained the old oil, Hershey's syrup consistency. Completed 3 oil & filter changes (each filter opened up) with running the engine for 20 minutes in between so I could have very clean oil to start with and to rule out any contamination from remaining engine oil. This way I can confirm that the oil became dirty from the sludge remover.

LM Sludge Remover instructions state to drive 200km (124 miles) then drain, which is what I did.

Drained oil came out dark, which to me means the sludge remover cleaned up the engine, or does oil become dark after driving for 2 hours at highway speeds? The appearance of the media on the additive test filter looked clean . Would the dissolved sludge / varnish particles be small enough to pass through? Final filter was a Fram Extra Guard PH3387A (Ran our of Super Techs).

View attachment 151874

Beaker on Left is 5k Oil, next 3 are oil rinses, second from right is new oil, last beaker is the test oil with sludge remover.



P.S. I called Liqui Moly tech support in Germany to ask about the difference between the sludge remover and proline flush and an engineer stated that the LM Sludge Remover is intended for the European market and not the US. He said that the Pro Line Engine Flush is the superior product and that the sludge remover was never approved for sale here. Basically LM did not apply for permission to sell here nor did they file any technical paperwork, maybe MSDS?

Only thing I would've done is after the 3rd rinse run the engine on new oil for 200km, then rinse maybe 1-2x and then run the sludge remover for 200km. That way you'd have samples with the same mileage but with and without the LM product.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Only thing I would've done is after the 3rd rinse run the engine on new oil for 200km, then rinse maybe 1-2x and then run the sludge remover for 200km. That way you'd have samples with the same mileage but with and without the LM product.

That would have been a good idea, to set a bench mark for with and without the sludge remover. I was starting to run out of oil anyway, I guess I should have stocked up on more of those $4.60 jugs of Amazon Basics oil when I had the chance!

 

[Vil_Riker]

Only thing I would've done is after the 3rd rinse run the engine on new oil for 200km, then rinse maybe 1-2x and then run the sludge remover for 200km. That way you'd have samples with the same mileage but with and without the LM product.

Yes, that would have demonstrated if the oil got cooked or not in 200 km of driving.

But this way there will be a lively comments section criticizing the methodology.

 

[Owen Lucas]

But this way there will be a lively comments section criticizing the methodology.

There sure are a few of those. YouTube comments are always entertaining.

 

[BaronHK]

I've been looking at this because Amazon carries the stuff for $25 a bottle and a small discount if you buy in multiples.

I was wondering if it's going to fall into the "Just thins out and darkens the oil but doesn't clean anything." category or the "Evicts all the junk at once and now you have a burning leaking mess.

I have seen flushes go all sorts of sideways. The Jiffy Lube got my ex for $100 for an oil flush and I said don't do it and of course wasn't listened to. The vehicle in question was a 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan that nearly got to 400,000 miles. Did the flush and whatever they used caused it to start leaking and burning so fast you had to put two quarts a week in just to keep it level.

So I'm wondering what in the Hell Jiffy Lube is using and what this sludge remover product (the 5200 SKU) where you drive around with it for a little while is supposed to do.

I've got a 2008 Buick LaCrosse CXL myself, but it just passed 69,000 miles. I am curious about this product and if anyone else has used it and what actually happened to the car later.

 

[KrisZ]

Nice wallet flush. Your conclusion at the end of the video should’ve been to not use either, as those few specs of dirt caught in the oil filter are no indication of any cleaning.

And you say LM engine flush is “one of the best” engines flushes on the market.
I’m pretty sure pure gasoline would’ve done a better job than this.

 

[Donald]

The Amsoil engine flush does not want you to drive the car while the flush product is in the crankcase. Just idle it I believe.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

The Amsoil engine flush does not want you to drive the car while the flush product is in the crankcase. Just idle it I believe.

That's the instruction for LM's ProLine flush as well.

 

[dumkid]

I saw some other videos on LM sludge evictor vs engine flush, and they said the sludge remover was thicker like engine oil, while the engine flush was thin and smelled solventy.

Im too lazy to go find them vidos now, if you want more info do your own research

 

[cheesepuffs2]

I saw some other videos on LM sludge evictor vs engine flush, and they said the sludge remover was thicker like engine oil, while the engine flush was thin and smelled solventy.

Im too lazy to go find them vidos now, if you want more info do your own research

I can confirm from experience using both that that's correct.

The sludge remover is still thin, but yes it's closer to a light motor oil.