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.