My E46 323i using non-synthetic: sludge fest 2010!

[bimmerdriver]

Originally Posted By: oliverr871
After some more thinking, I will just get a non-sludged low mileage engine. Thanks guys.
Are you able to tell if the noise is in the valve train or is it from below? Do you plan to pull the motor yourself? If so, when you pull it, take the oil pan off and take a look at the bearings. It's really easy to check the clearance using plastigage. It would be interesting to find out what kind of shape the bearings are in. I still think that unless the engine has been seriously starved of oil, it might not take much to get it back in shape, although I would add lifters to the list of parts, since they are probably contaminated with dirty oil that bypassed the filter.

 

[Craig in Canada]

oliver:

One you pass a certain point of "no return" you enter a different territory in the cleanup process. When you're messing around with a perfectly functional engine you want to be sure not to make things worse. If you're actually now seeing signs of lubrication issues you can move on to more aggressive steps with the feeling that "it can't get worse". Particularly if you're giving up and trying to find a new engine.

Why not give some more things a try?

I've read all kinds of stuff I've never even come close to trying: 1) an OC with straight or almost straight kerosene including some idling time. 2) filling the engine right to the top with kerosene, letting it soak over night WITH NO RUNTIME (duh), drain, then do a #1. Then maybe hit the dino HDEO and MMO, or Rislone, or Amsoil flush, or....

If you're able to dissolve whatever is interfering with oiling you said it was running fine before. Maybe give it a chance to run fine again. I'm sure everyone here would also be interested in what actually works. It's usually some old clunker in the story not something like an E46.

 

[glxpassat]

If the motor is running good, I would keep driving it and just use a good oil with a some MMO and change it often. Don't swap motors until it dies.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Exactly. All it needs is thicker visc, for now.

 

[double vanos]

Just do 3k oil changes with Mobil 1 10w-40 High Mileage oil. It is A3 rated and has a good amount of detergent in it. Reasonable priced and plenty robust.

On Mobil's website they claim it is for neglected engines that used conventional oil and got gummed up as a result.

Hopefully, it would slowly melt all that away.

Good Luck!

 

[Craig in Canada]

The OP has stated that now, suddenly, the engine has started all kinds of ticking and clatter and people's recommendations are still "leave it alone" and "just do 3k OCs"?

If I understand correctly that the OP has reported that the HLAs are no longer being pressurized and there's bubbles in the filter housing we passed "leave it alone" a while back.

 

[crw]

Well, I think we could sum the logic up this way...

Give up and swap the engine now.

OR...

Wait some time, and swap the engine when it dies, but the chance exists that the engine cleans itself with time and a lot of TLC.

So if a rebuild is not in the cards, I can understand that logic.

 

[Craig in Canada]

Originally Posted By: crw
Well, I think we could sum the logic up this way...

Give up and swap the engine now.

OR...

Wait some time, and swap the engine when it dies, but the chance exists that the engine cleans itself with time and a lot of TLC.

So if a rebuild is not in the cards, I can understand that logic.


I can only understand it when the situation is like the start of the thread - "I bought this car and looked under the valve covers and ewww!"

Now it's more like - "I've done this and this and this, and now all of a sudden there's clattering and knocking. Uh oh!".

IMO (I'll state again: IMO) to maximize the possibility of having a useful M52TU engine when all is said and done, I wouldn't just keep driving around in a threshing machine doing 3k OCIs with M1 and see what happens. If there are obvious signs of lubrication issues, not just sludge under the VC, step it up a little.

I *do* agree that I'd try a few more things before simply dropping in a new engine. Even just dropping the pan and cleaning the pickup is way easier and cheaper than giving up and buying a new engine.

 

[oliverr871]

Thanks guys for the advice. I recently started a new job at a BMW dealership so I haven't had time to really go online. Nice to know people still giving advice!

So, I had nothing to lose, and I'm still waiting and looking around for a M52TU motor, but in the meantime I put two quarts of some Castrol ATF in the motor and I'm running the car in idle right now. The ticking noise is still there, and the oil pressure light is still on solid. The car was sitting for a week before I decided to fire it back up again. The oil pressure light was off when the motor was cold, but as it warmed up, it flickered and now the motor is warmed up, its solid red.

The top end is still ticking though, but I have two quarts of ATF, Marvel Mystery Oil, and some Mobil Clean 5000. I might drive it around the block to assess how it runs. I'll keep everybody updated because not all the time can we run now a valid experiment!

What do you guys think? Drive it around a little bit?

 

[oliverr871]

I drove it around the block. With the Service Engine Soon light on, it seems a little sluggish but I can't say for sure because I didn't speed or anything. The filter is amazingly clean, however I did notice that the viscosity of the oil is really REALLY thin, almost like slippery water so maybe I have to use a heavier weight oil. Time to try some HDEO with some more ATF.

 

[Pablo]

ATF is not going to do anything except thin your oil and add to the damge. No offense, but you have not listened to the advice given and honestly you've drifted in to the silly.

I thought this most foulest of motors should at least be given a chance. Seems like you just want to kill it.

Drain the current concoction. Add some HDEO 15W-40 and 20% MMO.....repeat.....

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: oliverr871
but in the meantime I put two quarts of some Castrol ATF in the motor and I'm running the car in idle right now.

It's like trying to dig a trench with a toothpick. I think it's high time you reach for a shovel.

 

[oliverr871]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
ATF is not going to do anything except thin your oil and add to the damge. No offense, but you have not listened to the advice given and honestly you've drifted in to the silly.

I thought this most foulest of motors should at least be given a chance. Seems like you just want to kill it.

Drain the current concoction. Add some HDEO 15W-40 and 20% MMO.....repeat.....


No offense taken, but please keep your personal feelings to yourself. What you think is silly might be valuable to someone else. It is already dying, so I have nothing to lose. Thanks. I know you are interested in the results of what is going on here, so just keep your personal comments to a minimum and help contribute if you want.

I drained out the old oil and put Chevron HDEO 10w40 along with some Rislone oil treatment. It is somewhat quieter, but the clacking noise is still there along with the low pressure oil light. Just left it idling for a while. I want to crack open the valve cover and see if it did anything. The oil pressure light on a cold startup is off, but when the engine warms up, thats when the light flickers and eventually becomes solid. When I open the oil filter cap, there are no bubbles but the oil is still somewhat thin and like water.

 

[Pablo]

It's not really my personal feelings. I just wanted to help, because frankly you asked.

At this point, I respect your wishes and will just observe. Kinda cool. Carry on.

 

[oliverr871]

Thanks, I would still appreciate your feedback and advice and now that I have followed your advice (but didn't use MMO but instead Rislone) we'll see what happens.

 

[Pablo]

Using Rislone instead of MMO is pretty drastic deviation from my advice....I'm just saying. I'm not a Rislone expert though. Agree - Let's see if it works......

 

[Audi Junkie]

"Just watch", like a train wreck.

 

[glxpassat]

I would pull the oil pan and check the oil pump, the screen may be clogged.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
Using Rislone instead of MMO is pretty drastic deviation from my advice....I'm just saying. I'm not a Rislone expert though. Agree - Let's see if it works......


As an aside, you Americans are too lucky for product availability. MMO is impossible to find up here. One can't turn around in the additive aisle without finding Rislone and all the other "shock treatments."

 

[Craig in Canada]

Originally Posted By: oliverr871
I drove it around the block. With the Service Engine Soon light on, it seems a little sluggish but I can't say for sure because I didn't speed or anything. The filter is amazingly clean, however I did notice that the viscosity of the oil is really REALLY thin, almost like slippery water so maybe I have to use a heavier weight oil. Time to try some HDEO with some more ATF.


Cut it out with the ATF. I don't know why people think ATF is a good crankcase cleaner. Out of your selection I'd use HDEO and MMO instead. Even though I'm far, far from a fanatic fan of MMO in the crankcase myself it would be more effective than ATF.

After all of the various kind of advice on here, who told you that ATF is a good crankcase cleaner? It's 5-10 weight engine oil with dye and friction modifiers in it.