Sludge

[westex39]

Just inspected the filter media in the oil filter I removed. Seems like a lot of sludge was trapped in it. This engine has 89500 miles. This oil and filter change was only 1492 miles.
I looked into the oil fill hole in the valve cover and the top of the engine is really clean.
This is a Toyota 2.4 liter 4 banger, that is not know to be a sludge monster. I put in Mobil 1 10w30 oil, so I'm really concerned about the amount of sludge this oil will remove and plug up the filter. Thinking of changing the filter about every 3 months or 1500 miles.
What do you all think.

westex

 

[daemonite]

drop the oil pan or remove the head and check it out for sludge. If the sludge is just in the filter, i wouldnt fret...

if there is sludge in the pan or in the head, auto-rx is the arch nemesis of sludge...

 

[benjamming]

What is the past oil change history? Any overheating episodes?

 

[slalom44]

You need to give us more information.

Did you cut open the filter and actually "see" sludge in the pleats? Was it just at the inner-most end of the pleats, or was it built up?

Was this your first use of Mobil 1 after using conventional oil? If so, it is not surprising that it cleaned up some buildup in your engine and showed up in your filter.

 

[JHZR2]

cheak the pan / valve cover. Should be easy enough to do, and will give you a true bearing on your sludge issue.

Auto-rx may be a good choice in this situation.

JMH

 

[Ken2]

Auto-Rx is made for situations like this. It won't do any harm, has done much good for many of us, and has a money back guarantee.


Ken

 

[Ray H]

Wow - A money back guarantee! If the stuff loosens a chunk of glop that plugs a gallery before it makes its way to the oil filter, and your crankshaft spins a bearing, at least you can count on getting the price of the Auto-Rx back. (minus shipping)

 

[mechtech]

It would be hard to plug an oil galley, as the oil is pumped through the filter, first.

 

[kenw]

quote:

---

Originally posted by mechtech:
It would be hard to plug an oil galley, as the oil is pumped through the filter, first.

---

until it goes into bypass......

 

[JohnBrowning]

Year,Make and Model of Toyota?

I have to wounder how in the world you can see anything with the baffel that TOyota uses in the valve cover of most of it's engines?

If you truly have sludge then buy a bottle of Auto-RX and follow the directions.

 

[Letitroll98]

quote:

---

If the stuff loosens a chunk of glop that plugs a gallery before it makes its way to the oil filter, and your crankshaft spins a bearing, at least you can count on getting the price of the Auto-Rx back.

---

What experience do you have with Auto-Rx loosening big "chunks of glop" in an engine? Perhaps there is a case I haven't seen?

 

[99]

Sludge means the oil was hardly ever changed-generally.

 

[LVHospiceRN]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ray H:
Wow - A money back guarantee! If the stuff loosens a chunk of glop that plugs a gallery before it makes its way to the oil filter, and your crankshaft spins a bearing, at least you can count on getting the price of the Auto-Rx back. (minus shipping)

---

 

[Volvohead]

Sludge doesn't form in chunks; it's a slow process. In all the cases where I've torn down a sludged up oil starved engine, some fool ran a high solvent cleaner and/or was poking at the buildup, which creates the chunks that clogs the pickup. The parts counters just LOVED folks who ran kero flushes.

If it can run another 1,000 to 1,500 miles, a slow cleaner like ARX or even multiple short OCIS should do no harm whatsoever. It can only get better from there. Just don't pre-treat or mechanically disrupt the sludge.

 

[Volvohead]

Oh, and I wouldn't touch the pan unless you're having pressure problems already. The less mechanical disruption, the better.