Tdi gelatinous sludge

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Originally Posted By: bigjl
The person that posted about the spark ignition turbo diesel still hasn't answered my question about it.

I'll take a minor stab at it. I actually had read a reference to spark ignition diesel in Popular Mechanics or Car & Driver some time ago. There wasn't much about it, and I have no idea who was puttering around with it, but the notion was that they could reduce compression ratios and affect emissions that way. Other than that, your guess is as good as mine.
 
Originally Posted By: bigjl
Originally Posted By: k1rod
Originally Posted By: TrevorS

Out of all the Euro engines that all need Euro oils, a turbo diesel is going to be the most at risk without a Euro oil.

Even normally aspirated gasoline Euro engines get sludge with non approved oils.


That depends on which engine. The ALH engine that is in the OP's vehicle does not need a Euro oil. It will run fine off of Mobil 1 TDT, Mobil Delvac 1, Shell Rotella T6, Several of Amsoil's offerings and probably a bunch more. It wasn't until 2004.5 when VW tdi's began being produced with BEW (Pump Deuce) engines that these cars started becoming oil fussy. Much of these problems were related to a significant reduction in surface area of the cam lobes necessitating very high film strength oils.


VAG produced PD engine earlier than 2004. A friend on mine had a Ford Galaxy, built in a joint venture with VW and Seat, back in 02 and i am fairly certain they started making the PD engines in 01.


VAG probably did produce the PD engines earlier than 2004. But they weren't available here in North America until the 2004 model year.
 
That is why i find it strange that the issue with specific PD oils even occurred in NA

As the cam wear problems and need for PD specific oils was already a known issue in Europe.

Many European oil manufacturers labelled products as PD oils.
 
Originally Posted By: bigjl
That is why i find it strange that the issue with specific PD oils even occurred in NA

As the cam wear problems and need for PD specific oils was already a known issue in Europe.

Many European oil manufacturers labelled products as PD oils.


I think the problem here was multifaceted. When the PD engine was introduced to the NA market, the supply chain for PD specific oils was pretty thin. Because it was so thin, these oils were very expensive (at least for the NA market) and somewhat difficult to find. Secondly, despite all the experience in the Euro market, the cam problem was not well understood here. And finally, the previous ALH 505.00 oil spec could be, and often was ignored and high quality but non spec oils were used in their place...successfully. This lead many people (VW dealerships included) to incorrectly conclude that the 505.01 spec could be ignored as well. Eventually most people figured it out but not before thousands of cam lobes ended up as a powder in the oil pan.
 
Originally Posted By: k1rod
The ALH engine that is in the OP's vehicle does not need a Euro oil. It will run fine off of Mobil 1 TDT, Mobil Delvac 1, Shell Rotella T6, Several of Amsoil's offerings and probably a bunch more. It wasn't until 2004.5 when VW tdi's began being produced with BEW (Pump Deuce) engines that these cars started becoming oil fussy. Much of these problems were related to a significant reduction in surface area of the cam lobes necessitating very high film strength oils.


All the North American Pumpe-Deuse engines (BEW, BHW, BRM) run beautifully long lives on all the oils you listed above, and I would add Schaefer 9000 to that list since we're naming brands. It's only when the owners start running VW-spec 5w30 507.00 oils that they munch up their camshafts, lifters & cam bearings.
 
Years ago when I was a ASE Certified mechanic at car dealerships I seen several engines sludged this bad and worst. It comes from running the engine oil to long, even the correct oil will give up if run long enough. Most of them came in complaining the oil light flickered.
If they were running and not knocking to bad or not locked up we took the oil pan and valve cover off and cleaned them with a brush and parts washer solvent, spray can carb cleaner, kerosene,etc. ( doesn't matter at this point). Make sure you clean the oil pick up screen good.
Then we put it together with fresh oil and filter, run it 10 miles and changed the oil & filter again and they ran fine.
In the OP case I would do the above plus buy a used turbo at a salvage yard and run it.
I've seen turbos ruined from lack of oil changes but the engine was fine after a good turbo was installed and the lines cleaned. Good Luck and let us know how this turns out.
 
Originally Posted By: Provi


This was at about 95k miles when I had to change the oil pan on my 02 ALH Summer 2013.






Those pictures are interesting to say the least. It's almost like the oil turned to tar and left a coating of it only on some surfaces but not others.
I'm not sure how that's even possible. I would think the entire surface under the valve cover would be coated but it's not.
Interesting to say the least.
 
I know this is completely besides the point since you already had a engine failure. But, my shop teacher I had in high school was given a diesel rv, I good running fixeruppper. The only terrible thing about it was the engine was horrible inside, and looked almost a touch similar to this if not worse.

He drained the oil, added diesel to the crank case, and let it idle for 5minutes, did this 6times, all while the motor was warmed up. The diesel came out black as can be, the inside of the motor was really clean. He let it drain overnight and added oil. Sold it a month later. A year later, it came back to be serviced, the inside of the motor was spotless. So many of my friends have done this to there desert trucks with similar results. Its a bummer you had a failure due to PO neglect =(
 
The previous owner needs to be biach slapped a good one. Do that to an engine... ...WTH is wrong with him? When my wife had a TDi (2005 Beetle) I changed religiously first using the dealer recommended Castrol TXT 505.01 5W40, then a couple intervals on the "new" Castrol 5W30 "Professional OE" 505.01 when dealer no longer carried the TXT, and then to Rotella T6 5W40 after warranty expired. Never felt quite right about the 5W30 505.01 stuff but the dealer said it's what VW went to. Sold the car in 2012 after scheduled timing belt replacement and some other 100K mile service items were completed and new owner was going to keep it on Rotella T6.

I just don't get how some folks can neglect their machines so callously.
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
The previous owner needs to be biach slapped a good one. Do that to an engine... ...WTH is wrong with him? When my wife had a TDi (2005 Beetle) I changed religiously first using the dealer recommended Castrol TXT 505.01 5W40, then a couple intervals on the "new" Castrol 5W30 "Professional OE" 505.01 when dealer no longer carried the TXT, and then to Rotella T6 5W40 after warranty expired. Never felt quite right about the 5W30 505.01 stuff but the dealer said it's what VW went to. Sold the car in 2012 after scheduled timing belt replacement and some other 100K mile service items were completed and new owner was going to keep it on Rotella T6.

I just don't get how some folks can neglect their machines so callously.



I couldn't agree more... even my beater vehicles or those that don't get lots of use get love.... I just don't understand how people mistreat something they pay $$$$$$$$ for...........
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
I just don't get how some folks can neglect their machines so callously.


People with more money than they know how to handle.
 
Originally Posted By: Cubey
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
I just don't get how some folks can neglect their machines so callously.


People with more money than they know how to handle.

I often find the opposite is true. They finance the most expensive car the bank or dealer will allow, and in order to pay back the debt, that same person will do anything to avoid maintaining that car.

It really annoys me.
 
I do a somewhat regular servicing of VW TDIs for folks. The keys to VW TDI maintenance are: use only a 505.01 synthetic diesel oil( 507 oils for 2009 & up) ALWAYS use a bottle of engine flush for 10 minutes before draining old oil at every oil change.
I would not run the engine for more than 30 seconds w/ the diesel fuel in the crankcase. But, if its effective, well have at it. One other reason for the sludge is that the EGR may be crudded up beyond the point of redemption. On the engine pictured, the EGR definitely needs replaced or deleted. Non-spec oils will shorten EGR life on a TDI. The service manuals state that if the EGR is plugged more than 1/3, replace the EGR valve instead of cleaning it. Pulling the intake and cleaning it would also be a good idea too.

Dr. Olds
 
Originally Posted By: drolds
I do a somewhat regular servicing of VW TDIs for folks. The keys to VW TDI maintenance are: use only a 505.01 synthetic diesel oil( 507 oils for 2009 & up) ALWAYS use a bottle of engine flush for 10 minutes before draining old oil at every oil change.
I would not run the engine for more than 30 seconds w/ the diesel fuel in the crankcase. But, if its effective, well have at it. One other reason for the sludge is that the EGR may be crudded up beyond the point of redemption. On the engine pictured, the EGR definitely needs replaced or deleted. Non-spec oils will shorten EGR life on a TDI. The service manuals state that if the EGR is plugged more than 1/3, replace the EGR valve instead of cleaning it. Pulling the intake and cleaning it would also be a good idea too.

Dr. Olds


This is just bad info.

ALH Use 505.00 or equivalent 5w40 synthetic diesel oil
BEW/BRM/BHW Use 505.01 approved oil only.
Anything past 2009 use 507.00 approved oil only.

There is absolutely no need for any engine flush unless trying to save a neglected engine and even at that you risk plugging the oil pickup.

Do not use engine flushes it is not a "key" to maintenance. It is stupid and wrong.

That engine had 1 of 2 possible lives. It was either run with WVO(Greasecar for one) and it is a know fact WVO will cause engine oil polymerization which requires more frequent changes. It was run with the wrong oil all together at at extended intervals as well. The car was abused.

EGR will not cause sludge like this, period. Diesel engines turn the oil black just from combustion gases alone. Non-spec fuel and over fueling will shorten EGR and engine oil life. This was caused by neglect and possibly WVO use.

The reason EGR & intake clogging was such an issue before was because of LSD. I'll admit ULSD didn't solve it completely but it made great strides it not causing the intake to be completely blocked.

EGR can be cleaned unless it is broken mechanically it just may be easier and less time consuming to replace. The same can be said for the intake.

Go to TDIClub.com and read before you kill an engine by using flushing agents.
 
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