Cleaning Sludge from Under Valve Covers

[Shy]

I just pulled my valve covers off of my 1999 Ford Mustang today and I see what I believe to be sludge. How should I go about fixing this problem. I change my oil literally every 3,000 miles sometimes even before using Castrol GTX High Mileage 10W30. The car currently has 196,500 miles on it. I removed the valve cover to simply replace the valve cover gasket. What are your suggestions for moving forward. I have attached a image as reference. Thanks all for your suggestions in advance.

 

[dexos]

One thing it seems to be true: une single engine flush additive will not resolve this issue!
In my opinion engine parts must be removed and cleaned with some type of solvent.

 

[dwendt44]

An HDEO in 10W-30 and a bottle of MMO might help some. Add a can of SeaFoam a hundred or so before the next oil change.
My 2¢

 

[Nick1994]

How long have you had this car? If it's been a lot of those miles at 3,000 mile soil changes, either something is wrong with the engine, your driving conditions, or the oil you're using is not up to the task.

 

[Shata]

I find it hard to believe you had this car for entire 200k miles with 3k changes. It would never look like that with short intervals.

 

[Merkava_4]

Why did I click on this thread while eating my dinner ? What the heck is wrong with me ?

 

[Shy]

Originally Posted By: Shata
I find it hard to believe you had this car for entire 200k miles with 3k changes. It would never look like that with short intervals.


I have had the car since July 2009. I purchased the car with 101,103 miles on it. From the time I purchased the car I used Kendall GT High Mileage 10W30. I switched to Castrol GTX High Mileage around 175,000 miles when I started doing my own oil changes. I religiously ensure that my oil is changed every 3,000 miles and have stuck with this since I had the car. It could be due to the short trips I take to work. I drive about 5 minutes to my job every day Monday - Friday (I have been doing these short trips since May 2014). I drive on the highway usually once every two or three weeks for 3 hours.

 

[UltrafanUK]

Make sure the HG or oil cooler has not failed before spending real dosh. The anti freeze reacts with the detergents causing them to fail to prevent sludge forming.

Once that is sorted, try and drop the sump pan and clean the oil pump intake if that is practical. Then rinse the block through with diesel, fill with a cheap 15w40 and oil filter plus a can of major brand idle only flush additive. After using the flush for 10 or 15mins (Liqui Moly say 10 mins, Amsoil say 15 mins max), change oil and filter again, but use something that cleans well. Penn Ultra or Mobil 1 0w40 are both good cleaners.

 

[Shy]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
How long have you had this car? If it's been a lot of those miles at 3,000 mile soil changes, either something is wrong with the engine, your driving conditions, or the oil you're using is not up to the task.


I have had the car since July 2009. I purchased the car with 101,103 miles on it. Since I purchased the car I have ensured that the oil is changed every 3,000 miles. I believe that it is due to my driving conditions. I take very short 5 minutes trips to work every day Monday - Friday. I have been taking these short trips since May 2014. Should I switch to a Synthetic oil since I take these short trips to work everyday?

 

[UltrafanUK]

Just adding to my last post, if you have any oil leaks, using an idle flush can make them worse due to the false oil seal effect. If that is the case, change to a HM oil or use a major brand stop leak additive.

 

[Ohle_Manezzini]

The engine has sludge, but not baked out. It is still soft. I would hand clean with solvent that head, and do a flush next, then use a good synthetic oil.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Shata
I find it hard to believe you had this car for entire 200k miles with 3k changes. It would never look like that with short intervals.


I can believe it. I had posted pics of shots through the fill hole of a 2000 Century my father had given me with about 80K miles or so on it. He was the original owner and the oil was religiously changed at 3K miles or less with dino oil since new. I was not impressed by what I saw through the fill hole. All I can say is in some cases it can happen, I've witnessed it. The OP's car is a lot worse, and appears to need to be cleaned manually before any kind of cleaners or flushes. Mine wasn't that bad and I was able to clean it up and keep it clean. I also changed over to synthetic oil in it.

I would pressure test the cooling system in that car and rule out a bad head gasket. After the cleanup I would switch to HM synthetic oil and stay with it.

 

[dlundblad]

If the car behaves fine, I see no reason to "fix" the issue.

Your short trips are not helping it though. Perhaps step up to a synthetic and take it out on the highway a bit more often.

Check and/ or replace your air filter too.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Hmm. Sludge on a 3.8 would make me think it has a headgasket issue.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Hmm. Sludge on a 3.8 would make me think it has a headgasket issue.


It could be the head gasket which is why I'd pressure test it. My 3.1 head gasket was fine. I think some engines don't like short trips and dino oil.

 

[Donald]

Run a synthetic like ST at 3K OCI. No flush, no MMO

 

[Trav]

I have seen a lot worse, switch to PP or PU and do shortened OCI like 5K, it will clean up okay in about 20K. Don't panic if it starts using a little oil or gets a few weeps, its normal and will subside as the engine gets cleaner and the rings free.

 

[RooflessVW]

I would just keep doing what you're doing. It's ugly but it isn't hurting anything.

Any chance the previous owner installed a lower-temp thermostat?

 

[andyd]

Yah, back in the days of SA 30w, I used to see Chevys and Fords with valve cvrs packed in black sludge. I was told to use a putty knife and a piece of wire to clean out the oil galleries. Despite your 3k ocis, the short trips aren't helping. When I pulled the VC for the first time on the Borman 6 @ 300K miles the cam and rockers were lightly varnished and there was a 1/4 cup of sludge in a corner. 3k ocis using 20 w 50 ST dino . I had 1 hr stall and crawl commutes.

 

[Kuato]

IMO either your 3k interval has cleaned it up from the neglected condition it was in when you got it, or the oil you are using is not doing its job. You do have an extreme bad (for oil) commute of only 5 miles.

If all the maintenance checks out ok, then I would put a better cleaning oil in, such as PYB (dino) or M1(synthetic).

We have all seen much worse in the sludge department, IMO no need for heroics with this engine, and skip the additives.