Motor Oil case (sludge & carbon) advice

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I'm looking for your recommendation and comments on the different products available out there to clean a motor engine... I've already read some post related with similar cases. I have an idea and I already have some product names mentioned in those posts... some of those post are already a few months or years old.

I'll really appreciate if you could share some of your expertise specific to my car and case with the products and alternatives available nowadays, and what type of results or roadblocks should I expect during the motor cleaning process.

This is the car

2006 BMW 325i - (E90)
65,000 miles
6 cylinders

Issues:

  • sludge and carbonized particles --> Here is where I need your advice as oil experts, if you can comment/help on the other issues that is a plus
    I'm attaching some pictures and a couple youtube video links to show you how contaminated the motor engine is
  • excessive oil consumption
    I know that the piston rings of this version of car have a gap and some oil gets burned together with the combustion mixture, but I believe that in addition to the sludge and carbonized residues in the motor the fuel
  • Power reduction and high gas consumption
    This might be due to other reasons but logic tells me that a motor engine like this is not helping


I'm not the first owner, when I purchased it the problem was there already... at the dealer they told me that most likely the previous owner didn't use the correct gasoline and/or motor oil and that since these motors operate at more than normal high temperatures that could've have caused the problem.



 
Just use a high quality synthetic oil that meets the manufacturers specs and change it more frequently than required by the manual. Usually half the recommended interval is safe if it's got buildup.

Sometimes it's just the filter that needs changing more frequently when cleaning is taking place. I would keep an eye on the filter for loading and deformation if it's full.

You don't want to release things fast otherwise you risk clogging a tiny passageway.

Auto RX used to be popular around the here if you want to read up on that.
 
Whatever you put in there for oil, use the proper Longlife-01 approved oil and change it at the recommended interval. Don't use something else that will continue the madness you see here. If you aren't experiencing any other weird symptoms then I'd just start using the right oil and see what happens over the next year. Changing the filter more often is not a bad idea.

Not the same engine granted, but this is my 23 year old E34 with 215,000 miles after having used the correct oil:

 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Just use a high quality synthetic oil that meets the manufacturers specs and change it more frequently than required by the manual. Usually half the recommended interval is safe if it's got buildup.

Sometimes it's just the filter that needs changing more frequently when cleaning is taking place. I would keep an eye on the filter for loading and deformation if it's full.

You don't want to release things fast otherwise you risk clogging a tiny passageway.

Auto RX used to be popular around the here if you want to read up on that.


+1 on everything but the auto-rx. Is there an HDEO synthetic that would meet your cars specs?
 
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And you still bought the car??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
 
Amsoil signature series LL01 if you want a good oil with a healthy dose of detergents, they don't skimp on their premium products.

Redline has some esters in it which could help clean too.
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Amsoil signature series LL01 if you want a good oil with a healthy dose of detergents, they don't skimp on their premium products.

Redline has some esters in it which could help clean too.

Neither one of those oils has Longlife-01 certification. Use them if you wish but they are not approved.
 
Wouldn't a full ester synthetic be the best choice here? Proven cleaning but not too aggressive?
 
As a engine rebuilder here, I see great results saving engines that look like yours using Valvoline Synpower one of the few that use sodium in the formula,a great product, also: the principle purpose of "salt" additives in engine oils is for a "detergent" action...think of it like grains of sand sloshing about and "scrubbing" surfaces and "preventing" carbon detritus deposits from caking up, and can help remove them....
 
Originally Posted By: ShotGun429
As a engine rebuilder here, I see great results saving engines that look like yours using Valvoline Synpower one of the few that use sodium in the formula,a great product, also: the principle purpose of "salt" additives in engine oils is for a "detergent" action...think of it like grains of sand sloshing about and "scrubbing" surfaces and "preventing" carbon detritus deposits from caking up, and can help remove them....

Sorry, but that is completely inaccurate.
 
Thanks for your reply... since I bought it I've been using the original BMW motor oil which is a SAE 5W-30, first it was Castrol Edge then a BMW brand and I'm doing oil changes at the recommended intervals.
I'm thinking that this motor oil is good for modern BMW cars but not for mine and I should consider using a different one. Do you have any recommendations?

I've been doing the oil change myself and the filter looks "ok" from the outside.

This is an image of the oil I'm currently using

 
Yes that oil carries Longlife-01 certification. You can buy Castrol 0W-40 at Walmart for less (which also is LL-01) but the oil you are buying is fine.

The age of the car is irrelevant as is the grade (viscosity) as long as it carries LL-01.

Originally Posted By: roge
Thanks for your reply... since I bought it I've been using the original BMW motor oil which is a SAE 5W-30, first it was Castrol Edge then a BMW brand and I'm doing oil changes at the recommended intervals.
I'm thinking that this motor oil is good for modern BMW cars but not for mine and I should consider using a different one. Do you have any recommendations?

I've been doing the oil change myself and the filter looks "ok" from the outside.
 
wow, that's really clean. What oil do you use in your E34? how often you do change oil and filter?

So far no weird symptoms but the reduced power but that might be my imagination.

if the original BMW motor oil (for recent models) is not helping me I guess I should stop using it
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Whatever you put in there for oil, use the proper Longlife-01 approved oil and change it at the recommended interval. Don't use something else that will continue the madness you see here. If you aren't experiencing any other weird symptoms then I'd just start using the right oil and see what happens over the next year. Changing the filter more often is not a bad idea.

Not the same engine granted, but this is my 23 year old E34 with 215,000 miles after having used the correct oil:


wow, that's really clean. What oil do you use in your E34? how often you do change oil and filter?

So far no weird symptoms but the reduced power but that might be my imagination.

if the original BMW motor oil (for recent models) is not helping me I guess I should stop using it
 
Drain and fill, go for a drive and get it HOT.

Drain oil and fill to the very top with diesel, drain after 24 hours

Fill with whatever LL01, idle for 5 minutes and drain.

Fill with preferred oil and carry on.
 
Originally Posted By: ShotGun429
As a engine rebuilder here, I see great results saving engines that look like yours using Valvoline Synpower one of the few that use sodium in the formula,a great product, also: the principle purpose of "salt" additives in engine oils is for a "detergent" action...think of it like grains of sand sloshing about and "scrubbing" surfaces and "preventing" carbon detritus deposits from caking up, and can help remove them....


Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look for LL01 oils with detergent agents as the one you mentioned. Also I'll look for HDEO
 
Originally Posted By: roge
Originally Posted By: ShotGun429
As a engine rebuilder here, I see great results saving engines that look like yours using Valvoline Synpower one of the few that use sodium in the formula,a great product, also: the principle purpose of "salt" additives in engine oils is for a "detergent" action...think of it like grains of sand sloshing about and "scrubbing" surfaces and "preventing" carbon detritus deposits from caking up, and can help remove them....

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look for LL01 oils with detergent agents as the one you mentioned. Also I'll look for HDEO

That's not how motor oil detergents work.
 
With an engine that dirty, I would do 3 or 4 quick interval oil changes (500 miles) and before each oil change use something like LiquiMoly Engine Flush and alternate with Liquid Moly Oil Sludge Remover as well.

If you get a lot of oil loss still after, one thing that might help is ATP AT-205 seal reconditioner but I wouldn't use that until you do several cleaning cycles.
 
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Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: roge
Originally Posted By: ShotGun429
As a engine rebuilder here, I see great results saving engines that look like yours using Valvoline Synpower one of the few that use sodium in the formula,a great product, also: the principle purpose of "salt" additives in engine oils is for a "detergent" action...think of it like grains of sand sloshing about and "scrubbing" surfaces and "preventing" carbon detritus deposits from caking up, and can help remove them....

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look for LL01 oils with detergent agents as the one you mentioned. Also I'll look for HDEO

That's not how motor oil detergents work.
I do take all my posts VERY seriously, I was told "sodium" has "cleaning" ability's? If not what is reason of adding sodium? Please expand/ I know sodium add packs work, Ive seen many spotless crankcase results over many years. Thanks Gregg
 
Originally Posted By: FlyPenFly
With an engine that dirty, I would do 3 or 4 quick interval oil changes (500 miles) and before each oil change use something like LiquiMoly Engine Flush and alternate with Liquid Moly Oil Sludge Remover as well.

If you get a lot of oil loss still after, one thing that might help is ATP AT-205 seal reconditioner but I wouldn't use that until you do several cleaning cycles.


Thank you for your recommendation, I'll take a look at the LiquiMoly products, regards.
 
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