HOLY SLUDGE!!! Need advice...

[xkotyx]

ive heard good things about filling it with diesel and letting it sit and drain it. or pour a quart of diesel in with the existing oil and running it for a short while.

 

[adsm08]

Motorcraft filter. Retail on them is cheaper than some lower quality filters, and they are very good filters.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

+1 on the ATF put 1/2 quart in the engine about 100 miles before you change the oil get it up to temp and drain it. it will dossolve all the sludge in the engine. Do that a few times at about 1500 mile intervals until the oil stays clean. Valvoline 5w30 with motorcraft filters gives you the best bang for the buck. In my opinion and how often do you change the PCV I do mine with tune ups on a average the pcv will pay for itself in two or three tanks of gas and keeps the crankcase breathing proper with a new breather filter if you have one

 

[Daedalus]

Update: Today I took it back and forth to class (about a 40 mile round trip) and the oil pressure gauge never moved from the red. I was listening for any unusual noises or "feel" of the engine and it ran like a champ. So I'm starting to think the sludge was the result of the failed oil filter dumping its contents into the crank case and the oil pressure sender is just toast. I stopped at harbor freight and picked up an oil pressure test gauge that I'm going to hook up in the morning and see what kind of readings I get. I highly doubt I drove 40 miles today in hilly terrain with no oil pressure. I'm also going to see if I can convince someone from the auto-tech program at my school to let me use a borescope for a few minutes to peer into the engine without taking anything apart. We'll see how it goes tomorrow....

 

[Shran]

ive heard good things about filling it with diesel and letting it sit and drain it. or pour a quart of diesel in with the existing oil and running it for a short while.

Diesel fuel/kerosene is a decent solvent and that is why it works. I soak engine parts and stuff in it and follow up with brake cleaner... works great for cleaning buckets of old nasty bolts too. Plus 5 gallons of diesel only costs like $15...vs $40+ for 5 gallons of parts cleaner solvent!

 

[AllanD]

Three words for you BEFORE you pull the engine and take off the oil pan:

Marvel Mystery Oil.

In the past this has proven to be an effective solvent for the gooey crap that oil can turn into.

If they are hard particles you will probably have to pull the pan.

Frankly I wouldn't panic, as I've ressurected several engines that have done what yours seems to have done.

In one case on my mother's Aerostar and we got another 35,000 miles out of the engine before the transmission finally failed.

On that engine the oil pressure showed as ZERO on a mechanical guage and yet the engine was not materially harmed by it.



AD

 

[feellnfroggy]

Sounds like you know what kind of oil filter not to buy anymore. I always do a kerosene flush when I change my oil. OR diesel whichever you have readily avail.

 

[feellnfroggy]

ive heard good things about filling it with diesel and letting it sit and drain it. or pour a quart of diesel in with the existing oil and running it for a short while.

Iactually drain all oil, fill with 1-2 qts of kerosene (enough to be picked up by the pump) and let it run for 10-11 seconds onjust kerosene. Let it thoroughly drain, and then fill with clean oil and go.

 

[cammeddrz]

Iactually drain all oil, fill with 1-2 qts of kerosene (enough to be picked up by the pump) and let it run for 10-11 seconds onjust kerosene. Let it thoroughly drain, and then fill with clean oil and go.

i have never been a fan of washing the bearings on accident, much less deliberately. the subsequent dry-start following would do more damage than good. but if you were to use atf in that same procedure no dry start will occur

 

[mentalbreakdown00]

I would just suggest very frequent 1000 mile OCI's and the oil will do it's job

 

[feellnfroggy]

10-11 seconds is not enough to 'wash' the bearing to a damaging point. just enough to rinse the upper cylinder head of any leftover shavings or garbage. Besides the oil drains down to the bottom enough to lube everything. WHat do you think happens to the bearings when the engine sits overnight. You dont think the oil stays put do you(aside from a very thin film) it drains. Its almost always a type of drystart.

 

[Twisted_Steel]

You've got alot of info to weed through to get to what can help you. My personal opinion, the sludge isn't causing your oil pressure problems... IF...it is the original oil pan gasket, it is probably made of cork. After thousands of heat cycles the oil breaks down the cork (or the adhesive that holds it together) and your pick-up screen is now full of these little cork balls.
I had the same problem with mine.. change the oil.. does fine for a bit.. then back to erratic needle then a complete drop in oil pressure.
So.. no matter how you slice it, it's in your best interest to either pull the engine or at least jack up the drivers side to get the oil pan loose and remove the pick-up tube.
I know it sucks, but it is what it is.

Best of luck