Respect your mechanic  because the knowledge and experience necessary to have earned that professional title is hard fought and won over a long period of intense training and practice.

The engine’s oiling system may be the most important system in any engine. Lets talk about engine sludge build-up. Statements have been made for years about the reasons engines produce oil sludge. The fact of the matter is that motor oils do not create sludge. In fact, motor oils actually have additives in them that help prevent sludge. Overheating or burning motor oil is the source of sludge.

Lets investigate what sludge is, how it forms, and how to prevent it. It is important to note that choosing name brand engine oils that meet your car’s particular specifications is a good practice. 

Oil sludge build-up is not very delectable and has severely damaged or destroyed many engines. The first clue that an engine has become filled with sludge is often seen during an oil change when the thick grey/black goopy substance oozes out of the oil pan drain hole where golden honey colored engine oil should be flowing.

Often a vehicle arrives at the shop on the bed of a wrecker because of a fatal case of sludge buildup. It is not something you can live with.

Running an engine low on oil for an extended period of time can cause sludge. The detergent and oxidation inhibitors are important components of the additive package that prevent sludge from forming. When an engine is run low on oil, these additives get too hot and breakdown. Some engines run very hot and the oil and its additives break down very quickly.

I mention this issue because Toyota Sienna vans and some Dodge engines are known for sludge buildup. My brother in law who owns a Sienna van experienced it first hand. He did a Google search and found out that he was not the only person with a Sienna van sludge buildup issue. In fact there are groups on the internet dedicated to addressing this issue. Dodge products with engine oil sludge buildup problems are also a hot topic on the internet.

If you think you have sludge build up, or just want it examined to make sure, go to a competent repair shop that is familiar with this issue and have them check it out.  I  think a lot of lubrication specialists may not use the more durable and slippery oil which is synthetic engine oil  (I like synthetic oils and use them in all of my vehicles). I know too that folks who change their oil at home often buy inexpensive oils not realizing they will break down faster than their more expensive name brand counterparts.

Finally, most sludge problems occur from following the factory recommendations for oil change intervals which are too long. Dodge recommends changing the oil and filter every 5000 miles. Toyota used to recommend it every 7500 miles, but later reduced it to 5000 mile intervals. I own a 1988 Chevrolet 1ton pickup truck. For the first 10 years that I owned it I changed the oil every 1,000 miles. That may have been more often than it needed. My friend who owned the oil change shop next door used to joke that he could resell my 1,000 mile oil as new. Now I wait 3,000 miles between oil changes which is perfect for my truck. That 21 year old truck engine runs as clean and strong as the day I bought it thanks to regular oil changes.  

Variations in climate, how often a vehicle is driven, how it is used and the type of oil used all contribute to the expiration of oil viability. I know a lot of engines have failed because oil has not remained viable from oil change to oil change, forcing the average Joe to develop a strategy for finding out what is the best replacement engine for his/her needs. GotEngines.com has all possibilities for engine replacement covered. Offering good used low mileage engines, or a rebuilt/remanufactured or reconditioned engine and brand new engines for any purpose at an affordable price. That is good to know, but wouldn’t you really rather learn to avoid oil failures and the resulting oil sludge build up and keep your vehicle running strong for years to come?

The cure for the oil sludge problem is preventive maintenance. What I mean to say is that no matter what type of oil used, especially in extreme temperatures, it will sludge after too many miles. Different car and truck engines will vary in mileage demands based on the condition of the engine. I recommend for most purposes an oil, filter and lube job at least every 4000 miles or less under severe duty.

Make this a simple thing, as in an oil change, don’t let it become an emergency, prevent your engine from oil sludge failure. We present the  GotEngines.com Blog for free as a source of simple and direct answers to your automotive maintenance questions.