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VZ with sludge - best process to remove?

Reaper

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never buy a company car or one with a poor service history or no history

Company cars are no more or less of a lottery than any other car. All my company cars (and most I have seen) are serviced by the book as the driver doesn't care (not his money) and management doesn't want to be exposed to the safety liability thru lack of very obvious maintenance. For me, by faaaaaaaaar on those alloys is finding something with an impeccable service history that you trust. The book may claim 15,000 between drinks but that is one motor where I'd run 10,000 max.
 

Marco59

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Howdy all, first post. Just bought a VZ Executive with 125000k, nice and clean, but badly serviced by woman driver. Runs beautifully (driven it for about 300k now), no smoke, no missing or noise, but there is sludge in engine. I have attached a pic of the filler tube showing the sludge, which I scraped off easily with my fingernail so its not varnished on (the attachment shows where I scraped off some of the gunk). Spoke to mechanic who did service last a few weeks ago (pre-sale service) he said it wasn't affecting the engine but not to flush, rather increase frequency of oil changes to every 5000km which would slowly remove the muck. I have read that a good dinosaur oil like Castrol GTX or Valvoline (not synthetics) has high detergent and will gradually eat away the sludge.

Can anyone comment on this for me? I am more than happy to do oil changes every 5000k with new filter, but will this be sufficient? Or should I add a little bit of additive (detergent) to each oil change? I know my way around cars generally (can change timing belts, replace valve cover gaskets etc) but don't know much about sludge. The mechanic said if I flush it, it may clog the "strainers".

Any suggestions or advice?
I am currently replacing my timing chains because the girl had not done the regular service and had no books. The sludge was pretty bad so out came the cams and they were pitted, so I have purchased some cams from FUSCCARS, and dont recommend them as they sent me cams from a ve sidi so having the longer one cut to size. I have cleaned the heads, timing cover, rocker covers and front of the block with throttle body cleaner( 3 cans) I have since been flushing the heads now with diesel fuel and cheaned the oil galleries using a coat hanger with good results. I drained the oil and you can see the diesel run into the sump from the heads. It doesn't mean you need to rebuild your engine if you have had good compression and not burning oil. I have read so many threads where so many think they are full of knowledge when they should keep quiet. Not everyone keeps service books but like me you bought a car you liked and have to do a few things. Mine is identical to yours and am prepared to spend a bit, so try cleaning it all before doing a rebuild as you may not have to. Your call and just my sudgestion, and to all you experts, I worked for Peter Brock so keep your opinions to yourself please.
 

Skylarking

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@Marco59, you're again referencing a 2015 post but this time with some attitude towards others that were trying to help back then, some 4 years ago o_O Being a little more observant of the post dates with a little less attitude towards others would probably be a better approach... :rolleyes:
 

ant797

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Just flush it use a reputable flush they are desighned to liquify the sludge you run more risk changing the oil and leaving it in the new oil might dislodge a chunk without luiqifying it and block something up
 

Trevor loves holden.

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Sludge is due to the bad ventilation system on the drivers side rocket cover, reason behind timing change failure the small oil ports clog up starving the chains, improve the breather and you solve 90% of the sludge / burnt oil.
 

Fu Manchu

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Poor ventilation is only one small part of it.
Poor maintenance is the major reason.
 

gungazza

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still working on mine, don't look good under the tappet covers, don't have them off yet, just the state of the cam sensors was a indacation
 

Fu Manchu

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I’m thinking of changing to Royal Purple to get some crud out. Mines not too bad. It gets regular changes at 5-10 thou depending on use and what the oil is looking like.

Sensors can and can solenoids come out looking ok but have been cleaned. They aren’t getting worse anymore though.

I just used Ceratec on this change and bugger me what a difference! I used it many moons ago in a couple of cars I used to have when it first came out. Worked well then, working well now.

Also using the Penrite 5w-40 and like it better. It’s been bloody hot here.

Overtaking, put the foot down and drops back, car revs out happily to 6 thousand now! I’m not happy with that though so have to ease up a bit to get it to change up quicker.
That really caught me out, doing that same thing as I had always done, have the car change down comfortably and cruise past. I thought bugger me that’s Erving hard, look down and see the tacho not where I want to see it.

Anyway, I think the desludging is the long game for sure.

Flushed, manual cleaning, pcv mod, intake clean, high detergent oils (maybe), more regular changes at say 5000.

God speed to anyone trying to get on top of this.
 

gungazza

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if changing to the royal purple, would that lossen the gunk and maybe block the pick up
 

figjam

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What is different about Royal Purple for sludge ?
 
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