Sludge in my P38 - Land Rovers Only

never be over rover · 07-09-2007, 01:30 PM

According to my dealer, I might have a sludge problem since my oil light is still flickering on and off and after they topped off my fluids. What do you guys recommend as the best best procedure for flushing the engine.

I was going to take of the pan and check the pick-up tube and try flushing w/ ATF. Do you guys think this will work for a 96' RR 4.0 SE??

Disco Mike · 07-09-2007, 04:37 PM

You might want to have some one do a mechanical oil pressure test to verify your oil pressure at idle and at 2000 RPM's both when cold and at operating temp. You may have a bad oil pressure switch, sludged up engine or a failing pump.
The ATF works well on flushing out the engine.
Mike

Rovin4life · 07-10-2007, 05:54 PM

oh if the oil is dirty and it was just changed then its sludged up.

heres an idea, change the oil again and add engine flush. then gun the crap out of the motor and drive it for fifteen minutes really hard. then dump the oil and oil pan and take out the pickup and clean it up really good.

pick out any individual pieces and if it that doesnt help you got an oil pump problem.

never be over rover · 07-11-2007, 02:56 PM

thx rovin, i'll giv it a try

never be over rover · 07-15-2007, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rovin4life

oh if the oil is dirty and it was just changed then its sludged up.

heres an idea, change the oil again and add engine flush. then gun the crap out of the motor and drive it for fifteen minutes really hard. then dump the oil and oil pan and take out the pickup and clean it up really good.

pick out any individual pieces and if it that doesnt help you got an oil pump problem.

Ok, so today i dumped out some oil and put in 2 qts of ATF and gunned the hell out of the engine (waking up the neighborhood since it was 10:00am on a sunday). I then dumped the oil, removed the oil pan and cleaned it thoroughly (also checking the pick up), there was a thin layer of a semi solid black substance that I'm guessing was sludge. I put it all back together and replaced the oil. The oil light isn't flashing now, but it's kinda early to tell.

However when I had the pan off, I noticed tiny drops of coolant here and there. It was barely noticeable and I almost missed it. Does this mean my head gaskets are done???
Also, The dealer told me my check engine light was related to the o2 sensors on bank b (right side) is this a clue that the head gasket is in fact bad??

Has anyone experienced this? And how f*cked am I???

Rovin4life · 07-18-2007, 04:02 AM

probably the intake but it could be the headgaskets. need to clean it off and pressurize the system.

and no the oxygen sensors have nothing to do with the heads.

Elemental · 07-30-2007, 10:54 AM

Are you using a FRAM oil filter?

never be over rover · 07-30-2007, 12:51 PM

I certainly am, why?

Elemental · 07-30-2007, 12:53 PM

I've seen more then once a Fram filter cause a huge drop in pressure. Change your filter...With a Wix ideally, and your problem will likely be fixed.

Dont use Fram, they are the Bosch Platnium of Oil filters.

Good marketing, Shit product.

never be over rover · 08-01-2007, 05:35 AM

I swapped the filter and had a mechanic check it out again. My worst fear's been confirmed, seems the oil pump is going.

ainiguez · 08-08-2007, 08:24 PM

My '95 was doing exactly the same thing, only I think a little worse. I say this because I got the oil light to turn on, and then the my tappets started clanging. I took it to a mechanic who cleaned all the sludge out, removed the sieve and tube and cleaned it too, and he also cleaned what he referred to as the veins in the engine. We put oil designed for diesel engines with the idea that we would leave it in there a couple of weeks and then change it again to complete the cleaning. After about a month that oil is still clean and the light has not been back on again. (Knock on wood).
A couple of mechanics told me that using diesel-spec oil was the same as using gasoline-spec oil and an additive, that they actually recommended the diesel-spec. You may want to give this a try to see if it helps.
By the way, they checked for oil pump operation by removing the oil filter, starting the engine for an instant to see if oil was pumped through, and when it did, they concluded that sludge was clogging the sieve and that the oil pump was still operational. So far it seems to have been the correct diagnosis. (Again, knock on wood).
Hope this helps.

07-09-2007, 01:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
never be over rover All White Wit' Peanut Butter 96 4.0SE Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 31 Gallery: 0	Sludge in my P38 According to my dealer, I might have a sludge problem since my oil light is still flickering on and off and after they topped off my fluids. What do you guys recommend as the best best procedure for flushing the engine. I was going to take of the pan and check the pick-up tube and try flushing w/ ATF. Do you guys think this will work for a 96' RR 4.0 SE??

07-10-2007, 05:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
Rovin4life Former NAS LR TECH, Current AUS LR TECH Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: DOWN UNDER Posts: 1,668 Gallery: 0	oh if the oil is dirty and it was just changed then its sludged up. heres an idea, change the oil again and add engine flush. then gun the crap out of the motor and drive it for fifteen minutes really hard. then dump the oil and oil pan and take out the pickup and clean it up really good. pick out any individual pieces and if it that doesnt help you got an oil pump problem. __________________ I work on Rovers. Got a question just ask.

07-18-2007, 04:02 AM	#6 (permalink)
Rovin4life Former NAS LR TECH, Current AUS LR TECH Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: DOWN UNDER Posts: 1,668 Gallery: 0	probably the intake but it could be the headgaskets. need to clean it off and pressurize the system. and no the oxygen sensors have nothing to do with the heads. __________________ I work on Rovers. Got a question just ask.

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07-09-2007, 04:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
Disco Mike Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Parker, Colorado Posts: 5,167 Gallery: 0	You might want to have some one do a mechanical oil pressure test to verify your oil pressure at idle and at 2000 RPM's both when cold and at operating temp. You may have a bad oil pressure switch, sludged up engine or a failing pump. The ATF works well on flushing out the engine. Mike

07-11-2007, 02:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
never be over rover All White Wit' Peanut Butter 96 4.0SE Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 31 Gallery: 0	thx rovin, i'll giv it a try

07-30-2007, 10:54 AM	#7 (permalink)
Elemental Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 3,023 Gallery: 0	Are you using a FRAM oil filter?

07-30-2007, 12:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
never be over rover All White Wit' Peanut Butter 96 4.0SE Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 31 Gallery: 0	I certainly am, why?

07-30-2007, 12:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
Elemental Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 3,023 Gallery: 0	I've seen more then once a Fram filter cause a huge drop in pressure. Change your filter...With a Wix ideally, and your problem will likely be fixed. Dont use Fram, they are the Bosch Platnium of Oil filters. Good marketing, Shit product.

08-01-2007, 05:35 AM	#10 (permalink)
never be over rover All White Wit' Peanut Butter 96 4.0SE Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 31 Gallery: 0	I swapped the filter and had a mechanic check it out again. My worst fear's been confirmed, seems the oil pump is going.

08-08-2007, 08:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
ainiguez Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Laredo, Texas Posts: 1 Gallery: 0	My '95 was doing exactly the same thing, only I think a little worse. I say this because I got the oil light to turn on, and then the my tappets started clanging. I took it to a mechanic who cleaned all the sludge out, removed the sieve and tube and cleaned it too, and he also cleaned what he referred to as the veins in the engine. We put oil designed for diesel engines with the idea that we would leave it in there a couple of weeks and then change it again to complete the cleaning. After about a month that oil is still clean and the light has not been back on again. (Knock on wood). A couple of mechanics told me that using diesel-spec oil was the same as using gasoline-spec oil and an additive, that they actually recommended the diesel-spec. You may want to give this a try to see if it helps. By the way, they checked for oil pump operation by removing the oil filter, starting the engine for an instant to see if oil was pumped through, and when it did, they concluded that sludge was clogging the sieve and that the oil pump was still operational. So far it seems to have been the correct diagnosis. (Again, knock on wood). Hope this helps.

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