jefford

SLUDGE - I've been cleaning up a truck that didn't have regular oil changes 2004 5.4L F150 with 77,000 miles.

After I purchased the truck I was told it would run for a little while and would stop. Nobody would elaborate.

I added brake fluid to the oil with the intent to clean the engine when I go the truck and was able drive 200 plus miles fairly well after changing the spark plugs.

I had another oil change and the truck drove for about 200 miles and LOST OIL PRESSURE. Completely. I pulled over and had her towed home.

Sure enough the oil pan had parts of a chain guide in it. Basically 2 guides.

And the oil screen was mostly clogged.

A buddy changed the chain guides and tensioners. Everything else looked fine as the truck only has 77,000 miles on it.

The head was full of sludge. SUPER THICK SLUDGE.

I cleaned the covers really well and did not disturb the sludge around the cams.

Reflectively, I would have liked to blow compressed air through and have oil flow.

I happen to have a bunch of 10W40 laying around so I put that in it - knowing I would clean it out in just a few hundred miles.

As now the truck runs for 2 minutes and the oil pump shuts off and the oil pressure drops to zero. You check the dipstick and it looks dry... as no oil flow.

Wait 20-30 minutes and you get another 2 minutes of run time.

What can I do now? Ideally without pulling the head covers off? We're going to run a bit with SeaFoam added to the oil and clean it a bit...

Will the kerosene trick work? If so how much?

I'm hoping to open it up enough for flow and to drive and then switch to synthetic and clean the remaining over time.

Sneed

Had a friend with a similar situation. Ran Royal Purple oil in the motor. Not bragging on RP but that oil has a lot of solvency to it and it cleaned the motor right up.
Of course he had to change the oil quite soon after the change. Don't know if that would help you.

jefford

Thank you. I will try that. I'm tired of being stranded... I like fixing these trucks...and I'm a Premier AAA member that has to wait until October til I can use another tow! So I really need this truck to run ... much less well.

djfllmn

iTrader: (1)

I've heard mixing ATF in with the oil works too but not sure i would want to try that

dukedkt442

Oh dear lord!!! That may be the worst I've ever seen. If you don't have oil flow now, you definitely won't with 10w-40. Almost want to use 50/50 MMO and 0w-20. ALMOST. There really is no easy way to fix that, other than to get into it. Dislodged sludge will clog the pick-up tube every time, and then no oil pressure, which is probably what is happening now.

You could try doing the same thing I did to the Rocket 350 I put in my Olds years ago (which was in a similar state of sludging). With the VCs off, I cleaned the heads as best I could with a toothbrush and a can of gasoline (gasoline is a fanstastic solvent!!!! and is my go-to for cleaning heavily-greased parts) and just let the crap fall down through the engine. I had the pan off at the time (which yours needs to be anyway). You'll need to pull the cams, followers and lifters out to do this, but you'll need new followers, lifters, and probably cams anyway judging by that mess.

Unless you fully take care of the problem, you'll continue to keep being fully stranded.

djfllmn

iTrader: (1)

holy ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

there is no way i would trust that motor even after i get it all cleaned out

jefford

I posted the pictures so you can see how preserved the parts are. Respectfully, it drove 200 miles just fine and has almost no tick. i need it to work, not be perfect.

The sludge melted away off the cases with gasoline. There is almost no metal build up and most of the plastic from the timing chain guides was removed... 90% or more.

So the sludge is very soluble and the oil thickness makes a drastic difference in drainback.

Now I have cleared all the plastic, cleaned the oil pan, pickup screen.

New timing chain guides and tensioners. Everything else look fine with minimal wear. There was just no need to change the cam phasers, chain or the head components.

I would have liked to pour gas over the head components and have it flow out the pan... but my buddy was insistent we did not. So I said ok.

So I'm really looking for advice on oil additive to clean, idle and dump out. Unless you want to come over and clean that out... I have beer.

650NutKase

Vacuum out the heads as much as possible. To get the rest out, you dont have very many choices.

2 safe ways to do this.

Replace 1 qt oil with ATF and drain at 1k miles until clean.

OR

Change oil change intervals to 2-3k until clean(er).

Regardless which route you go, change oil filter each time. You have to go about this slowly as to not dislodge large chunks of sludge.

F150Torqued

There is a wealth of information in this thread. https://www.f150forum.com/f4/major-s...5/#post5262160 I recommend reading the whole thing. Perhaps @Ecobuilder might chime in here and give lots of concise pointers, as he has been through an almost identical situation.

Good Luck

SCORGE

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