Engine oil Sludge issue

[Peter Mickela]

Recently I got a 2002 Chrysler Sebring with 22K miles on it(yes just 22 thousand miles)from a family member. I see online that these cars have “Engine oil sludge” issues. Has anyone else heard of this?? The previous owner changed the oid every spring and fail. Should I start using synthetic oil or consider an oil flush? I’ve always owned Honda’s and never even heard of anything like this before.
Thanks.

Topic

[Gary]

[quote=”Seacoast326″ post=124711]Recently I got a 2002 Chrysler Sebring with 22K miles on it(yes just 22 thousand miles)from a family member. I see online that these cars have “Engine oil sludge” issues. Has anyone else heard of this?? The previous owner changed the oid every spring and fail. Should I start using synthetic oil or consider an oil flush? I’ve always owned Honda’s and never even heard of anything like this before.
Thanks.[/quote] Yes those 2.7s are known for many issues especially that model year. Timing chains, engine sludge you name it..the 2.7s got it. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but those engines are…well not designed well. Even with meticulous maintenance they fail. I would like to tell you different but the facts are the facts.

[James O’Hara]

I would not do a flush 99% of the time they cause more bad then good. Just use a very good quality synthetic and change it regularly. Run supreme through it once every 1-2 months and keep an eye on it if anything starts to seem weird or odd just ask on here or your local mechanic. If you catch stuff early it is normally cheaper and easier but, sometimes stuff just goes bad.

Also keep an eye on your coolant levels in the mornings. Hell you could even use a paint marker or grease pen and mark it. Coolant will go up and down as it heats and cools in the reservoir but, if you check it in the morning every day and notice it getting lower I would definitely be concerned about the sludge. The coolant pump can leak into the oil is the main cause of the sludge.

But, like Chevyman21 said they are known to have engine issues and fail for what seems like no reason.

[Gary]

[quote=”MDK22″ post=124722]I would not do a flush 99% of the time they cause more bad then good. Just use a very good quality synthetic and change it regularly. Run supreme through it once every 1-2 months and keep an eye on it if anything starts to seem weird or odd just ask on here or your local mechanic. If you catch stuff early it is normally cheaper and easier but, sometimes stuff just goes bad.

Also keep an eye on your coolant levels in the mornings. Hell you could even use a paint marker or grease pen and mark it. Coolant will go up and down as it heats and cools in the reservoir but, if you check it in the morning every day and notice it getting lower I would definitely be concerned about the sludge. The coolant pump can leak into the oil is the main cause of the sludge.

But, like Chevyman21 said they are known to have engine issues and fail for what seems like no reason.[/quote] Exactly, NEVER do an oil flush. Synthetic is the best way to go with that engine. Unfortunately it will only prolong the inevitable. Dodge transmissions were also pretty…well not good in those years either. Idk, I’m just speaking from experience.

[Bluesnut]

Changing the oil twice a year may not have been good enough to prevent sludging based on the environment and driving habits.
It sounds like the car was used for a lot of trips no longer than a few miles at a time. If the engine never really warms up and has time to bleed off contaminants (mainly moisture) in the engine oil sludge will develop on any engine made even with synthetic oil in use.

Forget about sludge cleaning, flushing, and so on. Just change the oil a few times and on a very regular basis after that and hope for the best.

If it matters any, as a long time mechanic I’ve seen all makes of cars with sludged engines and some of them were totally trashed at anywhere from 15 to 40k miles. They were in such bad shape it was not even economically feasible to rebuild them. A few were nothing more than scrap metal.

[Peter Mickela]

Sounds like Synthetic is the way to go, Should I use a 5W 30 or stick with 10w 30? I live in New England.

Even though the news doesn’t sound good, it’s better to know now.

Thanks again for the info.

[Ingvar]

OK, let me toss my few sticks into the wasp nest.
Yes, sure, DO flush. You just need to do it RIGHT. What folks above warn you about is likely to use flush additives they sell at stores. Why would you? They are rumored to cause quite a damage (though, personally, I used them on various engines and enough times to say – nahhh, it’s not that bad).
So anyhow. You simply flush with flush oil and THAT can cause NO harm. But the thing is, flush oil will not take sludge out, maybe just a little bit of it.
I can tell you how I flush and change oil. You can do your own decision. Ad hoc, been doing this for years, on Japanese and domestics. But no one listens anyway.
About 500 miles before planned oil change, I pour can of Seafom into the engine oil, and drive on it as usual. It nicely dissolves sediments and cleans passages where oil goes.
Then, I go to Walmart and buy cheapest oil possible in proper engine weight.
Drain oil, pour cheap – flush – oil in, and either drive on it for about 15 minutes, or simply let engine run, revving occasionally and holding at 2500 rpm. My Hybrid I have to drive, as she won’t rev.
THEN I drain that oil – surprise, comes out pitch black – replace filter and refill with whatever oil is best for the engine. If it’s tight engine, not oil taker – Amsoil it is. If it’s oil taker – I do Quacker State conventional and add a bit of Lucas.
That’s it. You just safely power flushed your engine.
Now, I have to express my consolations to you. Switching from Hondas to a CHRYSLER? What in the world stepped into you? “Got a deal”? Went for “looks”? Oh boy… Why would you go from a world leader in reliability to a company that went bankrupt and is known for making shitty cars?

[Peter Mickela]

Actually, I still have both my Honda’s( 02 civic and a 13 odyssey). This car was given to me by my elderly Aunt who can no longer drive. She took good care of it and it was always in the garage out of the elements, but she only used it for city driving. Since it only has 22K on it I have decided to used it as my daily driver until my teenage daughters get their license later this year. I’ve always been a Honda person and have never own anything else. All I’ve got into it now is two tires and wiper blades.

Thanks for your input.

[Richard Kirshy]

I’m by no means an expert on your car …..
But might suggest a method my father used back in the day… He was a mechanic for several manufactures back then.

In the 60’s and 70’s the way they would de-sludge an engine.
Step 1
A) Disconnect the battery
B) Drain the engine oil
C) Mix 3 quarts kerosene and 2 quarts(cheap)oil
D) Pour directly into the crank case via the dipstick tube
E) Let sit for 30 – 60 minutes depending on the amount of sludge present
F) Shake the car repeatedly for a few minute to allow the mixture to wash down the crankcase and oil pump pick up tube

Step 2
A) Drain crankcase
B) R/R oil filter with inexpensive one
C) Mix 2 quarts kerosene and 3 quarts(cheap)oil
D) Fill crankcase as normal
E) Disconnect ignition and fuel delivery
F) Connect battery
G) Crank engine several times to circulate the crankcase mixture
H) Check dipstick to see condition of cleaning mixture.
I) Once satisfied Drain crankcase and remove Oil filter
J) Leave drain plug out, open oil fill tube, pull dipstick and allow to vent for ~30 minutes
You can also use an air compressor to pump air into the crankcase

Step 3
A) Reinstall drain plug and install new (cheap) oil filter
B) Reconnect ignition and fuel
C) Fill crankcase with required amount of (cheap) oil
D) Start and drive car for a day
E) Drain and refill oil and replace oil filter of your choice

I know some may question this old school method, but I’ve seen it done many times

[James O’Hara]

Nightflyer newer engines have extremely tight oil passages. While I do not disagree with your method for older engines with as small as the oil passages are on new cars the stuff the kerosene breaks down will more then likely get lodged in the passage and burn up something.

I know of that method and seen it used on older engine and ones with large oil passages and it works wonders.

Ukrkoz there is no point to doing what you say as it is not going to help in this case as you have listed. Also unless it has been done every time since the car is new you are risking blocking a oil passage read above. You might have been lucky so far or only bought cars with extremely clean iinternals but, in something that is known to have coolant leak into the crank case I could not disagree with you more.

The problem lies in the fact that most coolant once mixed with oil coagulates. This causes your buildup of muck and your issues. The kerosene trick as listed is the only thing that would actually work that or diesel fuel which is very close to kerosine but, with more impurities. That is because it is a solvent and will break down the bond. Problem is with the small oil passages as I listed it is not a good idea. Now I am not sure if there is a coolant out there that will not sludge up when it gets into the oil but, that is what I would look for. Either that or an oil that can actually be used as coolant.

[Gary]

[quote=”MDK22″ post=124827]Nightflyer newer engines have extremely tight oil passages. While I do not disagree with your method for older engines with as small as the oil passages are on new cars the stuff the kerosene breaks down will more then likely get lodged in the passage and burn up something.

I know of that method and seen it used on older engine and ones with large oil passages and it works wonders.

Ukrkoz there is no point to doing what you say as it is not going to help in this case as you have listed. Also unless it has been done every time since the car is new you are risking blocking a oil passage read above. You might have been lucky so far or only bought cars with extremely clean iinternals but, in something that is known to have coolant leak into the crank case I could not disagree with you more.

The problem lies in the fact that most coolant once mixed with oil coagulates. This causes your buildup of muck and your issues. The kerosene trick as listed is the only thing that would actually work that or diesel fuel which is very close to kerosine but, with more impurities. That is because it is a solvent and will break down the bond. Problem is with the small oil passages as I listed it is not a good idea. Now I am not sure if there is a coolant out there that will not sludge up when it gets into the oil but, that is what I would look for. Either that or an oil that can actually be used as coolant.[/quote] Exactly! Couldn’t agree more.

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