I have a 2005 Grand Caravan with a 3.3L V6, and it seems to have an oil sludge problem. Over the past couple of months, I have noticed that the engine was making noises starting up - sort of a whine for only a second of so, and only in cold weather. I was going to take it into the dealer to look at it (the van is still covered under the 7/70 plan, and it has 49,000 miles now), but it became warmer so the sound started to go away. I told them I would wait until a cold snap would occur, then I would take it in.
So the other day I take it in for an oil change at the local place, and they tell me that the engine has a sludge problem. Sure enough, under the cap it is pretty black - much more black that I had ever seen it. They tried to sell me an engine flush, but I had read all sorts of nasty things that can happen, so I declined. Anyway, with new oil the van started better, so I figured I would try do desludge the engine myself. Some research on the web seems to say that changing oil every
500-1000 miles for a few times would let the detergents in the oil do their thing gently, rather than have a solvent do it. So this is what I plan to do...Until today, that is. The little oil light went on, just days after an oil change. I shut down the van, checked the oil - all is fine. But I do not want to drive this thing much at all now, unless it is to the dealer.
I have a horrible feeling the engine is dying, and another feeling that the dealer will not want to do much other than a flush. I have heard that more and more new cars are having sludge problems, even with proper maintenance, and the only cure is an engine swap.
What say the experts?
I do change the oil myself sometimes, and other times I just take it to a quick change place (Valvoline, etc.). I also buy decent oil - not the best, but certainly not the worst. My last Caravan, a 1996, ran for
238,000 miles on the original engine*, so I must be doing something right. I am also quite easy on engines.*When the van died due to my friend smashing it up, the engine still worked fine...
-- Will