sludge

A few things that would be nice to know:

*There are several 2001 models out there, each with a different engine, and some with an option of more than one. Can you be more specific?

*Sludging has been reported to be an almost troubling common occurrance on several Japanese models. But I have never heard about it (much) on a Hyundai. Have you ever had this trouble on any other vehicle?

*How often are you changing your oil? And what type and weight oil are you using?

*How extensive is your sludging problem? And how long (miles or whatever) have you had it?

Tom Wenndt

No, but I run full synthetic 5w30 oil and purchase filters with at least equal filter area as the stock filter (most crossover catalogs spec a little pathetic little filter for Hyundais)

JS

Pep Boys has a special machine that cleans out sludge, dirt, etc...from the internal engine passages. It is called a Bilstein Engine Flush procedure which is very effective . They use special solvent cleaner thru high capacity filters . They conclude by adding fresh oil and an oil filter. I think the total price was $129.

Maintain the car properly and you don't need gimmicks like this.

Matt

Exactly!

OK.... I fully agree with you about maintaining the car properly, but I have aquired a used 1999 2.0 Litre Hyundai Elantra.... lots of sludge, so I added a quart of transmission fluid to the oil in the engine crankcase and idled for 15 minutes and then drove about 5 miles down the street and back and then immediately changed the oil and filter...

10/40 . Lots of crap came out and after 100 miles the oil looks nice and clean but there is still sludge visible in the opening where you add the oil..... should I leave it alone or get more aggressive with ???? The engine runs great with no apparent lifter problems, etc. Advice please. electricitym

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Matt Whit> > Pep Boys has a special machine that cleans out sludge, dirt, etc...from

Personally, I think these engine flushes are gimmicks. I'd simply maintain the car properly in the future and drive it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The sludge itself isn't likely to cause any issue at all unless it gets dislodged. I'd rather see it dissolved slowly through regular oil changes than shocked loose and have a piece get stuck in an oil passage.

It is kind of like asbestos. It isn't harmful if you leave it undisturbed.

Matt

Are you talking about sludge or varnish? It's more or less normal for the insides of an engine to be discolored with brownish varnish and it's nothing to worry about. Sludge is thick, black, goopy buildup. It's not the same thing. I tend to agree with Matt, slugde is mainly a problem if it's loose in your engine. Attempting to clean the engine (without tearing it down and doing it manually) can cause more problems than it solves. If the engine is running well, just maintain it an otherwise leave it alone.

I've done engine flushes on sludged engines and seen no appreciable difference. It may wash some of the sludge out of the passages, but the bulk of it remains in the engine. In my opinion, it's mostly a waste of money.

You might continually run about 1/2 quart of transmission fluid in the engine. The detergents in the ATF will help dissolve the sludge. And 1/2 quart is a small enough amount that you're unlikely to get any engine damage.

Hyundai actually at one time had a tsb that said something to the effect of warming the engine to operating temp, draining the oil and installing atf and replacing the filter, running for 20 minutes, and then draining the atf and installing oil and replacing the filter. I cannot find it online anymore, so I suspect they don't really want anyone doing this.

'Pep Boys has a special machine that cleans out sludge, dirt, etc...from the internal engine passages. It is called a Bilstein Engine Flush procedure which is very effective . They use special solvent cleaner thru high capacity filters . They conclude by adding fresh oil and an oil filter. I think the total price was $129.

Maintain the car properly and you don't need gimmicks like this. Matt

REPLY: Until youve had it done and see the junk that comes out in the Bilstien Machine and its filters....you shouldnt make relative opinions of inaccuracy. Regards.

'I've done engine flushes on sludged engines and seen no appreciable difference. It may wash some of the sludge out of the passages, but the bulk of it remains in the engine. In my opinion, it's mostly a waste of money.'

REPLY: DId you do it with the Bilstien ENgine Flush Machine which pumps heated solvent thru the oil filter spindle, fills up the block oil passages with the solvent letting it sit for 15 minutes , then circulates fresh solvent thru at 45 psi while the old solvent comes out of the Oil Pan and across filters in the Machine which are visible ? Ive personally witnessed this being done on two of my high mileage vehicles and i change oil with filter at 3 k. miles using synthetic oil and high performance oil filter. Its worth it to do about every 40 k miles if its done with this specific Machine.

Like changing Trans Oil at 50 k miles instead of 100 k miles....its for the owner who desires to take the absolute best care of his vehicle(s) , even if it isnt recommended in the Car Owners Manual.

Yep, you describe the machine I used. Sure, the junk that comes out looks bad. My point is that most of the stuff is still in the engine. The pitchers that sold my former dealership the machine described that it would take out all the sludge, etc. Well, it doesn't.

Dave apparently is the same poster who I recently noticed touting incorrect advice about anti-freeze usage in alt.rv. (along with his OT and unwanted Christian Fundamentalistic proselytizing) Funny to find him in here promoting having some high school drop-out at Pep Boys applying useless and potential harmfull applications of solvents into an engine.

If one is so anally retentive as to desire all sludge out of an engine, pull it, take it apart and "hot tank" it.

It isn't the gunk that comes out that I care about, it is the gunk that is loosened up and doesn't come out. I stand by my claim that these treatments are not necessary, at best cause no harm, and at worst can ruin your engine.

Kind of like all of the things dealers used to add on to line their pockets and fleece customers - remember, rust proofing, scotch guard, etc.

Matt

Let me guess. After you do this, you get 10% better fuel mileage, your engine has 20 more HP, it runs quieter, starts better and stops faster. Did I miss anything?

Matt

Dave's been a good boy here. There have been others who have been out of line with their comments and have dredged up their so-called trash from other places.

I don't car about what anyone else says happens other places, not am I going to go there just to look for dirt on Dave. He could be a great guy or he could be the world's largest angle-side-side. As long as he's respectful here (as he has been), I'll reply.

'The pitchers that sold my former dealership the machine described that it would take out all the sludge, etc. Well, it doesn't.'

REPLY: How did you know alot of it was still in the engine ? And, did you do the Bilstein Engine Flush twice for the engine that was really sludge'd up ?

'Dave apparently is the same poster who I recently noticed touting incorrect advice about anti-freeze usage in alt.rv. (along with his OT and unwanted Christian Fundamentalistic proselytizing) '

REPLY: Had you bothered to really investigate that running straight distilled water makes an automotive engine cool better than a 50/50 coolant solution....you would have found i was in fact, correct. In the RV NG , i even posted proof to this fact from Redline Chemical Co's website and asked why you think Indy Racers use straight water in their engines. Lastly, there are laws which protect me sharing my Faith and it was America that was founded on Christian morals and ethics and even squarely on Jesus Christ ; if anything, you should NOT be a 'godless heathen' nor should you be supporting the moral degradation associated with it. George Washingtons inagural address specifically disents from your 'religion' of godlessness and hedonism, and, it is the root cause of current Post Modernisms societal decay---exactly as George Washington said would happen if America ever turned its back on God and his principles .