Engine Sludge?

[JohnQ]

Any mechanics out there? Is there any easy way to clean up this mess? I have never messed with a truck this old. Is this normal for an old truck with 125,000 + miles on her?

 

 

 

 

[87manche]

that's nasty, but not the worst I've ever seen.

The first hing you NEED to do it plug all of the oil galleys with shop rags. You don't want any of that crud getting into the block oil passages.

Then I would scrape up the majority of it with a small putty knife, then attack it with solvent, brake cleaner, seafoam, naptha whatever your choice. i'd then pour some oil down the oil passages to flush out any solvent that got in there. Then drain the pan and go about putting it back together with fresh oil.

[pingpong]

You always could remove the rockers and scrub them,with a wire brush and your cleaner of choice. I prefer to use kerosene or gas. works really good

[DirtyComanche]

Or, jsut take the damn head off and have it dipped...

[Oizarod115]

what IS all that gunk? thats horrid...

[Stumpy]

mine looked like that so i pulled the rods and bridges off and cleaned them with goop i mixed in water and a scotch brite pad.

[pingpong]

Thats burnt oil. I would be curious to know what kind of oil has been run in that engine, also has that engine ever been run hot? I had an 89 XJ with over 200,000 miles, and the inside of the valve cover never looked like that :hmm:

[87manche]

that's what running pennzoil will get you, parrafin based oils=the nasty.

[comanchedude]

that's nasty, but not the worst I've ever seen.

The first hing you NEED to do it plug all of the oil galleys with shop rags. You don't want any of that crud getting into the block oil passages.

Then I would scrape up the majority of it with a small putty knife, then attack it with solvent, brake cleaner, seafoam, naptha whatever your choice. i'd then pour some oil down the oil passages to flush out any solvent that got in there. Then drain the pan and go about putting it back together with fresh oil.

 

 

Do just what 87manche said above and add "remove all rockers and push rods keep them in order removed " this will make cleaning much easier then reinstall parts back in original locations

[87manche]

didn't know if he was up to removing the rockers.

It is the best way to do it, then you can soak the rockers and the pushrods and make sure they're clean.

[JohnQ]

I have no problem removing anything, it's putting it back together that is the fun part. :D

Are the rockers hard to adjust?

[mjeff87]

Non-adjustable since the lifters are hydraulic. Just install and torque to spec. Make sure you keep everything in order and proper orientation

 

Jeff

 

 

edit: by orientation, I mean to say put the pushrods back in the same direction they came out in, and the pivots facing the same direction as they came out as. You can't put the rockers on backwards, but the rods/pivots are symmetrical objects and easily reversed. Each part develops a specific wear pattern, and it's best not to disturb it.

[JohnQ]

Thanks. Sounds easy enough.

[Pete M]

I recommend a Haynes shop manual if you don't have one yet.

[JohnQ]

I picked up a chiltons. Is the Haynes any better? I'm still searching for a set of factory manuals for 1988.

[Pete M]

Personally I like Chiltons better, just I haven't seen any for sale near me for years. Every store has the Haynes manuals though.

87-90 the trucks are very, very similar and if you find a deal on any of those years I'd snatch it up.

[JohnQ]

I made a little progress today. I managed to remove the rockers and push rods and gave the old 4.0L a good cleaning (Not fun!). I know a little crap oil fell into the pushrod holes, so I flushed about a gallon of oil down the ports to flush it. I still need to clean the rockers and push rods, but I should have it back together tomorrow.

 

 

[Eagle]

I ran Pennzoil exclusively in my 88 XJ for 175,000 miles and I didn't have a mess like that. I changed over to synthetic at 175,000 miles, and at the time of the change the inside of the engine was clean enough to eat off.

 

That engine looks like the oil was never changed, and the engine was severely overheated for protracted periods. It's a mess. That gook is baked on and it's going to be difficult to get it off. The best suggestion so far was the one to pull the head and have it hot tanked.

[cmcolfax]

that's what running pennzoil will get you, parrafin based oils=the nasty.

 

[thread hijack] Tell me more... I have always run Valvoline and recently switched to the Valvoline MaxLife in my 4.0L's with 100K+ miles.

 

But... in my last oil change used Pennzoil... PepBoys had it on special... a case was FREE after mail in rebate. :brows:

 

I run either NAPA GOLD, Purolator PureONE or WIX Premium filters. [/th]

 

-cmc-

[JohnQ]

I ran Pennzoil exclusively in my 88 XJ for 175,000 miles and I didn't have a mess like that. I changed over to synthetic at 175,000 miles, and at the time of the change the inside of the engine was clean enough to eat off.

 

That engine looks like the oil was never changed, and the engine was severely overheated for protracted periods. It's a mess. That gook is baked on and it's going to be difficult to get it off. The best suggestion so far was the one to pull the head and have it hot tanked.

 

I have no idea if the oil has ever been changed. I know very little about the history of my truck. I'm new to the engine repair stuff, I'm learning as I go. I'm going to try the engine cleaner stuff first. Then pull the oil pan and clean it out the best I can. Has anyone had experience with pulling the oil pan?

[DirtyComanche]

Then pull the oil pan and clean it out the best I can. Has anyone had experience with pulling the oil pan?

 

 

 

Yeah. No matter how hard you try you'll get covered in oil. Buy kitty litter first. It's awkward to get it later. And if you have a SO, a really good soap (and lots of it).

[Eagle]

Assuming the oil pan has never been off before, be prepared to go very slowly or you WILL destroy the pan. The factory used a shellac type gasket sealer back then, and the pan is nearly welded to the block. Pry too hard with a fat pry bar and you'll bend up the flange of the pan, making it useless.

 

What you need to do is get something very thin in there, and then gradually tap it around the permeter, cutting the gasket free of the block as you go.

 

To replace, get the 95+ one-piece pan gasket. Depending on your parts source, it may or may not be listed as an service replacement for the older style, but it WILL work and it makes life sooooo much easier. Plus -- it's reusable.

[Pete M]

Let the truck sit for as long as possible before you pull the pan. And I'm talking a couple DAYS if you can. Even then, you'll still have drips coming down while you scrap away at the leftover gasket material. I also highly recommend the one-piece rubber gaskets. :D

[JohnQ]

Let the truck sit for as long as possible before you pull the pan. And I'm talking a couple DAYS if you can. Even then, you'll still have drips coming down while you scrap away at the leftover gasket material. I also highly recommend the one-piece rubber gaskets. :D

 

Anyone have a part number for the one piece oil pan gasket?

[89MJComanche]

Honestly,

 

I did 1 head job.

 

For $189 at my local machine shop, I'd just pull that thing off, take it, the valve cover, the oil pan, and the little flutes that go inside the valve cover all down to the shop and them to hot tank all that $#!& off and re-do the head for you real quick.

 

If you engine is that bad throughout you should consider using a semi synthetic like Valvoline Max Life. I'd change the oil at 1000 mile intervals the first 2 or 3000 miles that you drive it after the work and the detergent should clean some of that out.