How to check for sludge ?

[Arthur Marks]

Agree that 3000 miles on synthetic is a waste not just of your money and
time but ecologically. Mine had sludge and I still go 5000 miles now. The
oil filler cap is the first easy place to check.

If you have to start pulling things apart, removing the valve cover is FAR
easier than dropping the oil pan (which requires supporting the engine and
dropping the sub frame). You could get the valve cover off in no time, just
removing some of the crankcase tubes and hoses.

At your next 3000 mile interval send an oil sample to be analyzed to verify
that you can run it longer. Blackstone will send you a free kit. You pay $25
for the analysis:
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/standard-analysis.php

I've got the kit, but haven't tried it yet. Will do so at my next 5000k.

--Art

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Hayes Myers
To: Andrew Dickinson
Cc: quattro at audifans.com ; thejimrose
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2010 11:32 AM
Subject: Re: How to check for sludge ?


Could be a waste at 3000 miles... i'm sure 5000 miles is fine too... that
being said, it's not expensive to change the oil... and instead of
particpating in the when to change argument i pick the earliest interval i
want to deal with and go with it. I'm looking at 4-5 changes a year... so i
force the 5 changes and call it a day.

cheers,
Hayes
On Mon, Nov 1, 2010 at 11:17 AM, Andrew Dickinson 
<amdickinson at rogers.com>wrote:

> Full synthetic is much less prone to sludge issues.  Dino oil is usually
> the one
> that cokes up.  Look on the usual 'sludgy' places like any breather hoses
> and
> under the filler cap.
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Dan DiBiase <d_dibiase at yahoo.com>
> To: Grant Lenahan <glenahan at vfemail.net>; thejimrose <thejimrose at gmail.com
> >
> Cc: quattro at audifans.com
> Sent: Mon, November 1, 2010 11:14:15 AM
> Subject: Re: How to check for sludge ?
>
> Good point re: the service records. That's really the key. I have done 5k
> changes with M1 ow-40 since new, and it's clean
> as a whistle inside.
>
> Dan D
> '04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
> Central NJ USA
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Grant Lenahan <glenahan at vfemail.net>
> To: thejimrose <thejimrose at gmail.com>
> Cc: quattro at audifans.com
> Sent: Mon, November 1, 2010 10:42:08 AM
> Subject: Re: How to check for sludge ?
>
> yea, i was thinking pull the pan, but that's a bit of a big deal at this
> stage.
>
> honestly, service records are your best indicator. They dont sludge if
> maintained!
>
> Grant
>
> On 11/1/2010 10:22 AM, thejimrose wrote:
> > ive been told you can pull the drain plug and scrape around w a bent
> > coathanger in the oil pan for goo.
> >
> > if the oil cap / flashlight method yeilds questions you might try that.
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