How to check for sludge ?

[Arthur Marks]

It depends on how far and to what low pressure the owner might have driven 
the vehicle if the sludge was bad enough to block up the oil suction 
strainer. If it wasn't oil starved to the point of causing damage then it's 
repairable.

A blinking check engine light with an oil pressure warning light will come 
on in plenty of time to warn before damaging the engine. It's a question of 
how ignorant the driver was of such warnings.

Info and pictures of the repair here: 
http://members.cox.net/ambox/audi_sludge/

--Art


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Louis-Alain Richard
To: 'Scott' ; d_dibiase at yahoo.com ; quattro at audifans.com
Cc: thejimrose at gmail.com
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2010 1:52 PM
Subject: RE: How to check for sludge ?


Ok then,

After asking for maintenance records, one should look at the oil cap and
dipstick, poke a bent rod in the pan via the drain hole and last remove the
valve cover (if still in doubt).

It means that sludge (if existent) will be everywhere in the engine, not
just in the pan ?

Next question is : if present, is it "repairable" with engine flush (or any
other mechanic-in-a-bottle...) or one will have to rebuilt the engine ?

Louis-Alain




-----Message d'origine-----

Wasn't the OP  vehicle about 40K in mileage?

What did the oil look like at inspection (dip stick) or oil change?

Records would help in theory but then again you could get records like this:

http://www.quattro123.com/A4TurboEngineWarrantyExtension.htm

Scroll down and check the photos about the "service records"

I'd go synthetic after a few dino flushes of about 2K with filter change to
try and dissolve what's in there if you think its sludge filled.

I'd run it hot but do a long cool down too............

My 2 centavos, YMMV.
-Scott by BOSTON

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