Toyota Camry: Sludge

In news:com,
Chuck <com> being of bellicose mind posted: 

Before you buy a used engine, you must inspect for sludge ...
obviously. Just have the seller remove the valve cover so you can
personally see if it is sludged. Take no one's word for it. Be
there. See for yourself.
--

* Philip

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used the ones I used to know"
-Bing Crosby

"Philip®" <net.invalid> wrote in message
news:905yb.21642$news.pas.earthlink.net... 

Absolutely critical to inspect under the valve cover. I stupidly bought a 96
with some sludge in it. I subsequently found the sump had been
off,.........no guesses as to why. Fortunately the engine has not failed and
goes well.



Jason

So what's to stop him from cleaning out the sludge before you see it?


"Philip®" <net.invalid> wrote in message
news:905yb.21642$news.pas.earthlink.net... 

In news:jTxyb.32511$news.atl.earthlink.net,
Art Begun <com> being of bellicose mind
posted: 
 

Art: Serously, have you EVER had a valve cover off a badly varnished
.... let alone sludged ... engine? Have you ever tried to remove
varnish with chemicals or some scraping instruments? Do you have any
idea how many nooks and crannies there are in this area? Pretty
darned difficult to make the valve train look like new or ... look
like an engine that's had recreational oil servicing.
--

* Philip

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know"
-Bing Crosby

I've never had a sludged up engine but it seems to me that if someone
wants to be devious there is always a way.



"Philip®" <net.invalid> wrote in message
news0Ayb.21673$news.pas.earthlink.net... 
varnished 
any 

In news:zAPyb.599$news.atl.earthlink.net,
Art Begun <com> being of bellicose mind
posted: 
 

Have you ever removed the valve cover from a double overhead cam
aluminum head engine (as if there were any other kind... LOL)?
Remember, the orginal poster is thinking of buying a used engine ...
in which case he can request a visual inspection under BOTH valve
covers. Doing so is easy with the engine sitting there on the
ground. Varnish just does not come off all that easy and completely
with any chemicals I've ever used ... short of disassembling the
entire engine and putting it in a "hot tank" with caustic soap under
pressure.
--

* Philip

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know"
-Bing Crosby

While visiting my brother-in-law during Thanksgiving, he mentioned a
nearly identical problem with his '97 Camry ... The car is now parked
until a decision is made on what to do.

His daughter was driving the car back from college on an Interstate
highway when it began making a noticeable valve clatter noise and also
was losing power ... My guess is that one or more valve lifters was
causing the noise due to varnish/sludge buildup on the outside of the
lifter or possibly internally ... She stopped the car and called her
dad who arranged to tow the car home. The oil pressure light did not
come on.

Engine definitely sludged after removing the valve cover.

My question is whether any commercial products might help to free the
lifters without having to dissassemble the engine?

Chuck D.



On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 12:33:12 -0500, "Chuck" <com>
wrote:
 

was this car a 4 or 6 cylinder?
was the oil changed on a regular basis?