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WHAT IS OIL SLUDGE?
Oil
sludge is the result of the breakdown of over-stressed oil in your
engine and it is becoming extremely common in all vehicles -
in particular those manufactured from 1997 on-wards.
WHAT DOES OIL SLUDGE DO?
Oil
sludge is like a gel that sticks to your engine parts and blocks oil
galleries preventing the normal flow of oil throughout the
engine. Normal oil flow provides maximum wear protection and aids
with the cooling of the engine. Sludge actually stores heat rather than
releasing it putting added stress on the radiator and cooling system.
It also reduces oil pressure and fuel economy and will lead to
component wear and potential failure of expensive components such as
timing belts, idle controls, etc.
WHAT CAUSES SLUDGE?
Unfortunately there is no one
simple cause of sludging. Contributing factors include:
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Small sump
sizes.
-
Engine
design.
-
Extended oil change intervals.
-
Poor cooling systems.
-
Cooling system leaks into the engine oil.
-
Poor air flow.
-
Blocked air filters.
-
Fuel quality
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Short trip driving.
-
Regular high temperature operation.
-
Varied temperature operation (high temperature
operation followed by rapid cooling)
-
Poor quality oil formulations.
-
Poor quality base oil selection by oil
manufacturer.
-
Use of incorrect oil.
-
Incorrect maintenance procedures.
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WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT SLUDGE IN YOUR
VEHICLE?
Things
such as engine design, sump capacity, cooling system efficiency, etc
are beyond your control. The things you can influence are the service
intervals, the maintenance procedures, and the selection of the oil
that is used in your vehicle.
SERVICE
INTERVALS.
Extended
oil drain intervals are false economy. It is vital that you tailor the
oil change interval to the type of driving done by your vehicle. A
10,000 km oil drain using good quality oil may be fine for a vehicle
doing regular long distance driving but may be very bad news for a
vehicle doing short distance, stop start driving or one that does less
than 10,000 km per annum. Such vehicles should be serviced using
quality oils at a maximum of 7,000 kms or every six months, which-ever
comes sooner.
MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES.
Whether
you change the oil yourself or use a qualified mechanic to do it for
you, it is imperative that the engine is warmed before the old oil is
drained out. Failure to do this will definitely leave old oil and
contaminants in the engine which will only further deteriorate
throughout the next oil drain period.
OIL SELECTION.
Using
the wrong grade, quality, or viscosity of oil will certainly contribute
to oil sludging. Once again, saving a few Dollars by using an inferior
brand or grade of oil will inevitably cause greater costs in the long
run. Some companies argue that the use of a full synthetic oil will
reduce the incidence of sludge caused by high temperature operation.
This is certainly true of a full synthetic oil from a reputable company
but we must remember that it may not eliminate sludging caused by other
factors.
In
simple terms, while no-one can guarantee your car will never suffer
from problems caused by oil sludge, you can minimise the risk by
tailoring your service intervals to suit the way your vehicle is
driven, change oil, oil filter and air filter at every service, use the
correct grade of oil for your vehicle from a reputable manufacturer,
and if you have your car serviced for you, select a reputable Shop such
as Paul's Motor Car Service, who use quality oils and
follow correct procedures.
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