Valve Covers pulled - How bad does it look?
- Thread starter nwebb01
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gamefreakgc
Elite Member
I've always been told it's best to break it down slowly so it doesn't overwhelm the filter and oil pickup screen.
Switch oil to a good synthetic (not a part store bargain brand) and before changing it, use an engine oil flush product to clean up the oil pan. Don't run the engine longer than it says on the bottle though. After switching to synthetic, you might have to change the oil before the maximum mileage. Keep an eye on the color and it if turns black it's time to change again. Keep at it until your cylinder head goes from black to a golden brown.
My engine was a bit of a sludge monster and that's what I did to clean it up. Within a couple of years the heads were bright and bronze colored again.
Switch oil to a good synthetic (not a part store bargain brand) and before changing it, use an engine oil flush product to clean up the oil pan. Don't run the engine longer than it says on the bottle though. After switching to synthetic, you might have to change the oil before the maximum mileage. Keep an eye on the color and it if turns black it's time to change again. Keep at it until your cylinder head goes from black to a golden brown.
My engine was a bit of a sludge monster and that's what I did to clean it up. Within a couple of years the heads were bright and bronze colored again.
calimobber
Member
I would run some sea foam in the oil for whatever the can says, then drain it all out. replace the oil filter and maybe run fresh oil in for a few hundred miles then add sea foam again. Then just run with mobile one oil for normal cycle. I go maybe 8k-10k miles using the mobile one extended life that claims 15k miles.
It really doesn't look horrible and we all have seen worse. Just start taking steps to improve it.
It really doesn't look horrible and we all have seen worse. Just start taking steps to improve it.
19963.4lsr5
New member
BG109 is a good cleaner/engine flush. I always a few cans.
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SilverRidgeRunner1
Member
I have to admit that isn't as bad as u think but switching to a synthetic will work wonders. I've seen them so sludge up that the cams break in half at the cam gears.
LittleCaesar
New member
Frequent oil changes. Add maybe an ounce of Marvel Mystery Oil, drain after 500 to 1000 miles two or three times, and then see how the oil looks and the engine runs.
Engine running fine otherwise?
Engine running fine otherwise?
Arnezie
New member
Years ago I had a BMW that I replaced the vcg and it had a lot of sludge. I removed everything I could by hand with a plastic scraper and a shop vac before putting it back together. Then ran 3,000 oil changes with Mobil 1 for the next year. Cracked it back open to check how it looked and it was so clean compared to how it was. I don’t have a before but this is the after.
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WWRD99
New member
That's not severe by any means, I've put about a half qt of trans fluid in these in the past...drive it for a bit and change the oil...takes a few times but it works good...cheap oil, then once it stays clean for a few hundred miles I'll stop adding it then go to a good oil...helps stop cam noise too.
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Joelzy
New member
I’ll say that my attempted jdm swap(PO purchase) was much worse and while i didnt run it, a guy who bought it off me put it in a t100 and it still runs strong. Not sure what cleaners he ran but yours seems much more usuable. These dudes know how to clean it ^
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nwebb01
New member
Thanks everyone for the great responses. I've got several things to consider. For some reason, the passenger side (pictured above) looked a lot worse than the drivers side. I got a scraper and scraped a whole ton of gunk out.
I've had the 4Runner for just over 2 years and have put about 15k miles on it. I've been using Mobil 1 synthetic (the good for 15k miles) for the two oil changes I've done at a 8k interval. Glad to know in the grand scheme of things it's not as bad as I was expecting to hear.
I've had the 4Runner for just over 2 years and have put about 15k miles on it. I've been using Mobil 1 synthetic (the good for 15k miles) for the two oil changes I've done at a 8k interval. Glad to know in the grand scheme of things it's not as bad as I was expecting to hear.
nwebb01
New member
Yes, engine is running great. No issues.
LittleCaesar
New member
Nice. Just some frequent oil changes using good oil and you will be fine.
T4R2014
Elite Member
Just forget about it and change your oil. No problem here if it runs fine. My mechanic had a Frontier in his shop. Told me to test drive it after repairs. That 3.3 was very strong with all the miles it had. He showed me a picture. A nice layer of sludge under the valve cover. He told the owner to just change the oil often. Not even synthetic, just Proline 5W30 every 3000.
phattyduck
Elite Member
Yup. Rotella T6 will clean that up in a few oil changes. Or not - if its running fine, just keep up on the oil changes from here on out.
-Charlie
gamefreakgc
Elite Member
Yeah mine was the same way, passenger's side was worse. Must have something to do with how the oil circulates.
I realized this is too late, but be careful with a scraper. You don't want that oil sludge clogging up any passageways now that it is dislodged. Our engines have very large passageways compared to newer engines so that's good but flakes of oil sludge are not a good thing to have floating around. Glad to hear you are doing frequent changes though, that'll do more good than anything else.
phattyduck
Elite Member
PCV valve is on the passenger side (one-way, always out of the motor), crankcase vent (two way, including fresh air in while 'cruising') is on the driver's side valve cover. The passenger side head has fresher 'clean' air in there instead of worse blow-by gases most of the time.
-Charlie
