Engine Sludge Build up / What causes SLUDGE? / Why you should CHANGE your OIL Regularly

Engine sludge build up; I cover what causes sludge and how it forms, and why you should change your oil regularly and how to prevent engine sludge build up. There are several other things that cause sludge, however, irregular oil changes is a leading cause. Some less obvious causes include: a clogged PCV valve, worn head gasket, consistent low oil level in an engine etc. It's always good to take steps to prevent engine sludge and remove the gunk from engine if it does occur. Hope you find this "what you should know about engine oil sludge" video, useful.
Sludge prone?
In case your car uses 0W-20,5W-20 or 5W-30, check out the Valvoline I use on Amazon amzn.to/3QUIUlm
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
0:15 - What is engine sludge build up?
0:25 - Danger of sludge
0:36 - 7 Causes of sludge & prevention
3:08 - Debate on how to remove sludge
#diymechanic #carrepair #diyautoworksng #sludge

[@kennethbryan3738]

I must add that weather conditions contribute to the weight of oil we use..0w-20 in hotter climate like Nigeria will wear out the engine much faster even if the engine calls for it..a thicker weight is better..5w-30 at max..a bad PCV valve can also cause sludge build up..our brothers here don't check or change it at all..

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

If you look at the spec sheets of these lighter oils e.g. Valvoline 0w-20 it covers Nigeria's ambient temp. Some parts of the US are hotter than Nigeria in the summer, also much of the Arab world is hotter than Nigeria.

[@Izzy-qc7jk]

Very helpful and informative. Thank you!

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

Thanks for watching!

[@malunguinho]

Excellent tutorial. Straight to the point, no annoying music, logical layout of facts - subscribed. What do you recommend for very low mileage use per year *around 1k miles a year) combined with short trips in severe conditions (dusty). I barely get up to temp and my oil filter is showing a grainy oily dirt. No buildup under oil cap, no coolant mixing froth, no vacuum leaks etc but checking with finger under oil fill top case there is oily grime I can remove. Besides driving more at higher speeds and regular oil changes am not sure what to do.

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

I'd say use a good synthetic oil and put in a good intentional drive just to properly warm up the motor. Thanks a lot for the compliments!

[@SanjanaRanasingha]

Thanks

[@neftalirosado6167]

Oil and filter replacement....... Perfect time every 3,000 miles Synthetic or conventional , it doesn't matter. The best results forever and ever !!! Thanks!

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

Great point!

[@topinfo_ng]

As i see NG, i quickly subscribed asap. The video is very informative. my wrong use of oil has made me have bad piston rings. Now my car is burning oil seriously.

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

Thanks for subbing! Have you ruled out stuck oil control rings? You'd may be surprised. However may well be the oil control rings are worn.

[@topinfo_ng]

@@DIYAutoworksNG Yeah, i think i would just replace the entire engine. I am tired of the engine problems. I am just scared of not getting a bad tokunbo engine in Nigeria

[@topinfo_ng]

Okay, i can see some "stuck piston rings fix without removing engine" videos on youtube. I would try them out first. Thanks

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

Best of luck! I'll do a video on that too. Got mine unstuck by accident!

[@TamImBlessed]

Brother keep this up. Na so so foreigners we dey watch. At least lets support our own.

[@dicksonadams9871]

How can I tell if I have sludged engine without opening the cam cover

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

Usually a sludged up engine will have some sludge under the oil cap. Also, depending on the car, you may be able to see some sludge if you look through the oil pour hole with a flash light.

[@SanjanaRanasingha]

​@@DIYAutoworksNG very correct answer

[@McCarthyism_by_Youtube]

you can check dipstick if you have one. it will appear like jelly. very thick oil. I had it form on a car in storage for almost years. oil kept in engines will oxidize regardless of mileage or opacity

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

@willt718 This one didn't show on the dipstick, but I agree that if it's really bad, it will.

[@MichaelCzajka]

Ethanol in oil oxidises and polymerises to form sludge. More frequent oil changes are one way to reduce this. Or avoid the ethanol. 🙂

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

Also synthetics are generally more resistant to oxidation.

[@MichaelCzajka]

@@DIYAutoworksNG It is the ethanol oxidising not the oil. You're right synthetic oil would help. 🙂

[@isaacatini9624]

1zzfe easy to maintain engine

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

I agree.

[@Pinkielover]

crappie oil don't get Pennzoil... from a new oil change about two weeks later it was all sludge. Good thing I checked my oil every couple days I flush that system .. and did a oil change with mobile oil.. yeah I've never had that problem with any other oil. Maybe it was a bad batch.. but I'll definitely not buy that brand again. It was full synthetic Pennzoil. Never had a sledging problem ever or since then. but yeah, I do all the service myself on my car. I've been changing it every 5000 since new. car at the time only had 50 K. Now I'm at 80 K.

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

Thanks for sharing your experience. That's interesting. On full synthetic? That's really weird. Maybe bad batch as you say.

[@MichaelCzajka]

You can prevent and remove sludge formation by bonding a lubricant to your engine. 🙂

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

Lol

[@MichaelCzajka]

@@DIYAutoworksNG Sludge won't stick if it's got to compete with something that's already bonded to the surface. Sludge formation is much reduced if you can improve combustion efficiency by improving lubrication. Preventing a problem is better than addressing the symptom. :-)

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

Absolutely!

[@Funkydood]

DON'T USE Fram FILTERS!!!!!!!!!

[@DIYAutoworksNG]

By popular demand, I've moved to Purolator Boss