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Do All JDM Motors Have Sludge Issues?

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Old Aug 20, 2009 | 03:45 PM
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Default Do All JDM Motors Have Sludge Issues?

So I preordered a 1J from JHOT and I finally got pictures today. Dzung over there said that the 60k miles motor I put a deposit on isnt so good of a shape, and that he has another one with about 75k miles thats better shape. He sent me some pics, and this is what i got:

pictures of motor with 90k kilometers (60k miles):












pictures of "better condition 1J w/120k kilometers (75k miles):








Now is it me, or is that just too much damn sludge? I have a 195k motor and it doesnt have a drop of sludge. I know what issues can develop from sludge and I dont want to deal with them, but am I being unreasonable by steering away from a motor because of this?

This is funny because around a year and a half ago, I also tried getting a 1J from JHOT and waited a while because it was a 5spd. When it came in, same thing...bunch of sludge. So much in fact JHOT didnt want to sell it to me and were going to sell it as a "parts motor".

Here are some pics from the motor back then:
















Same thing all over again. Im not sure if im done with JHOT or im just done with looking for a decent JDM motor. It seems like its almost impossible finding something decent....

Oh well, I guess the hunt continues...again....
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Old Aug 20, 2009 | 03:58 PM
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Turbo motors tend to build up sludge due to the oil breaking down because of the higher oil temps since the oil lubricates the turbos. VW engines are the worst about sludge problems. This is why I buy amsoil engine flush and flush the engine twice a year. My 1JZ didn't have much sludge build up when I received it but it does have a seal that's going out on one of the stock turbos.
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Old Aug 20, 2009 | 04:38 PM
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Yeah thats the downside of sludge on turbo cars...small oil feed/drain lines get clogged real easy, and for turbos thats bad news.

So your 1J didnt have sludge like the ones shown above? Where did you happen to get your 1J from....
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Old Aug 20, 2009 | 05:59 PM
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No sludge like that. Mine was very minor discoloration in the valve covers. I don't remember since it was so long ago.
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Old Aug 20, 2009 | 06:45 PM
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When I get home I will look at your pictures(can't see them on the Gov't computers) and let you know about mine compared to that.
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Old Aug 20, 2009 | 09:43 PM
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just start using synthetic oil
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Old Aug 20, 2009 | 10:01 PM
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i planned on buying an sc300 and just boosting the 2JZ-NA and not doing any motor swap. But from what i keep seeing is that ppl with the 2JZ-GE usually swap the 1JZ-GTE. it is more because it's already turbo? or because its REALLY that much better than the 2J-NA?

This has me kinda' iffy now because i was hoping to just build/boost the sc300's 2JZ-GE :/
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Old Aug 20, 2009 | 10:46 PM
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My JDM 2JZ-GTE had sludge all over. I ended up tearing it down and fully rebuilding it.
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Old Aug 20, 2009 | 11:23 PM
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my 2jzgte is clean as a whistle when i got it paid a bit more but hell i don't have coking like that....the problem is that especially the 2jzgte guys is that the car has been discontinued for 10 years and motors are getting harder to come by most of the ones i seen look like crap now like your picking the bottom of the barrel I'd pass on that motor in the pic cuz of all the coking but if you have the time you can clean it up and it will be fine
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Old Aug 21, 2009 | 08:40 AM
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Originally Posted by sventhemac
When I get home I will look at your pictures(can't see them on the Gov't computers) and let you know about mine compared to that.
Yeah I was meaning to ask you since you seem the most recent person to get a 1J from JHOT that I know of.


What did yours look like under the cap?
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Old Aug 21, 2009 | 08:42 AM
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Originally Posted by cbrasian
my 2jzgte is clean as a whistle when i got it paid a bit more but hell i don't have coking like that....the problem is that especially the 2jzgte guys is that the car has been discontinued for 10 years and motors are getting harder to come by most of the ones i seen look like crap now like your picking the bottom of the barrel I'd pass on that motor in the pic cuz of all the coking but if you have the time you can clean it up and it will be fine
Where did you get yours from? I am also looking at aristo's........
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Old Aug 21, 2009 | 10:01 AM
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Mine was clean as hell ,i pick it myself pull the Valve cover check the Turbos for shaft play ,so clean i didn't have to replace the Valve cover.
I choosed the 1JZ from a chaser because the are newer cars, the soarers are kind of old.
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Old Aug 21, 2009 | 11:15 AM
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not at all un-usual from jhot or affiliates. many shops get their swaps directly from jhot for resell, there was a similarly named JDMhot and many small shops see their drop outs/clips/parts.

they get the bottom of the barrel from japan and dump @ ebay price. You get what you pay for, the 1j/2j is an expensive motor to build/swap/maintain properly.

Jhot parts are best canidate for full rebuilds prior to use
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Old Aug 21, 2009 | 12:49 PM
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My 1JZ came with a LOT of sludge. I tore it down and had the head cleaned up.

The block is fine AFAIK, didn't take it apart completely. but sludge can be a problem on these motors depending on how severe it is.

once i get my engine started i plan on flushing some oil a few times before its go time
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Old Aug 21, 2009 | 09:35 PM
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So I think im going to go for the 120,000 kilometer motor....

It's either that or I cough up another $2500or so and go for an aristo...
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