Sludge Build up
01-29-10, 06:08 AM
#1
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Sludge Build up
Originally Posted by thecommish
I lease a 2008 with 60k miles and when I took it in today for this fix they said it needs a new engine due to sludge buildup! 60k miles and the engine is shot? The dealer will not stand behind the vehicle and wants $8,000 for the repair...on a lease vehicle. They said if I could provide receipts for oil changes they would possibly help - well I think I'm part of the 90% of people who do not keep oil change receipts - with the dealer being 80 miles away and 4 times the cost, I chose to have service done locally - and have no receipts - any suggestions?
Here is an update - the engine runs smooth, no noise - but is now burning about 2 qts of oil per week...had it flushed and most of the sludge is now gone - but it still smokes at start up and sometimes when accelerating. The first dealer ran no diagnostics. How can an engine with 60k miles have such problem.
I lease a 2008 with 60k miles and when I took it in today for this fix they said it needs a new engine due to sludge buildup! 60k miles and the engine is shot? The dealer will not stand behind the vehicle and wants $8,000 for the repair...on a lease vehicle. They said if I could provide receipts for oil changes they would possibly help - well I think I'm part of the 90% of people who do not keep oil change receipts - with the dealer being 80 miles away and 4 times the cost, I chose to have service done locally - and have no receipts - any suggestions?
Here is an update - the engine runs smooth, no noise - but is now burning about 2 qts of oil per week...had it flushed and most of the sludge is now gone - but it still smokes at start up and sometimes when accelerating. The first dealer ran no diagnostics. How can an engine with 60k miles have such problem.
01-29-10, 06:34 AM
#3
businesses in general are required to keep all receipts for 7 years, so, go back to the place or places you got your oil changes and ask for a copy. most shops are computer based and it shouldnt be a long process.
hopefully people will take oil changes seriously by hearing about this and buy quality oil and have it changed regularly.
hopefully people will take oil changes seriously by hearing about this and buy quality oil and have it changed regularly.
01-29-10, 08:46 AM
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If you've done oil changes every 5K or so, there's no way you should have this problem. Sounds to me that if the oil change place was not actually doing the oil change you would have these issues. Sludge builds up and the oil would be so broken down to the point where your piston rings are so worn that you are burning oil and blowing smoke. I can understand the dealer's position on this. If I was the dealer I would also want proof.
For viewing pleasure, here's what a BMW engine looks like with 60K on the original oil.
For viewing pleasure, here's what a BMW engine looks like with 60K on the original oil.
01-29-10, 10:20 AM
#6
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Auto RX
http://www.auto-rx.com/
Lots of guys on the Audi/VW board swear by this stuff.....might save the engine....
Lots of guys on the Audi/VW board swear by this stuff.....might save the engine....
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01-29-10, 01:15 PM
#8
If you do not have receipts and only claim you have done periodic oil changes, sludge build up will be on you.
You might want to get affidavits from the shop/s.
And if you return the lease, they are going to get you if you do not do soemthing about the build up.
Check out the flushing as stated above.
You might want to get affidavits from the shop/s.
And if you return the lease, they are going to get you if you do not do soemthing about the build up.
Check out the flushing as stated above.
01-29-10, 02:07 PM
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I guess I'm part of the 10% that keeps a folder for each of my vehicles with all the service records. No wonder my wife makes fun of me!
Honestly, though, did you have the oil changed every 6 months or 5k miles, whichever came first? I have a hard time believing that you'd have such sludge problems if that was the case. It seems it is either a shop not doing the oil changes you paid them for or you not keeping up on maintenance. Either way, best of luck!
Honestly, though, did you have the oil changed every 6 months or 5k miles, whichever came first? I have a hard time believing that you'd have such sludge problems if that was the case. It seems it is either a shop not doing the oil changes you paid them for or you not keeping up on maintenance. Either way, best of luck!
01-29-10, 02:18 PM
#10
I have a binder for each car I own. Detailed records, receipts, etc.. Guess I am part of the 10%.
01-29-10, 02:19 PM
#11
And I update my records at the Lexus.com owners site. This is one way of letting everyone know what has been done on the car.
Good records will pay off sometime down the road. I would be happy to see such a record if I were to pruchase a pre-owned car.
Good records will pay off sometime down the road. I would be happy to see such a record if I were to pruchase a pre-owned car.
01-29-10, 03:45 PM
#12
Lead Lap
I first heard about engine sludge from Toyota when I bought an '01 Highlander and started getting service bulletins from them on the 3.0 liter engine that extended the warranty if it occurred. It never happened before I sold it with 89k miles, but I felt warned. It had to do with hot spots within the engine thus requiring frequent oil changes. Unbelievable a '08 could have this problem.
I couldn't agree more with keeping good records. I keep a folder of receipts and enter a record in Lexus' database. You should really consider registering at https://secure.drivers.lexus.com/lex...-lexus/home.do. If a Lexus dealer has ever serviced your car, you will see a record of it here and you can add your other services. I have also gotten copies of old service records from service centers that had copies in their electronic database.
I couldn't agree more with keeping good records. I keep a folder of receipts and enter a record in Lexus' database. You should really consider registering at https://secure.drivers.lexus.com/lex...-lexus/home.do. If a Lexus dealer has ever serviced your car, you will see a record of it here and you can add your other services. I have also gotten copies of old service records from service centers that had copies in their electronic database.
Last edited by Poqman; 01-29-10 at 03:49 PM.
01-29-10, 06:47 PM
#13
Intermediate
Originally Posted by thecommish
I lease a 2008 with 60k miles and when I took it in today for this fix they said it needs a new engine due to sludge buildup! 60k miles and the engine is shot? The dealer will not stand behind the vehicle and wants $8,000 for the repair...on a lease vehicle. They said if I could provide receipts for oil changes they would possibly help - well I think I'm part of the 90% of people who do not keep oil change receipts - with the dealer being 80 miles away and 4 times the cost, I chose to have service done locally - and have no receipts - any suggestions?
Here is an update - the engine runs smooth, no noise - but is now burning about 2 qts of oil per week...had it flushed and most of the sludge is now gone - but it still smokes at start up and sometimes when accelerating. The first dealer ran no diagnostics. How can an engine with 60k miles have such problem.
I lease a 2008 with 60k miles and when I took it in today for this fix they said it needs a new engine due to sludge buildup! 60k miles and the engine is shot? The dealer will not stand behind the vehicle and wants $8,000 for the repair...on a lease vehicle. They said if I could provide receipts for oil changes they would possibly help - well I think I'm part of the 90% of people who do not keep oil change receipts - with the dealer being 80 miles away and 4 times the cost, I chose to have service done locally - and have no receipts - any suggestions?
Here is an update - the engine runs smooth, no noise - but is now burning about 2 qts of oil per week...had it flushed and most of the sludge is now gone - but it still smokes at start up and sometimes when accelerating. The first dealer ran no diagnostics. How can an engine with 60k miles have such problem.
I you see bluish smoke right after engine start, this is due to worn out valve stem seals. If there is continuous smoke when accelerating, this is mostly due to worn our piston rings. Since your car has only 60K miles, I think that piston rings are not worn, but cooked in.
It looks like whoever did the oil change for you either did not do it, or used really low quality oil that burned out and did not lubricate engine parts.
Try to use engine restore (I never used one, but heard that it may loosen up piston rings). This may make oil consumption less and may help to restore valve stem seals as well.
Good luck …
01-29-10, 11:07 PM
#14
I guess I'm part of the 10% that keeps a folder for each of my vehicles with all the service records. No wonder my wife makes fun of me!
Honestly, though, did you have the oil changed every 6 months or 5k miles, whichever came first? I have a hard time believing that you'd have such sludge problems if that was the case. It seems it is either a shop not doing the oil changes you paid them for or you not keeping up on maintenance. Either way, best of luck!
Honestly, though, did you have the oil changed every 6 months or 5k miles, whichever came first? I have a hard time believing that you'd have such sludge problems if that was the case. It seems it is either a shop not doing the oil changes you paid them for or you not keeping up on maintenance. Either way, best of luck!
01-30-10, 04:19 AM
#15
where it is a lease, and you are obviously going to get out of it, i would start to explore the consequences of not fixing it and see which is cheaper.
i noticed you havent posted with regards to having oil changes done elsewhere, so hopefully you have done that, becuase that will help alot.
also, you can ask your dealer to do an oil consumption test, it will involve going to the dealer on a monthlyish basis to have the oil level checked and topped up, they will then record how much they had to top up and the mileage. after a couple thousand miles/km, they can determine how much oil you are burning and see if it is within spec. believe it or not, Hondas spec is 1 liter per 2000 km, that is 2.5 liters between oil changes.
so my point is, if you are burning lots of oil, but it is with toyotas specs, then you should be able to return the lease without penalty.
worth a shot anyway
i noticed you havent posted with regards to having oil changes done elsewhere, so hopefully you have done that, becuase that will help alot.
also, you can ask your dealer to do an oil consumption test, it will involve going to the dealer on a monthlyish basis to have the oil level checked and topped up, they will then record how much they had to top up and the mileage. after a couple thousand miles/km, they can determine how much oil you are burning and see if it is within spec. believe it or not, Hondas spec is 1 liter per 2000 km, that is 2.5 liters between oil changes.
so my point is, if you are burning lots of oil, but it is with toyotas specs, then you should be able to return the lease without penalty.
worth a shot anyway