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Hey guys I'm new here! Just purchased a 1997 ES300 with less than 100 000 miles from original owner for 2k. Zero rust. Pretty sweet deal eh? I believed that too.. just opened the valve cover because of a small leak and yeah... pretty decent amount of sludge in there.. I cleaned the whole thing and took a good look at the camshafts, in some sections it is missing some chips of metal, nothing major but still that can't be good for a car with less than 100 000 miles. I checked the oil dipstick and there it is, some metal flakes at the end of it pretty much everytime I look at it after a drive. The other valve cover in the back is ALSO having a very small leak but as you know is quite a pain to get too. I'm assuming I'm going to see the same thing if I look in there. My question is, what should I do? I don't have any lights on on the dash and the car drives great very smooth and no knocking. I wanted to keep the car for a long time but bow I feel like I'm driving a ticking time bomb soon to be hearing some knocking then boom, gone. Any suggestion would be very appreciated thanks a lot !
Add some Marvel Mystery Oil every 1500km, change the oil at that interval. Use the highest detergent motor oil you can find for example diesel oil. Did you take any pics when the valve cover was off?
Sadly I did not take any pictures. I managed to clean the whole thing and I believe I did a great job, looked brand new inside after I was done. Just the cams man... they looked good at first glance but when I got closer I saw some parts had chipped off metal, very subtle but still there. The metal at the end of my dilstick looks to be the same metal from the cams. I just did an oil change so I could just remove some then ad marvel mystery oil? Thanks for the help!
Yeah I guess I don't want to believe it...it's just so weird..The engine just runs so well no noise or shakes, drives so smooth like it's out of the factory. The car looks and drive like a dream still... I wonder how long I have until it dies...? Just look at how clean it is
Oil isn't especially expensive why not spend $100 and see what happens. If the engine dies it dies at least you tried. But you should not be seeing metal the oil filter should be getting it, unless the metal is being created every time the engine runs.
I'm guessing that there is nothing else than I can do but get a new engine right? I know I'm looking for a miracle solution but I just bought the car a week ago and I'm kinda baffled about this situation. Clearly I was ripped off since the guy was a mechanic, he knew what was going on for sure. I've never experienced this before and the car still runs like its brand new that's what I find weird. I would expect some knocking and shaking from the engine but nothing.. still runs smooth as hell
It sure does look like metal but I'm no expert so I can't say for sure. What else could it be? I dont have a magneted dipstick but I guess I could take it to a local mechanic to do it for me and see what happens
Not a magnetic dipstick. Just a regular magnet that you can run along your dipstick and see if it picks up any metal. That’s the quickest things to do.
an even better diagnostic is for you to get a new oil filter, take your car to your mechanic and ask him to change your filter.
than have him cut the old filter and to remove the filter material inside. He or you can than examine it for foreign metal particles.
if you’re so equipped And feel comfortable, you can probably do that yourself
ES300 sludge problem
