Blog Post

3 Things to Know About Engine Sludge

  • By Admin
  • 22 Feb, 2019
Engine Maintenance
As you probably know, an automobile suffers a lot of wear and tear as time goes on. Fortunately, you can protect your car from undue degeneration by having it professionally maintained on a regular basis. Those who fail to take their car in for periodic checkups risk their car developing far more costly problems.

One of the most common such problems involves the formation of the destructive substance known as engine sludge. This substance negatively affects your car's performance and may ultimately cause your engine to fail entirely. If you are an automobile owner, you owe it to yourself to understand as much as possible about engine sludge. This article covers three key things that you should know.

1. Engine Sludge Comes From Oil

Your car's motor oil makes up the principal ingredient in engine sludge. Two principal factors can lead to the formation of engine sludge: oxidation and contamination.

Oxidation occurs naturally as oil ages. Heat and internal friction cause the oil molecules to break down into smaller components. Unfortunately, these degraded byproducts lack the high viscosity of fresh oil.

In other words, instead of being slick and fluid, the products of oxidation tend to be sticky and slowmoving. As the oil continues to age, more of this grease-like sludge accumulates inside of your engine, often exacerbating the conditions that led to its formation in the first place.

Sludge also forms as oil accumulates contaminants. Some such contaminants come from the gas you put in your car. Virtually all gasoline contains some percentage of non-combustible contaminants, which often slip past the pistons in your engine and mix with the oil. Another common contaminant comes in the form of water, which often gets into an engine through the process of condensation.

Sludge also forms more rapidly for those who don't stock their cars with high-quality motor oil. This is because lower-quality oils contain more contaminants, causing engine sludge to form more quickly than it would if you used a higher-quality oil.

2. Sludge Leads to Serious Engine Damage

As sludge builds up in your engine, it leads to greater and greater problems. Most of these problems stem from the fact that sludge decreases the rate of oil circulation. This lack of circulation can lead to engine starvation, a condition in which your engine doesn't receive an adequate supply of oil.

Without adequate oil, your engine generates more friction than usual. This friction increases engine heat, which can damage sensitive components. Excess friction also reduces the amount of power generated by your engine. As a result, you may find that your fuel economy has begun to suffer.

Sludge deposits also make it more difficult for your car to start up by increasing the amount of resistance to your oil pump's efforts at circulation. If not addressed, sludge can ultimately cause your engine to critically overheat and fail altogether.

3. Serious Sludge Requires a Mechanic's Intervention

The solution to engine sludge depends on how severe the problem has become. Car owners can remove relatively minor sludge buildup through the use of a chemical sludge remover. Simply add this substance to your oil supply, allow your engine to run for several minutes, and then drain the oil and replace it with fresh stock.

Unfortunately, this solution won't work as well for more serious sludge deposits. In that case, you may need to have a mechanic partially disassemble your engine and manually remove the built-up sludge. If you believe your car has developed a sludge problem, have it inspected as soon as possible. For more information, contact the engine professionals at German Car Care.
By Admin 18 Jun, 2019
Some auto services are essential to maintain safety in your vehicle. Read this blog to learn which services you shouldn't go without.
By Admin 17 Apr, 2019
If your car's steering wheel is vibrating unusually, it could be a symptom of a few different problems. Learn about the different causes on this blog.
By Admin 23 Oct, 2018

Certain vehicle makes are known for particular malfunctions that become common as the vehicles age. If you own an aging Mercedes-Benz, for example, you might want to be aware of the most common Mercedes malfunctions.

If you are aware of malfunctions that your vehicle is likely to experience, you can carefully plan your maintenance regime to avoid malfunctions. This knowledge will also help you easily identify the common problems when your vehicle isn't running properly.

The following are six Mercedes parts to pay attention to that are common causes of malfunctions in aging Mercedes models.

By Admin 26 Aug, 2018
Variable valve timing is a common feature on many Mercedes and BMW engines. By altering valve lift and valve duration at crucial moments, variable valve timing helps improve engine performance as well as increase fuel economy.

BMW's version of variable valve timing is "Variable Nockenwellen Steuerung," or VANOS for short. Over time, parts of the VANOS system can wear down, eventually leading to the dreaded "VANOS rattle" that many BMW owners fear. If your BMW suffers from VANOS rattling, then read on to find out how it affects your vehicle and what steps you can take to fix the problem once and for all.
By Admin 27 Jun, 2018
uropean cars, just like their American counterparts, generate power by combusting a mixture of gasoline and air. This process consumes most — if not all — of the gasoline. Yet all gasoline contains a certain percentage of impurities, and these impurities often fail to burn up along with the gas. Instead, they attach themselves to the inside of your engine as fuel varnish deposits.

Most gasoline contains special detergents which remove these deposits. Yet these additives cannot always control fuel varnish. In such cases, as the deposits grow thicker, they may begin to present serious difficulties for your car. This article takes a closer look at three of the most commonly experienced problems caused by excessive engine deposits.
By Admin 26 Apr, 2018
Owning a luxury car, like a BMW, Porsche, or another foreign marvel, is a novelty not many people experience. Of all cars on the market, only 18% of models purchased are considered of luxury making, which means the car you drive is unique in design and appeal.

What makes a luxury car, including imported models, so expensive and alluring is A) the number of vehicles in production (exclusivity), and B) Technological or performance enhancements that make car driving futuristic and comfortable. You want your luxury vehicle to last, and one way to do this is to make sure the engine is operating as it should.

If your car is leaking fluids, you should be concerned; fluids or oils dripping from your engine means some component is not operating as it should under the hood. Do not attempt to make any auto repairs yourself; rather, visit your specialty auto mechanic if you believe your car is leaking fluids. Use this guide to help you understand if fluids are leaking from your vehicle.
By Admin 26 Feb, 2018
Many auto shops advertise their services for vehicles of any make. While some mechanical services could be handled at virtually any auto shop, you may wonder if choosing a shop that specializes in vehicles like yours makes a difference.

When you buy a new car, the manufacturer is likely one of your biggest considerations, especially if you're in the market for a high-end vehicle. Your mechanic's qualifications with cars of that make should be equally important when you need routine service or emergency car repairs.

In this blog, we list four of the benefits to you as a car owner when you work with an auto shop that is certified by your vehicle's manufacturer.
By Admin 28 Dec, 2017
Keeping your Mercedes or BMW running well means being diligent and alert to any potentially serious problem with the cooling system. This system works to keep your engine working within a precise temperature range and also keeps the metals from melting and fusing.

The cooling system is made of a number of integral parts working together to keep things running smoothly. The entire system will fail to work if even one component is broken or damaged. Here is a list of some of the most important things you should do to keep the cooling system working smoothly
By Admin 30 Oct, 2017
our BMW is a well-built machine, but it is not immune to problems such as steering wheel vibrations. While many BMW owners mention they have a problem with this issue, it can happen to any car that share similar braking and suspension systems.

Steering wheel vibrations could indicate a potential safety problem and should be fixed as soon as possible. Here are five possible reasons why your BMW's steering wheel is vibrating and what needs to be done in order to fix the problem.
By Admin 22 Aug, 2017
You are the proud owner of a luxury European-made car, and you want to ensure your vehicle lasts for as long as you wish to drive it. There are a few things more exhilarating than revving up that engine and seeing just what your sleek ride can do. To get the most out of your BMW, Porsche, or other luxury vehicles, here are the four things you can do to prolong its life.
Show More
Share by: