Another go at sorting out Oil in Airboxes...

Hello All,

I (also) have the apparently common issue, that has been discussed here a number of times. But I don't really see conclusions or solid solutions in the threads. If the easy things don't solve the the problem, then we're talking valve seals, valve job or ring/cylinder wear, but the engine runs well, does not require constant oil addition, blows no smoke, and passes California smog checks w/o issue, no 'check engine' lights. People may have had significant engine issues, and this makes the 'get new engine solution' reasonable; in my case, if I hadn't looked into the airbox, I wouldn't have even noticed a problem. Maybe that was my primary mistake..(!)

The details:
• 2002 3.4L TRD 230K miles.
• Compression all cylinders is over 200psi (noted in books at 218psi std/145psi min.)
•PCV replaced.
• More amber-colored metal than I'd like to see, in the valve cover areas, on the plugs, etc.

Anybody feel like they understand this problem well or that they actually solved it? One thread suggested poor oil drainage from valve covers to crankcase, due to oilway blockage, and I've yet to pull the covers off, but this seems like there's little explanation for such significant blockage, rubber PCV grommet shrapnel, etc., or for why one would have so much goo in the top end.

Some photos... ...plugs with 30K, new plugs with 500 miles...I cleaned up the Airbox so there's no picture of the oil in there, but it looked basically like the air tube there. There's little oil in the various cavities or hose in the air tube.

thanks for you comments in advance,

-gax

 

this is an interesting topic...

bump for more discussion

i just noticed something of the sorts for the first time in the past six months with excessive blow-by weeping from the intake tube near throttle body

 

Run a catch can. Problem solved

 

Well, here's today's follow up:

Let me start by saying I didn't own this truck until the 211,000 miles mark, and yes, apparently I should've bought a better one. However, as I said above, the thing runs well, which is astonishing in light of today's discoveries (see photos.) I guess it's a testimony to the robust nature of the 3.4L Taco engine.

The vacuum cleaner pulled out that orange bucket worth of sludge. I've never seen such oil neglect in my life. Amazingly, the valve clearances are correct, indicating I guess that someone actually adjusted them at some point. I've had tacomas that needed clearance adjustment at 140,000 miles if not before, but people don't do it of course. So I'll clean it up best I can, redo the cover seals and then be ready to see if open drainways to the crankcase will keep oil out of the PCV circuit and out of the air box/throttle body.

However, I didn't have reason before to consider this, but in light of this minor disastrous situation with what looks like mixing sand and epoxy to the oil, I gotta drop the oil pan and (hopefully be able to) clean the sump, remove what I assume is more of the same in the pan, stuck to the con-rods, etc. BUT apparently you have to remove either the engine or the front 4WD components, the timing belt and pulleys, and the flywheel housing JUST TO DROP THE PAN. This makes me want to jump off a bridge. I know the designers would say: "Look do you want 4WD or not?" It also reminds me of the guy who was helping me rebuild the frozen steering on my 1957 Chevy (40 years ago) who said: "Ya know, they sell new trucks." He didn't offer to loan me the money though.

I'm almost tempted to do what the old-timers do with final drives in tracked heavy machinery: Replaced the oil with diesel, run it for a minute, drain and repeat, until 'clear' diesel is seen. But in case you're wondering, diesel nor Berryman B12 disolves this stuff. I may better reassemble the thing and do a buyer-beware Craigslist the truck.

Anyway, more later, as the saga goes on...

 

I would run it until it actually fails. Then swap in a jdm import engine or another used engine. Can pull the valve cover on a used engine and verify it doesn't look like that before installing.

No way I'd waste any time or money trying to fix up that engine. That sludge will be everywhere.

 

Hmn, yeah, that's a bitter pill, but I take your points. Prior to wrestling with the differential and the drive shafts, I may not be able to shed the idea of cleaning out the sump. But we'll see how much cursing goes on with the pan drop; I might change my mind on that.

 

This never occurred to me, but my friend looked at that sludge and said: "An old hate trick was to pour sugar into the oil or gas tank. That's kinda what that looks like." I would want to assume this would be prior to my ownership, but.... ...Does anyone know if this is what that sort of shenanigans does?

 

Nah, your oil sludge is just from oil change neglect. It could be cleaned but I wouldn't risk pieces breaking off myself. Clean the sump if you like but don't go chipping the stuff uptop unless you can truly remove it physically at the time.

 

OK, thanks, I guess 'just neglect' makes me feel slightly better. I really want to clean out the sump and the oil pan, but now I've watched the random videos of guys struggling with the front diff... ...man, I can't stop shaking my head as to how irritating that is just to get to the damn pan. oh well...

And without the shop vac I would've hesitated to poke at that gunk for sure.

 

on an engine that bad running solvent through it can make things worse. you don't want too much sludge breaking free at once and clogging oil galleys. been there done that, seized the driver side cam and trashed the engine.

I would consider switching to a 10W30 diesel oil and running 3k or shorter oil changes. the detergents in the diesel oil will still clean up sludge but at a much less aggressive rate and avoid the risk of knocking everything off all at once.

 

I'm with @Superdave1.0, get a new-to-you engine, either now, soon, or when this one finally calls it quits. This motor ain't salvageable (at least not practical to try).

 

Yeah, I kinda thought glue in the corners best stay in the corners. When I got this truck I began to run Delo as I run in my diesels, at the recommendation of a refinery engineer friend of mine. That oil has done me well. It did occur to me that running more aggressive cleaning oils could make things worse, and this would apply to the ''LiquiMoly' type 'treatments' as well.

 

That engine flush from them works, but I wouldn't do it on this engine. It's more of a clean the varnish off type of thing. On sludge like this you run the risk of clogging up something important.

 

Delo is good stuff, no issues running it in my old high mileage yotas. I'd just stick to that and let it run while you contemplate the possibility of needing an engine rebuild/replacement in the future.

 

EWE
that is bad.

i have seen worse when a Ford Tech showed me the heads of a ladies of a 2 yr old F150 like 40k miles if i remember
she told service advisor she didn't know she had to change oil.
(seriously.)
those heads looked just a bit worse than your pix.
(ford warranty denied claim for a new engine)

 

in addition,
IMO the reason you are getting so much oil in intake tube/box/resonator is bc of blow by of lack of oil changes in the past.

 

yeah, the initial discovery of some oil in the air/fuel departments was the first I sign I had of this situation. The guy who sold me the truck naturally had changed the oil 2 days before I came over. This and the fact that the engine runs very smoothly, does not smoke at all, passes smog without issues, positioned my head in the sand. As I alluded to above, I'm in the habit of adjusting valves, doing that for this engine was on my agenda, but replacing the air filter and finding the bottom of it soggy, turned out to be the impetus for pulling the valve covers. Then the real head-shaking began.

 

Run a catch can and vent to atmosphere.

 

You can pull the Exhaust Cam and try to clean more out.

That is a crazy amount of sludge build up.

Personally I’d do my best to clean it up and use some cleaners to try and dissolve the rest.

 

Yeah, astonishing. Company car I think, minus a maintenance regiment. I tend to agree that both 'drive it til it dies' and 'try to do something reasonable to clean it up,' are two parts of a single strategy. I don't wanna say that pulling an engine, finding another one, and getting out the checkbook are also a hassle, but...