Not running! Varsity level issue

these repairs are the one that will drive you nuts. IMHO, you are going to have to go back to step 1. See if she is mechanically sound. Do a compression test. Verify that the valve timing is correct. You might need to replace the spark plugs too. Is she is mechanically sound you are going to have to check powers and grounds for the ECU. The pins on the connector are easy to damage so be carefull with the test probe. If the powers and grounds are OK and the other inputs to the ECU are OK then possibly the ECU is bad. The problem with that is is if you have missed the cause of the ECU failure you just might damage the replacement.

 

Well, been working and busy so thanks for the replies, just getting back to her. Did a compression test
#1 171
#2 170
#3 172
#4 165
#5 170
#6 185

Now, since I have her appart, figured I would go ahead and change my leaky valve cover gaskets. No I'm no certified mechanic but I would call this sludge??? Or maybe protection? Is this alarming to anyone? The truck runs like a top(when it does run)

 

Holy shit, that thing only has 90k miles and looks like that. Im guessing your not the original owner. If that were my truck id try and clean as much of that sludge out, pull the pan clean the pickup tube and run cleaners through that thing.

 

Have you checked the obd fuse yet?

 

Yeah, it's the most awesome thing any owner wants to find. I wonder if there's a such thing as negative crank case ventilation? Because the insides of the valve covers looked just as impressive and no air or daylight was getting through those things. And yes 90K miles, was an older gentleman's ride prior to me. Guessing he didn't do much within the lines of maintenance. After he passed, it sat in his son's driveway for 8 years. That's were I answered the Craigslist ad, three years ago, for a non running truck with four flat tires and no battery...for $1500. She's been great up to this point!

Yes, I have checked and just in case put in a new ODB fuse for kicks. Thanks anyways.

 

That's the first engine I have seen that uses vegemite for lubrication.

 

For those writing about the ECU being at fault. Sure, I see the writing on the wall, however I don't have an ECU to swap with and would be definitely purchasing one just to find out if that is indeed the problem. For now, I'm still chasing wires to eliminate that possiblity. But yes that is my last ditch effort at this point and I subscribe that it is a strong possibility.

Sincere thanks for the suggestion/input.

 

I've never seen that much sludge in a cam tower. Wow.

 

damn... the issue now is the bottom end is just as bad as the top. As each little bit of that sludge hardens and falls into the pan it will block the pickup screen and eventually you will need a motor.

With the current compression readings I think that she should run.

pull your ECU and post the part number. Lots of peeps here have put JDM complete motors in and they ship with ECU's... maybe, maybe you can get lucky.

I have heard that with that much slugde that you can start off with a 20% mixture of ATF to motor oil and let it idle... dont rev it and eventually all that sludge will get dissolved. The nuclear approach is brake fluid mixed in the oil... what the percentage is to use, I dont know. I have never had a engine that looked that bad that I could experiment with.

 

Awesome idea on the ECU posting! (I'll post it here but is there another place better?)

Does anyone have one of these? And if so what is your price? Thanks

 

I think you got your avenues covered, but just in case you keep having issues further down the road after the PCM replacement, I would strongly suggest attempting to access PCM PID information and inspecting ECT reported temperatures.

Only inspect this after the PCM replacement IF you continue having issues.

 

Wow the Sludge is amazing. Pretty much the worst I've seen!

 

Don't waste your time with ATF. It has no solvents and doesn't belong in the engine (think about the function of motor oil vs transmission fluid). If you really really want to do this, try Marvels Mystery Oil. Still a waste.

You can try Diesel fuel or Kerosene. I've had good luck freeing mechanical fuel injection pumps on tractors with a 50-50 mix with NO ENGINE LOAD.

At that point though, you're battling a bear with a swiss army knife.... Wow just wow.

 

There's a cleaner that's actually formulated for cleaning and easy to use,, BG product EPR. Follow instructions and you might have to run two or three cans thru it because that sucker if packed. It's solved a lot of late model engines with the "sticky" oil ring issue, which they were using a lot of oil because of build up on the oil wiper rings from carbon and the rings being so flimsy because of trying to cut down on friction to squeeze fuel mileage out of the motors.

 

it is the detergent that is in the ATF rather than the lubrication aspect that is being used.

 

X2 on the bg cleaner the stuff actually works

 

Be sure to keep a clean PCV valve in it from now on....if you haven't changed it, I'm sure it's plugged.

That is bad and this isn't a 'sludge' engine. I wonder what the circumstance of the oil problem was. I've seen 25K mile oil and it wasn't that bad. Sat a lot? Guy used his old lawn mower oil? Stole it from recycling centers?

 

Its a wise old tale. There is essentially no detergent in ATF. None, Zilch, Zero. You're thinning out good oil for no reason.

 

BG is good stuff as well. The oil control ring affected corollas love BG soaks.

 

My old eyes can't see that well anymore, and I did a second glance also, OP is that black build up hard like carbon or is it soft like sludge? If it's rock hard,, well it's gonna be a crap shoot.