Sludge oil residue in rocker cover & milkiness on oil filler cap

[Woodie71 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Woodie71]

Hi Folks,

I'm think this may have been discussed before.

I've had my 2006 V6 GLX with 224k in for a major service and all other fluids changed with my local dealer. Whilst in there they mentioned that my oil filler cap has signs of moisture and the engine could be leaking water.
So this week I take it back in to have it checked out, they then tell me they have taken off the right hand rocker cover and have found sludge in it. Now they call me to say I either need a full rebuild or new engine OMG.
Note the vehicle shows no sign of water loose, oil in coolant, oil in sump and no lose of power as I towed a tonne of wood on the weekend.

Taken to another mechanic to have it checked out they tell me the sludge is common if you miss services. They then pressure check the whole system, check all hoses, coolant test and engine flush again to tell me the engine they believe is fine and no replacement needed.

So out of this I ask if anyone have any issues with moisture on the filler cap and how have you got over the sludge in the engine.

Look forward to our discussion, Paul

[Guest Close Guest]

How often do you use your Prado?

[kjoy064 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close kjoy064]

I've recently done a trip through the centre and had planned on doing the simpson desert however i had an issue with some water ingested through the intake (no snorkel).

The main issue i had was maybe a bent rod due to the water intake but was very lucky that we did all the right things in having taking the plugs out, turning the car over to remove the excess water and putting it all back together only to have too much water in the oil which in turn lead to the bigends being starved of oil and lubrication. The assessment to the engine it was found to have a very blocked pickup and sludge in the sump and valve covers and this was on a car that had done 210k km's. Because of this i am currently in the process of replacing the motor for a lowish km second hand unit.

Make sure you have the covers pulled off, oil pickup cleaned asap as this will help.

good luck

[Woodie71 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Woodie71]

We drive the vehicle every day mostly around town type driving. The drive to CBD takes about 15mins in with speeds from 60 to 80kph.

Well the outcome today was interesting, they couldn't find any reason for the moisture. Had a pressure test, all hoses okay and a KT test on the coolant these all came back all good. Also another engine flush and new oil and the oil they dump was dirty from the being in only a week, so this may mean we need do another one in a month or so.
They say drive it check it often and see us in 6 months.

So we are at a lose on what to do

[don1 Member Find all posts View Profile Close don1]

Mine also got a slight sludge on the filler cap and oil is very dirty during oil change! Nothing to worry! When i used to changed my oil every 5k interval and still comes out dark! I was using mobil 1 5-30! And was doing it for more than 100k already and the engine still running very good! I think the V6 engine are built to last! The sludge is normal i have seen it so many times in different car some are worse than others! As long when you drain your oil and comes out not milky youll be ok

[mypradogrande Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mypradogrande]

I had a similar issue with sludge build up at around 265k. The oil pressure sensor light was flicking on and off. Took it to Toyota who removed the Oil cap and said I need a replacement motor. My Dad is a mechanic so he said it's possibly a faulty sensor or blocked pickup. As it was only 2 weeks before I was due to go on a 10,000km trip I was really worried but we started with running an engine flush. Seemed to do the trick and had no issues with the oil sensor light again. Had it in the workshop for a major service at 280k where they also replaced the rocker cover gaskets. Upon removing the rocker covers there was obvious signs of sludge buildup so the mechanic also dropped the sump and found the oil pickup was partially blocked. They managed to clean the majority out and flush the engine. At 302,000km it's still going strong, Mechanic recommended more regular service intervals now between 5-8,000km (I do more short journey's these days). If there is moisture in the oil then that is a bit more of a concern but the sludge issue can be managed if caught early enough.

Toyota had quoted roughly $9-9.5k for a new motor but have seen recon'd engines on eBay for about $3-4k. I think thats the avenue that I'll go down if it becomes a problem down the track.

[Woodie71 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Woodie71]

Cheers folks for your time to comment it very appreciated

[Brett1979 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Brett1979]

Sludge build up is from not changing your engine oil often enough. You can use base grade mineral engine oil without dramas, but you've got to change it more regularly. Don't leave it in the engine for 20,000km plus on a regular basis between changes or you will get sludge and blocked intakes in your motor. Engines with variable valve timing can suffer greatly from old oil causing sludge build up. I've only mainly used mineral grade engine oils and I change my oil every 6,000-7,000km with no sludge issues of any kind (352,000km). You can change mineral grade oil every 10,000km for the first half of the engine's life, but don't leave it in any longer than that. Semi synthetic and fully synthetic oils are more expensive and designed to last longer between changes without breaking down so quickly, but the way I look at it is the same volume of oil still gets just as contaminated, dirty and full of abrasives over time so I just use the cheaper stuff and change it more often which I believe is more beneficial than leaving expensive stuff in for 15,000km. 15,000km service intervals suit fixed price servicing where the dealership doesn't lose out so much. Prior to this in the 90's it was recommended to service cars every 7,500-10,000km so go figure. Diesels should have the oil changed every 5,000km ideally. I'm pretty anal when it comes to oil changes as its the life blood of your engine.

A thick film of milky white residue on the underside of the oil filler cap would make my heart sink. I'd immediately be thinking cracked or warped head. If you haven't lost any coolant as a result (especially litres of it within 15mins of driving) then you may be in the clear. Still a weird occurance though. Change the oil and monitor it. Check the underside of the cap every few days to a week for a few months just to be sure. If it's just a freaky once off you may be able to dismiss it.

[minh Member Find all posts View Profile Close minh]

Woodie. We have just been through winter mate.
this is common and yes for me too.

in my case and many others.
Short trips to work in winter the car doesn't get to operating temperature.
You will find the condensation accumulating on the cap with oil.

Those bozos should know this.
you watch now. Warmer weather you will be fine.