A specter is haunting America, a silent killer which, given the right circumstances, can kill an engine. In the old days, auto engineers gave this specter the moniker “Black Death”, and for good reasons. We’re talking about the specter of car cholesterol in your engine oil. Also known as sludge, the Black Death is the buildup of overused and overheated lubricating oil that’s circulating your engine. In the same way rising cholesterol levels are slowly clogging American hearts, improper oil use in internal-combustion engines are really doing a number on American cars.

If left unchecked, rising levels of sludge can seep into every part of your engine, acting as a rubber-like substance that goes anywhere it can—rendering an engine unable to move and useless. This kind of condition can only be fixed by an overhaul. And as we all know, an engine overhaul isn’t just daunting, it’s also way expensive. So to prevent that from happening, here are a couple things to remember when dealing with the Black Death:

1) Never lose your owner’s manual. If you’ve lost it already, order a new one. Your manual won’t just tell you how much oil you need to put in your engine, it’ll tell you exactly what kind of oil your engine needs in order to perform at optimum condition. Having the wrong type or amount of oil in your engine is a leading cause of sludge buildup.

2) There’s also the case of not knowing when to change engine oil on time. Some experts suggest that changing oil every 3,000 miles is enough to prevent sludge; but really, it depends on the make and model of your vehicle as well as how you use it. So to find out exactly when you need to change engine oil, consult your manual.

3) And even if you’re unassisted by your own car’s technical manual, there’s still something you can do: watch out for the early warning signs of sludge buildup. Look to your oil pan, a sump for the oil to collect in when not in use. If sludge, and not oil, is the first thing to pour out once you take off the oil pan’s drain plug, that’s a definite sign that you should have your engine checked.

4) Finally, you can always “listen-in” on your engine’s vibrations. Sludge causes blockages, and these blockages can and will cause strange, irregular rumblings in your engine. Try doing step 4 if you’re experiencing this.

While auto maintenance is no picnic, there are many things we can do to make the job easier. Remember: prevention is always better than a cure. So if your car’s showing signs of sludge buildup, immediately get it checked out by a professional. You don’t want the Black Death claiming another victim, especially if it’s your own car.

Sources:

http://www.carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Prevent_oil_sludge

sample engine cleaner

• Remove the air cleanser or filter and waterproof the distributor and air intake with plastic bags to prevent water from seeping in.
• When using an engine cleanser to get rid of the grease and dirt, make sure you read the instructions of the cleanser properly.
• Keep the cleanser out of the car finish. These can damage the paint and ruin the finish.
• Rinse or hose off the cleanser immediately after it had time to take effect.
• Start the engine and let it idle to dry the parts under the hood.

Info from:

Auto Repair for Dummies by Deanna Sclar

Image from:

http://www.chemical-cleaners.com/catalog/images/engine_cleaner.gif