Cleaning out the oil pan.....

Topic: Cleaning out the oil pan..... (Read 1095 times) previous topic - next topic

Cleaning out the oil pan.....

June 20, 2006, 02:31:07 PM

-i've got the lower front cover off replacing the gskt on it. looking down into the part of the oil pan you can see, there seems to be either trash or possibly a sluge type build up in there. the oil is drained out and just looking for what you would do to clean it out, WITHOUT dropping the pan. any info/suggestions appreciated.....oh, its a 2.3......

Cleaning out the oil pan.....

Reply #1 – June 21, 2006, 12:12:18 AM

Look at jcassity's post on "sludge".

Really any degreaser such as full-strength SimpleGreen (or even gas as jcassity used) will help wash that out.

Cleaning out the oil pan.....

Reply #2 – June 21, 2006, 12:59:03 AM

if its the timing cover you have off then you will be cramped for room. i would do a couple things.

leave the oil drain plug on
i used a beer can cut in half to use as a dipper to pour my gas in
about a half gallon should do for cleaning.
get a stiff coat hanger and loop it at the end around a small rag
use this as a brush to get in there and scrub things down
use a short bucket and pull an old t-shirt over the top
place the bucket under the pan and drain it
you can see the sediments on the t-shirt
re-use your old gas to wash out the pan again
i poured some gas in valve cover as well to flush out the oil return holes in the heads.
i also did the same to the other valve cover but had to enter the pvc opening
all this does is just run to the ends of the heads and to the oil pan anyway so no harm done.

I would imagine the sump area would be the hardest to do so you might have to rig up the end of a shop vac hose and reduce its end with rubber tubing maybe or a section of garden hose and see what gets sucked up. Its possible there may be old gasket material then again maybe not.

Dont use your shop vac to suction out gas unless you have a death wish ,,,OK? electric motors generaly make sparks along the burshes of the motor and we both know its not the gas that is flameabe, its the fumes that catch!!! make sure the gas has evaporated before you decide you have to do the suction thing.

good luck doing this,, its a pretty hard angle to manipulate if you cant see well.

Cleaning out the oil pan.....

Reply #3 – June 21, 2006, 11:54:54 AM

-thanks, jcas,chuck, i had two ways in mind already. one was of course brake parts cleaner, and the other gas in a pump up sprayer. mine really doesnt look like thick sludge. it looks like mini ant hills here and there, because i can see the pan in places. i just didnt want to button it up and leave it in there. who knows, i may get crazy and take it off yet. you cant tell much from my avatar, but theres not much i havent took apart on this thing. got the rear end back in monday with the new che arms on. now its on to putting the front end back together.........

Cleaning out the oil pan.....

Reply #4 – June 21, 2006, 05:01:36 PM

I've always been a kerosene man myself. But I guess most people don't have any of that around anymore.

Cleaning out the oil pan.....

Reply #5 – June 22, 2006, 10:34:43 AM

-I remember kerosene. hard to find places that still sell it. i remember my dad buying used cars, and if they seemed to have a oiling/sludge problem, he'd drain the oil out, put the plug back in, fill it up (5 or 6 qts) with kerosene and crank it up and let it idle for a bit. dont remember how long it ran, but then he'd shut it off, drain it fill it up with oil, run it, drain it, and filler back up with a new filter. down the road it go.