Sea foam or Motor Flash in Crankcase to flash sludge

It is almost NEVER a good idea to put "solvents" into your crankcase as a "preventative" measure.
Whatever sludge is stuck to non-working parts is NOT likely to cause a problem.
If you loosen it so that it starts moving around......then is IS likely to cause a problem.

Solvents mixed with the oil reduces it's lubricating ability.
Does that sound like a good idea to you ??

 

Yes, another seafoam post!!! Looking forward to all the replies

 

What kind of oil are you using that you have sludge at 100,000 miles?
Have you never changed the oil?

Drain the oil and then fill with 3 3/4 quarts of regular transmission fluiid.
Idle for 15 minutes. Then drain and replace oil filter and fill with 0-20w synthetic oil.

Taking it completely apart is the best way, and really the only correct way.
Why would you think you had sludge?

 

Lots of flash's whatever that is.

Sludge is caused by crappy oil.

 

In most cases it is TOTALLY unnecessary......because the places that it accumulates does NOT in any way interfere with proper engine operation.

Of course, that is assuming that the engine has been treated to reasonably good routine maintenance.

 

Same, I'm confused that the OP wants to motor flash. You can only do that with electronic hardware which you flash the memory.

 

You haven't said how you know there is sludge? Probably not.
You could check the vin number with Toyota and see if they changed it.
If the car, and engine compartment looks okay, they probably took care of it and
did have it changed.
When you changed the oil the first time how did it look? Unless it came out super black,
you are probably okay. When you took the oil filer cap off, was it clean inside?
Just use the correct oil like you are, and you'll be okay.

 

I know that a few decades ago on another continent I used flushing oil -- not an additive but a whole different oil that replaced the old oil and was then drained after running the engine for 10 or 15 minutes before refilling with the regular oil. It was most likely a Castrol or BP product, because those are pretty much the only brands I ever used. I remember it had a distinctive and not-unfamiliar smell, but I can no longer recall what -- wintergreen? I see Castrol Flushing Oil available in the UK, and in Australia a flushing additive called Castrol Engine Shampoo, but neither is on their US Web site.

Last year I used BG Products EPR on a Pontiac Vibe (Toyota engine) with 160K+ miles, and the drained oil looked something like chocolate, so either it did get a lot of sludge out or it contains a compound that turns chocolate color when heated or mixed with regular oil. There had been no sign of sludge, nor was the oil unusually dark, when doing a regular oil change.

I can't decide whether to try it on our 36K-mile Prius next oil change time.

 

36,000 miles and you think there is sludge? Where are you getting this idea????
As I stated, remove the oil filler cap, is it's not all nasty looking, you don't need to do anything.
Except change the oil as usual.

 

No, I am not imagining that there is sludge, but it's certainly possible that there is a coating left on non-bearing surfaces, which it surely would not hurt to remove. And if the oil plus BG EPR comes out looking like chocolate (as with the 166K+ mile Vibe), then perhaps the stuff really does just become chocolate-looking when it heats up or mixes with oil. Call it a scientific experiment.

 

There is the flaw in your thinking.
It really CAN "hurt something", especially if you make a mistake and don't do it right.
OTOH, there really is NOTHING useful to be gained.

 

You still have not answered HOW you KNOW there is sludge in you engine.
Xray vision?
Just because the oil looks nasty when it's drained, doesn't mean there is sludge.

 

Oil is supposed to leave a film; if it didn't, moving parts would wear excessively until oil has started circulating after each startup.

Oil is also supposed to hold contaminants in suspension, turning it dark and "nasty looking." That means it's doing its job. Leave it be and change it on the manufacturer's recommended schedule.

 

Clogged EGR caused crankcase oil to sludge? I have to know how you came to that conclusion.

 

I specifically wrote "on non-bearing surfaces"; I was referring to a baked-on, typically orange-brown coating on, say, the piston rods or the valve-gear cover. I can't find any pictures now, but I know I've seen them.

Not a few PriusChat members have praised BG Products' EPR. For their extended warranty (which I think requires the treatment to be performed by one of their authorized maintenance facilities -- which I was not intending to do -- and in fact they do not officially sell their products to end users), the EPR treatment has to be performed before the vehicle has done 100K miles and has to be repeated every 10K miles thereafter.

 

SO ???
Just in this thread alone, several owners have said that you should NOT worry about general "sludge accumulation" inside an engine.
And you should try to sort out what real experts say.......versus what self-appointed experts claim about the benefits of using "snake oil".