A Healthy Engine and Normal Wear and Tear

[Z-06]

Without voiding the warranty, what is the best way to check whether the engine is healthy, if no codes come back on the OBDII?

Also, if there are signs of extremely fine sludge buildup (consistency of a clayey substance instead of a sandy material) at the bottom of the oil pan/sump is that considered normal wear and tear or initial stages of a bigger problem?

[G. David Felt]

Z, one way you can do this is by pulling spark plugs one by one and doing a compression test on each cylinder to compare the readings. You can also pull your fuel injectors and see how clean they are. One additional item I have seen done is that some people will put a magnet on the oil plug to pull any metal particles onto the plug so when they drain the oil they can see if any particles are floating. Also as you already mentioned the OBDII, read for codes.

If you have the mgmt software on a laptop, you can connect the laptop to the interface port and leave the laptop recording for the day to see if it catches any random issues and see how the over all performance of the engine is running.

[Z-06]

Z, one way you can do this is by pulling spark plugs one by one and doing a compression test on each cylinder to compare the readings. You can also pull your fuel injectors and see how clean they are. One additional item I have seen done is that some people will put a magnet on the oil plug to pull any metal particles onto the plug so when they drain the oil they can see if any particles are floating.

Will this void the warranty?

Also as you already mentioned the OBDII, read for codes.

If you have the mgmt software on a laptop, you can connect the laptop to the interface port and leave the laptop recording for the day to see if it catches any random issues and see how the over all performance of the engine is running.

No codes (see above) and no management software.

[Drew Dowdell]

No, a compression test will not void a warranty.

Expanded on the magnet/oil pan idea, you can often find an aftermarket magnetic oil pan plug (a quick google tells me that GM initially installed magnetic drain plugs on corvettes but then stopped producing the part)

[G. David Felt]

Correct as Drew stated, compression test will not void a warranty. Something else that my father taught me when he used to own a repair shop and I had forgotten about till now.

Dyno Test, I know some places charge crazy prices, but most will do a basic hook up and computer run of the auto to give you the base line. The nice thing with this is that for the couple hundred dollars it would cost you, you get a real data of what your HP / torque is and a complete output of your computer showing how the whole engine, tranny and computer system behaved. A great report to see if the auto is solid and consistent.

Surprising part here is that when I used to work in my dads garage helping mechanics run these base line numbers, it was amazing to see what auto's actually failed to give you the numbers marketed by the auto manufacture and which ones surpassed those numbers.

Since HP/Torque stated is at the fly wheel, it is always pleasing to see a car produce those numbers at the actual wheel telling you it is putting out more than stated.

[Z-06]

D and D thank you. This is a certain step in the right direction.

DD can we talk on phone tonight?

Regarding my second question, does normal wear and tear of engine show any sludge-like material?

[G. David Felt]

Sludge-like material is really based on the engine design. Some engines were poorly designed and would sludge up really bad. Others do not.

Plus driving style does play a role in how an engine behaves and how clean it is. I have a friend that only drives 5 min from his house to the park and ride and his engine with low miles is just carbon dirty. Then you have my escalade that has 120K miles and by the time I take it in at 7500 miles for the synthetic oil change, it still looks almost new. Yes I do enjoy driving on longer trips which help to keep an engine cleaner.

End result, if you do the maintenance and drive the auto it should for the most part not create sludge like material but till still have normal coloring adjustment in the oil. Engines that seem to build up heavy sludge like substance are rarer today than they used to be.

[Drew Dowdell]

sure, I'm free after 5:30

Have you thought about sending out a sample of the oil and sludge to be tested? (Edmund's recommended this place)

[SAmadei]

sure, I'm free after 5:30

Have you thought about sending out a sample of the oil and sludge to be tested? (Edmund's recommended this place)

This is what I was going to recommend, if a compression test does not satisfy you. Compression test will tell you how well the engine is sealing and getting the oil tested will look for what types of metal are wearing... so you know if you might have bearings or other things wearing.

Obviously, your ear is a good tool, as well... a quiet engine is a good engine. Also, I consider good, steady oil pressure to be a sign of a good engine (sure, a oil pump can be replaced, but its so labor intensive, most engines live out their pre-rebuilt life with one pump.

As for the OBD2 reader... its more than just codes. You also can follow sensor data as you drive. While not newbie territory, you can uncover some problems that are not always real obvious.

[Z-06]

Excellent recommendations. Again to be safe than sorry - taking oil samples does not void warranty, right?

[Drew Dowdell]

No more than draining the oil during an oil change does...

The site specifically recommends using oil that has been run more than 1000 miles, 3000 miles and up is best. They have a phone number for you to call so you can discuss your goals with the oil test.

[Z-06]

The reason I ask is because if oil change is covered by vechicle's warranty and is free to the user/owner, then technically speaking, removing oil for testing may be considered something done beyond his scope of routine vehicular check and maintenance.

[Drew Dowdell]

Is this on a BMW?

[Z-06]

Is this on a BMW?

Not a BMW, fortunately.

[G. David Felt]

Oil tests are great also, forgot about them, but they usually only need a test tube full so not enough to really notice it. Like everyone else having said, it WILL NOT void the warranty.

Look forward to hearing what auto this is on and what your thoughts are about why you want to do this?