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Dreaded Yellow Sludge...

Brammer

Brammer

New member
So, my car has been throwing a CEL for Engine Operating Temp below normal, I just kept clearing it figuring it was due to the cooler thermostat. Also right about 500-1,000 miles prior to needing an oil change it starts telling me low oil. I know, I know....should have seen the warning signs. Went to add some oil today to get me to my oil change and sure enough my oil cap has yellow sludge in it, at 150,000 and having never had the LIM gaskets done I know it's time. I just need to know what I need to accomplish it? Obviously gaskets (the newer/updated versions), what else has to be replaced while in there? Is my best bet going to be run sea-foam for a few days prior to doing the change over and then change the oil, hoping it gets all the sludge out? Any advice is appreciated!
 


correct. when they fail they dump coolant into the engine block mixing with the oil and then rod knock. (hydro locks the engine) sealing off those 2 cooling ports will keep that from ever happening.

that egr area cracks and leaks. sometimes its best to just buy a new dorman upper intake. if its cracked, or the repair kits also works.
 
Alrighty so best bet is to not only replace the LIM gasket, but also replace the Upper Intake Assembly (with gaskets and such of course) and of course modify it to future proof, or if using the Dorman kit use the smaller diameter piping?
 
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if you seal the cooling ports and as long as the egr area is ok you can reuse it, and the gasket pretty sure, as now no coolant flows through the upper intake.

maybe someone else will chime in on the upper gasket being reused.
 
You can re use them but with that many miles i would just buy the dorman kit and be done DORMAN Part #615180 $64.79 + ship. I just replaced the one on my GT there was nothing wrong with the egr passage but the heat makes them brittle and sometime they are melted in that area.I would just buy the intake myself.Do the vc gaskets too if you havent already.
 
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Looks like I'll be paying a shop to do this :( I feel like I could probably do it, but I really don't like removing injectors, it makes me uneasy and I have no garage or covered place to work on it, got quoted $400-$450 for labor alone, that's with me supplying parts.
 
removing the injectors is easy. what ya scared of? there a bolt in each corner of the fuel rail, take them off then lift the rail out, the injectors will pull out of the lim. flip the rail to the side fuel lines connected still.
 
An old friend of mine pinched an o-ring on installation and started a car fire. I've lost one car to a fire, don't want a second one. Biggest thing is I don't have a garage to do the work which really sucks. If I had a garage I'd at least attempt it.
 


your friend did it wrong. before you start the car you turn the key to run, then look for leaks, if dry then start it up.

i did mine in a drive way, its a 3 hour job tops taking your sweet ass time, even if its your first time doing it. take a bunch of pics along the way, bag and tag your nuts and bolts. and its done before you know it.

truth is once the fuel rail is off, wire harness is all un plugged and and flipped to the side theres nothing to it.
 
Replacing the UIM and lower intake gaskets was one of the first things I did on my se.Never had any experience with it, got it done on a Saturday.Its really not bad at all.Definitely not worth paying someone 500 bucks to do it.
 
Hmmmm.... I just don't know if it could wait until it's warm enough to do it outside in our townhome parking lot.
 
Yeah I'm waiting to get my bike out of storage. If I knew it were gonna be nice and I had the bike to ride I wouldn't mind putting the car out of commission for a day or two.
 


it wont take longer then a afternoon. it looks like more cause of the wire harness and stuff. once all that stuff is off its just bolts holding stuff down.
 
Hmmm.... I really don't want to drop $400 to fix it as I'm having to scrape that money up as it is...
 
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