Take a Look, HELP! Any ideas?

Any suggestions on the best way to get this clean?

Oh yeah baby..

Looks just like mine at some point.

Well you in for the long long cleaning

Unbolt what you can unbolt (tocker shaft, head covers) and clean thee. (you dont have to disassemble shaft, but move rockers around to clean under them - they will move better)
Drop oil pan and clean thee.
Clean oil pickup screen.
Pop up plenum cover and clean it.
Then run some lovely motorflush thing.
Hope for the best

On bright side - you will learn how oil goes inside yer engine. And - cleaner it gets - cooler and smoother it runs.


Justin - how much you like to bet that yours is in much much better shape?

LOL, its ok to have used dirty truck - there is no shame in trying to get it sorted out. It would be shame if you got it brand new and get to that state though. I dont understand how people may spend so much money on getting expensive SUVs and then completely ignoring even basic maintenance.

Melissa - its getting like that b/c of bad oil changing intervals and b/c of bad oil/additives.

As of process. Unfortunately I dont have pictures handy (i actually made shots when i been cleaning mine) and it may be not very proper, but ...

Easiest way to deal with gunk from parts that you dig out from there - is to use cleaning brush like they selling in painting departments, and some good remover. For parts outside of engine and where no seals involved best results i had with paint remover from ACEs hardware. Cant remember brand right away.

What i did - i set parts outside. Sprayed them with remover, then cleaned with brush, then sprayed with hoose ,then repeated. Untill i been blue in the face. That way all easily removable parts were sorted out. Then shafts needed more attention b/c there is laquer accumulating under rockers, so i moved those around, cleaned up with brush and kerosine (to push water away easier).
Then its all been dried up and oiled with lucas oil throughly but not excessively.

However for parts that you cant remove - be very carefull, as you can damage seals and hooses and all sorts of stuff with very active solvents. There you will have to find own ways.

I used kerosine based spray and been plugging all places where i didnt want with shop towels. Then wiped it all clean Its still got some bits in there, but it will get better with each oil change and flush.

Its getting on nerves and its damn smelly job, but it helps truck to run.

Hey Ron what did that cost your buddy to have it cleaned?

I usually add some BG engine flush, run it at high idle for 5-10min, then drop the pan & pickup tube for a thorough cleaning. New oil & filter and a second oil change in ~500mi, and they're usually OK. Some MMO in the next few oil changes helps. I even did this with success (in the owner's opinion) on an '01 RR that still had the factory oil filter at 17,000 miles! He was P!$$ED that the factory oil couldn't last for 20Kmi! He's been back since, and the engine seems OK.

I do mine every 2K just because it's easier to keep track of: if the odometer has an even number in the thousands, it's time. Considering the SMALL cost of changing it SLIGHTLY more frequently over the entire life of the engine, and the LARGE benefit of keeping it changed, I think it's worth it. Right now, my engine has over 350K on it and it still runs strong with no sludge. It has never been rebuilt.