I've got a potential engine job coming up, and I've got to source the engine. In the past, I've used whatever Advance sells and ATK. There's another company I've dealt with out of Richmond, but that was about 10 years ago, and I can't remember for the life of me who they are.

BTW, this is a Toyota 1MZ-FE engine, 2001 model, with VVT-i.

9/21/2010 1:27:08 PM

I put an advance block in a pathfinder about 4 years ago. Thing still runs good

9/21/2010 2:23:17 PM

used engine (car-part.com or other), I trust the toyota engine assemblers more than the rebuilders

9/21/2010 2:56:33 PM

The problem with these engines is that they are famous for the sludging issues and whatnot. Not all of them were replaced under Toyota's voluntary recall...and I don't trust a junkyard engine to NOT be a sludge repository. And yes, I've seen some of these engines sludged up. It ain't pretty.

Hell, most remanufacturers ship these engines with new or refurbished valve covers (baffles removed, cleaned, etc)...for that very reason.

9/21/2010 3:34:53 PM

Have you priced a reman engine from Toyota?

9/21/2010 4:09:20 PM

what is sludge exactly? I drove a dodge intrepid that evidently was sludged up... Something in oil passages?

9/21/2010 4:10:02 PM

Go about 60k between dyno oil changes and you too can enjoy the effects of engine oil sludge.

[Edited on September 22, 2010 at 9:09 AM. Reason : l]

9/22/2010 9:08:48 AM

Yessir. That's what it looks like.

Basically, oil, especially dinosaur juice, degrades over time. Throw in heat, pressure, water vapor, and other contaminants, and you get an insoluble crusty sludge with a quickness.

We had a Camry in the shop when I worked for Happy Jap's that was slam FULL of that shit.

I've seen tons of old school Chevy small blocks with sludge and coked oil in the lifter valley...a combination of never changing the pcv valve, waiting too long between oil changes, and that super hot exhaust/egr crossover in the intake manifold.

9/22/2010 12:53:33 PM

4.4L BMW engine, 20k+ since last service







[Edited on September 22, 2010 at 1:09 PM. Reason : sdgrs]

[Edited on September 22, 2010 at 1:10 PM. Reason : ngrs]

9/22/2010 1:08:27 PM

Joel...who do you like for reman engines?

9/22/2010 1:18:04 PM

Japan direct use to have a good selection of Toyota engines. We would buy and sell with them often

9/22/2010 1:39:00 PM

Is Johnnie still in business? I haven't heard anybody talk about Japan Direct in quite a while...and I haven't talked to him in probably 5 years.

9/22/2010 1:57:20 PM

shit, my teg probably has this... 250k miles and i usually just add oil. I am ashame.

9/22/2010 3:36:02 PM

^ There is some kind of detergent at Advance/Autozone that you could run prior to an oil change. You do something like drain a quart, add this junk, let the car idle for a few minutes, and then do a normal oil change.

[Edited on September 22, 2010 at 4:18 PM. Reason : l]

9/22/2010 4:18:46 PM

I fear stopping up the oil pickup screen by doing that.

9/22/2010 4:23:12 PM

Yeah, it's a catch 22. If you have sludge you probably have it on the pickup screen which means your engine could be starving for oil already. But, breaking up the deposits in the engine with the detergent can clog it too.

The moral of the story is that you should change your oil every once in a while.

[Edited on September 22, 2010 at 4:30 PM. Reason : l]

9/22/2010 4:28:36 PM

my moms POS VW passat just starting throwing the oh shit stop car light. Come to find out, oil sludge. 2004 1.8T with 86k miles on it. VW extended the warranties to 8 years, but she has to show oil changes over life of 86k miles. My mom is your average woman and doesnt keep record of automotive stuff.

9/22/2010 7:44:15 PM

Some engines may be more prone to damage from sludge by creating spots where it is more likely to accumulate, but I don't see how it could occur without negligence.

9/22/2010 11:14:27 PM

the VW engine is turbo, and some mechanics claim the oil line off the turbo is too small, the pickup tube is too small, and the oil screen is too small, all causing the problem.

9/23/2010 7:09:17 AM

VW + design flaw = obvious

VWMSJ

9/23/2010 8:17:19 PM