[WilderRods]

What the hay? I got a 351 wins. that has big time sludge on one side of the valve covers how do you get that.

[LilSmoke]

Not changing the oil.

[302 Z28]

As above, but probably the oil drain return holes in that head are restricted or plugged.

Vince

[Max Keith]

Dittos what the other two said.

[WilderRods]

THATS GREAT GUYS BUT WHY ONLY ONE SIDE.

[Max Keith]

Im guessing you have higher head heat on that one side than the other, this being caused by possible restriction in the water flow to that side of the block, or a carboned up carb heater port, carboned up cylinders causing high temps.
Generally, along with irregular oil changes, high temps will cause the sludge build up, as well as was mentioned, the clogging or partial blocking of the oil return drains, which doesnt take much to do that. This is also indicative of the engine having been serviced with a sub standard grade of oil, such as a bulk oil that doesnt have all the detergents etc.

[BOBCRMAN@aol.com]

Weeping coolant will also cause lots of sludge. Have the head checked for a fatigue crack or casting porosity..

[Max Keith]

Good point Bob.

[oldred]

Max- I have always thought that running an engine cold without a thermostat would cause build-up so wouldn't the hot side be cleaner or do I have this backward? Not trying to disagree, I am just curious if I have been wrong about the cold engine/build-up theory.

[Max Keith]

Thats the amazing thing about engines. They operate best within a given temp range, and if you get to the extreme to either side of that, you can wind up with similar symptoms.
Ive run engines with out a thermostat and never had a sludging problem, however, I also would run the gutted thermostat plate to slow down water flow to improve the cooling.
In colder climates, running w/o the thermostat could cause sludging as the engine wont get warm enough to "burn off" or liquify the varnishes and other deposits that tend to build up in oil. Running too hot an engine will cause these deposits to turn into hard clumps here and there. Since he didnt define the type of sludge, I was presuming it was the hard baked type, rather than the gooie tar stuff.
Not a problem with being challanged.

[oldred]

That makes sense, I never thought about different kinds of sludge. But then the cold engine theory is just something I believed for years and no one had ever told me different so I assumed it was fact.

[Siggy_Freud]

What color is the sludge? Could be water/condensation causing more of a white paste. Just curious as he never stated what it looks like really. The word sludge makes me think its not condensation, but word usage is all relatative so you never know.

He could have a loose valve cover on one side allowing moisture in.

[cliff tate]

most likly poor crankcase ventilation pcv valve should be on one side breather on the opositeyou need flow from both sides espesly if sludg milkey. as the others sead milky could also mean water. i recently had problem with a 302 with pcv i side other blocked. it built a milkey sludge in a matter of weeks. put corect valve cover on the blocked side and sludge disapeard.

[WilderRods]

You guys sure have a good eye for sludge. Just kidding. The sludge was pretty dried out and black on the pcv side.

You guys sure have a good eye for sludge. Just kidding. The sludge was pretty dried out and black on the pcv side.

[Max Keith]

Thats us; The Sludgemiesters!