Sludge Problem?

[EverReady]

So I changed my oil for the first time personally since I owned the car. I have had this car 9 months. I had the oil changed the second I bought it and every 3 months after. I decided to change it myself today and this is what I found.







I assume this isn't normal and what do I do at this point?

[toyomoho]

Your findings may not indicate a sludge problem. To check remove a valve cover and inspect the drive train area for sludge build up.

[Kep]

^+1

Sludge often forms when the flow of oil is restricted or nonexistent. The areas that you are looking at don't have much oil flow. Occasional splashing is probably the most that they see so you get the build up that you are finding. What you have is not particularly encouraging but not an automatic condemnation.

Even if there was light sludge when you bought the car your consistent oil change routine may have cleaned it up for you already. However, like Toyomoho mentioned, until you open it up and look you won't know for sure. It will cost you the price of a valve cover gasket and spark plug tube gaskets. (You can try to reuse the old ones but keep an eye on the area for "new" oil leaks and if there are replace the gaskets then. If you're having a mechanic do the work he'll use new gaskets to make sure that you don't bring it in later with a complaint. It's also cheaper than his time.)

Kep