How to Boroscope 4.7 to Check for Sludge?

Hi all,

I'm a recovering Ford fan--STILL like their older trucks, but I'm not impressed with anything after 1996. (Though I should say I'm unfamiliar with their "Ecoboost" stuff, and their new, aluminum-bodied trucks, as new trucks are not on my near-term horizon, given their cost.)

When last we spoke, you all helped me identify potential issues with a 2000 Dodge Ram that I was thinking of buying. For a couple of reasons, that truck didn't work out, but your help was very much appreciated.

My interest in Dodge trucks was sparked, in part, by the following "allpar" article--I became very impressed with all the innovations contained in Dodge's massive redesign of 1994:

1994-2001 Dodge Ram pickup trucks: the first of the “big rig Rams”
https://www.allpar.com/model/ram/1994-ram.html

After the 2000 truck didn't work out, I became interested in another truck, this one an early 3rd Gen. Ram 1500, with the first-gen. of the 4.7L V-8.

And then I was reading about the design improvements made to Dodge's 3rd gen. trucks, and I continue to be impressed:

2002-2008 Dodge Ram pickup trucks
https://www.allpar.com/model/ram/rams-2002.html


So now I have a chance to buy a Ram 1500 from the (3rd generation, i.e., 2002-2008), a clean, four-door, automatic-trans truck, with the 4.7L V-8, and I come here, hat-in-hand, seeking guidance.

However, I've become very concerned with the conflicting reports of the 4.7's penchant for "sludging up," and suffering catastrophic failure, when not given regular, 3,000 mile oil changes--preferably with a good, synthetic oil. (And I did read an entire, 14-page thread in which owners reported their experiences, good, bad or indifferent, with the 4.7L engine. In that thread, many owners, seemingly most often those performing 3,000 mi. oil changes, with synthetic oil, have had successful experiences, some even exceeding 200,000, 250,000 and sometimes even 300,000+ miles with no major issues. It's the reports of catastrophic failures, at approx. 75,000 miles, that concern me....)

I'm also rather uneasy about reports that the valve seats are made from sintered metal, and can DROP, leading to cam followers "falling off," and broken hydraulic valve lash-bores, snapped camshafts, etc....


I have no knowledge of the history of this 3rd-gen Dodge Ram (the engine is a FIRST-GEN. 4.7, i.e., PRE-2008, which came, stock, in this 3rd-gen. truck) I'm going to look at, other than it's got less than 100,000 miles on it, and has had only two owners.

(I should add that my intended use will be mainly fast, 2+ hour highway trips, just two humans, with the box fully loaded, but only partially with tools, the rest being the usual dreck one hauls, while traveling. And any towing would be light-duty and infrequent, though I do plan on having a 200lb dirtbike on a carrier, either in the rear hitch, or possibly in a front receiver hitch, most trips.)


But I've read about people using a borescope to look inside the engine, to get a general idea of how much sludge (if any) is built up in the engine.


As the Seller will have a limited amount of patience for such shenanigans, on my part (and I've got to drive 3 hours, just to see it), I wanted to ask some (dumb) questions, here, first, so I could save time, when I go to see/buy it:


1. Is there an oil fill cap on one of the valve covers, that I could just remove, stick a borescope in, and take a look-see?

a) Alternatively, is there a PVC-grommet, or any other rubber "plug" I could pull out, to insert the borescope into one or both valve covers?


2. What IS the best way to quickly " 'scope out" (literally) a 4.7L, for sludge--IOW, WHERE, best, to insert the borescope?

a) Is ANY amount of visible sludge acceptable? (If I buy it, I would do the "Auto Rx" engine cleaner, and only use a full synthetic oil, at 3,000 mi. intervals, of course.)


3. Is the "Dropped Valve Seats" problem ONLY occurring after a significant overheating episode, or is it just random, i.e., no way to avoid it happening?


4. Can anyone recommend a GOOD, cheap borescope that works with an Android phone? (I saw one link, in a forum here, to a 'scope that was only $19.99, from Amazon, but it would not focus down below 2", and the image quality was poor. I'd rather spend $50.+ and get one that focuses closer, LIGHTS WELL and had good/better image quality, rather than save a few bucks.)


5. Since some reports suggest that the "Dropped Valve Seat Syndrome" only occurs after an overheating episode, what are the signs, if any, that I could look for, to see if this truck was ever, possibly, overheated?


Many thanks, in advance,


Aries Rising

How to Borescope a 4.7L V-8 for Sludge Buildup?

(Bump--"Preamble" edited off my original post, below):

Q. What IS the best way to quickly " 'scope out" (literally) a 4.7L, for sludge--IOW, WHERE, best, to insert the borescope?

I have a chance to buy a Ram 1500 from the (3rd generation, i.e., 2002-2008), a clean, four-door, automatic-trans truck, with the 4.7L V-8, and I come here, hat-in-hand, seeking guidance.

However, I've become very concerned with the conflicting reports of the 4.7's penchant for "sludging up," and suffering catastrophic failure, when not given regular, 3,000 mile oil changes--preferably with a good, synthetic oil. (And I did read an entire, 14-page thread in which owners reported their experiences, good, bad or indifferent, with the 4.7L engine. In that thread, many owners, seemingly most often those performing 3,000 mi. oil changes, with synthetic oil, have had successful experiences, some even exceeding 200,000, 250,000 and sometimes even 300,000+ miles with no major issues. It's the reports of catastrophic failures, at approx. 75,000 miles, that concern me....)

I'm also rather uneasy about reports that the valve seats are made from sintered metal, and can DROP, leading to cam followers "falling off," and broken hydraulic valve lash-bores, snapped camshafts, etc....


I have no knowledge of the history of this 3rd-gen Dodge Ram (the engine is a FIRST-GEN. 4.7, i.e., PRE-2008, which came, stock, in this 3rd-gen. truck) I'm going to look at, other than it's got less than 100,000 miles on it, and has had only two owners.

(I should add that my intended use will be mainly fast, 2+ hour highway trips, just two humans, with the box fully loaded, but only partially with tools, the rest being the usual dreck one hauls, while traveling. And any towing would be light-duty and infrequent, though I do plan on having a 200lb dirtbike on a carrier, either in the rear hitch, or possibly in a front receiver hitch, most trips.)


But I've read about people using a borescope to look inside the engine, to get a general idea of how much sludge (if any) is built up in the engine.


As the Seller will have a limited amount of patience for such shenanigans, on my part (and I've got to drive 3 hours, just to see it), I wanted to ask some (dumb) questions, here, first, so I could save time, when I go to see/buy it:


1. Is there an oil fill cap on one of the valve covers, that I could just remove, stick a borescope in, and take a look-see?

a) Alternatively, is there a PVC-grommet, or any other rubber "plug" I could pull out, to insert the borescope into one or both valve covers?


2. What IS the best way to quickly " 'scope out" (literally) a 4.7L, for sludge--IOW, WHERE, best, to insert the borescope?

a) Is ANY amount of visible sludge acceptable? (If I buy it, I would do the "Auto Rx" engine cleaner, and only use a full synthetic oil, at 3,000 mi. intervals, of course.)


3. Is the "Dropped Valve Seats" problem ONLY occurring after a significant overheating episode, or is it just random, i.e., no way to avoid it happening?


4. Can anyone recommend a GOOD, cheap borescope that works with an Android phone? (I saw one link, in a forum here, to a 'scope that was only $19.99, from Amazon, but it would not focus down below 2", and the image quality was poor. I'd rather spend $50.+ and get one that focuses closer, LIGHTS WELL and had good/better image quality, rather than save a few bucks.)


5. Since some reports suggest that the "Dropped Valve Seat Syndrome" only occurs after an overheating episode, what are the signs, if any, that I could look for, to see if this truck was ever, possibly, overheated?


Many thanks, in advance,


Aries Rising

You don't need to scope for sludge, it is there. I've read articles where people changed oil every 3000 miles and it still sludged up.

You have to remember though synthetic oil existed in 2002 on up, the earlier years it was way too expensive for most people to use regularly.

The good news? If you dig in to the motor the minute you see it dropping pressure during hard stops or randomly after driving for long enough for the screen to clog you can give it a new life. Mine clogged at 160,000 (estimate) and before it could tick a dozen times I took it apart. I have a super running truck now and expect it to go into the 200,000 plus range. I'm using synthetic now and change every 6,000 to 8,000. The problem isn't oil changes it was the temp that the cylinders operate at. It was a bad design.

Ah...I see. And Congrats on your fast-acting, and resolution of your sludge-problem!

Is there a way to "T" in an old-fashioned, oil-pressure-fed pressure gauge, so keep an eye on the actual pressure? (Because I understand that these modern gauges are nothing more than an "idiot light," in terms of NOT being able to reflect gradations of oil pressure below what the factory deemed "LOW."


And about those high engine temperatures, generally...I see some guys running 160F thermostats, instead of (IIRC?) 195F's.

I was concerned that running at below-design temp. would trigger a host of CEL's, and/or cause other problems, possibly with the catalytic convertor(s), or who knows what.

Thoughts on the lower-temp. thermostat as a possible preventive measure against future sludge build-up?

Thanks,

Aries Rising