Tractors that use universal tractor fluid have sludge issues.
There is no PCV on tractors, especially the vintage type.
The universal tractor fluid is used in tractors with a common reservoir that serves
both the manual transmission and the hydraulic system.
This reservoir is typically open to the atmosphere.
Tractors tend not be operated on a daily basis and it would take a life time to get 27,000 miles on one,
since the ground speed is usually less than five mph.
There are several types of sludge.
There is the type of sludge called coke where the motor oil is subjected to a cokng process within the engine
where the oil burns based on absorbing excess free carbon into the oil as a product of combustion.
Synthetic oil has less tendency to form coke than conventional oil because the molecules comprising the synthetic oil are more uniform in size and smaller than average size of conventional oil molecules. Conventional oil has a lage variation of molecule sizes.
The smaller oil molecules in conventional oil evaporate leaving the oil thicker with higher percentage of larger molecules.
Conventional oil will coke up faster than synthetic oil. Synthetic has less tendency to coke than conventional.
This is the type of sludge that is formed as a result of infrequent OCI.
This is type of sludge your RAM dealer believes formed in the engine.
If this is the type of sludge that formed in the engine the valve rockers would have black deposits of geltin.
Another type of sludge that is more common in tractors than road vehicles is a result of water vapor.
Road vehicles can also form this type of sludge if not started and run on a regular basis.
The engine sump is normally open to atmosphere to keep it non pressurized during operation.
Moisture laden air migrates into the engine sump at night when the temperature of the air cools, especially in very humid areas like western Oregon.
The water vapor in the cool air condenses on the top of the oil in the sump.
Since the water specific gravity is greater than the specific gravity of the motor oil or tractor fluid, the water sinks to the bottom of the oil sump.
The water and the oil form a type of so called sludge mixture in the bottom. The motor oil pump pick up tube and filter screen are also located near the bottom of the oil sump. The pick screen becomes restricted with water\ oil sludge mixture , so the oil pump produces less pressure becuase of restricted flow.
This why most engines are designed for the oil to operate at a temperatures greater than 200F, so the water is evaporated or even boiled out of the oil during operation.
If the engine is not started and run on a regular basis this type of sludge will buld up in the sump, if conventional , blend or full synthetic is used.
Even draining out the oil will not drain out the sludge build up in the sump. It is too thick to drain out.
In my opinion this is the type of sludge that formed in the oil sump and caused low oil pressure.
It did not ruin the engine. Remove the pan, clean out the sludge, install the pan, fill up the engine with about any oil on the market, except group 1 straight mineral oi,l since that type of will sludge up the easiest.
Start the engine at least once a week and let it run for about 20-30 minutes to evaporate out the water that mixed with oil.
Understand natural whale oil is a very good oil, trying to find any volunteers for the 5.7 Hemi.
It is biodegradable.
