A question that I am not sure how to even ask...

I admit, I have never seen anthing like this either.

I had pulled the drain plug earlier, as I stated in the post, but only a half quart came back out; most of it fresh oil. The dip stick is as dry as my ideas.

After posting I went to get a wide pan to put under the car to catch the oil once I pull the cover off, to avoid a BP incident in my state. I've left the car for hours now and gravity isn't a match for whatever is keeping the oil from draining down to the pan. Like I said, the stick is dry.

I can't see inside from the spill cap because of the baffle. I did try probing with a straw, hoping to strike some oil and then use the technique to employ a pump to draw off some oil before removing the head, but I could only get it past the baffle a few inches and got only limited amounts of sludge on it; no fresh oil.

I have never heard of an engine being so sludge filled to obstruct oil, but physics and experience has offered me no other idea, let alone solution. The volume of the head might be able to hold that much oil, and the compression of the engine should have at least pumped it down, even past heavy sludge, I would have thought. This has really stumped me; a hard way to get back into mopars!

Are there any other possibilities that you have encountered?

Is it possible for sludge to be so thick as to do this or am I missing the obvious?

What is the solution regarding heavy sludge, if so?

Thanks for the interest. After so many years of turning wrenches, this stumped me and shook my confidence. I have never evenheard of anything like this happening before, no matter how old the car.

Again thanks,

DC