Nope. I pulled the valve covers and intake, and oil pan, but that was as far as I got into it. There was no sludge anywhere. I swapped the 2014 valve covers onto the 2008 engine to use the revised version.
My amateur guess is that because the engine was burning 1/2 to 1qt. of oil every oil change (4-5k) that there was some blow-by, and contamination. But I left it at that. I sold the 5.3 to a kid who was rebuilding it all, anyways, to jam in a 1996 Tacoma 2wd.
makes sense. oil pan and the drivers side valve cover seem to be the worst spots