ARx cleaning cycle completed

[NewGuy]

I just completed a 1500 miles cleaning cycle with ARx in my wife's 1998 Expedition 5.4L. I used MC 5W30 as the carrier oil and a MC FL 820S filter. The 5.4L has 113,000 miles on it and still runs pretty good. My wife usually drives 2/3 short trips with an occassional trip on the interstate at higher sustained speeds.

I chose to use the ARx for 2 reasons.
- The Expy has over 100K on it and I need for it to last until the kids get in school and my wife goes back to work.
- Because I used a non-MC PCV valve for about 10K mile and had some oil consumption issues.

The oil from the cleaning phase was very dark (which I understand is somewhat uncommon), but I was especially intrigued when I cut open the filter. It looked like someone had poured 1/2 a can of Copenhagen (snuff) into the filter. I had planned to take some digital pictures today after work to attach to this post. The problem is that today is garbage day at my house and my wife tossed out the filter that was laying on my bench in the shop.

I put Havoline 5W20 back in the 5.4L for a 2K rinse and might do another round of ARx. This is my first time using the 5W20, but Ford recommends it in this engine. I thought I would try it for a 2K rinse cycle. It seems to run well.

Would you guys run another ARx? Should I watch the rinse cycle to see how curddy the oil looks and make my decision after the 2K?

 

[TR3-2001SE]

with that amount of stuff in your filter you need the 2nd treatment for sure. Milage also would indicate a second treatment. Most of the cleaning in my auto-rx treatment came on the 2nd treatment to my Honda Accord. It had the same milage as you 113,000. Never cut open a filter but I saw black jelly looking stuff in the valve cover so it cleaned a lot of stuff out. The varnish is almost complete gone in the second rinse also.

 

[BlazerLT]

Do a cleaning treatment with conventional oil.

Then do another cleaning treatment if you want.

 

[BlazerLT]

quote:

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Originally posted by BlazerLT:
Do a cleaning treatment with conventional oil.

Then do another cleaning treatment if you want.

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Sorry, I meant, do a RINSING cycle first with conventional only and then if you want do another cleaning cycle.