Auto RX and turbos?

[Don Workman]

I used AUTO RX previously on an 2001 ACR neon with good results. I now own a 2004 SRT-4 and use M1 5/30 and K&N filters at 2500-3000 mile oci. The SRT has just over 20k miles and I was wondering if auto rx was safe to use on a turbo. The car isnt driven near as hard as most of them are (probably because i'm well past puberty and cant afford to replace a motor) and I want to take every precaution to make sure the motor lasts as long as possible. BTW..I use the K&N because of the nut one the end of the can. There just isnt room to get a tradional band-type wrench on the filter..yes..it's that type.

Thanks in advance,

Don

 

[ALS]

Yes it is. I wish I had known about Auto-RX and BITOG before my Turbo decided to seize at 247K miles. If I had run Auto-Rx in my 87 Volvo 745 Turbo back around 200K or sooner I may still have the original Turbo and motor in the car.
BTW I did 3K mile OCI's with dino from the start.
Sludge/coked oil is the biggest enemy to a turbo.
Being your running M1 that is good for the turbo.
I run M1 10W30 with a maintenance dose of Auto-RX with 5K OCI's. I have almost 44K miles on the new motor and over 79K miles on the turbo. I can not believe how clean the valve train on my engine is. There is not one speck of varnish on any part that I can see through the oil cap opening. The engine internally is as clean as the day it was dropped into the car.

 

[uconn1150]

Don,

Oh yeah it's safe and ESPECIALLY useful when cleaning out "turbo turds" when using dino. Have you had the car since new? If so, then I would definitely A-RX it. It seems everything else you are doing is righ on par--except for driving it as it was meant to =)

Enjoy your ride!

 

[JHZR2]

the key, regardless of what oil is used, is to let the engine idle a while (at least a minute) after hard driving, which, IMO includes anything over 45 MPH for more than a few minutes.

Even if your turbo is also water cooled... though this decreases the need somewhat, IMO.

M1 is a good oil for those engines. I would personally use LC to combat varnish (which RX wont remove), and more importantly, offset oxidation and degradation of the oil, which will happen at a faster rate due to the higher thermal loading of the oil. The more stable your oil, the less breakdown, the less insolubles, and thus the cleaner your engine shall remain. Id rather do PM by keeping that junk from forming, than by cleaning it up when it does form... IMHO...

JMH

 

[unDummy]

Did you get the car new or used?

3k OCI's with Mobil1 doesn't need anything. And, you have an oil cooler.

Now, if you get a little lazy and want to push the OCI to 5k or so, then feel free to dose.
Or, if you bought the car used and don't know/trust the previous maintenance history, then go for it.

 

[Don Workman]

Thanks for all the replies. I bought the car used (w/approx 4k miles on the odo.). I talked to the previous owner and ran a carfax on it before I would consider it. Seems this guy bought it for his wife. They took a trip to Myrtle Beach then she decided she wanted something a little bit bigger and a whole lot quicker...so they traded it for a Cobra.

I know I have an oil cooler..it's just..well..tiny..and just because I dont go full boost all the time doesnt mean I dont enjoy myself (wink-wink).

I live for on ramps..and my weekend trips to the dragon (318 curves in 11 miles).

Judging from the replies, I think I will invest in a jar of Auto RX...it sounds like cheap insurance.

Thanks again for all the replies..I really appreciate it!

Oh Yeah...and I do the cool down thing..at least a minute after I get to where i'm going. A little longer in really hot weather.

Don

 

[JHZR2]

quote:

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Originally posted by Don Workman:
Seems this guy bought it for his wife. They took a trip to Myrtle Beach then she decided she wanted something a little bit bigger and a whole lot quicker...so they traded it for a Cobra.

---

I think there is something wrong with this woman... or at least she is extremely show-offish and not practically minded.

How much faster is a cobra, in reality? And how much harsher/harder is it to drive than even the SRT-4?

I hope its not a daily driver...

JMH

 

[bulwnkl]

Is that the same dragon that the XT and SVX groups run every year?

 

[Don Workman]

The cobra's were almost 400 hp (I think..please correct me) vs. 230 stock for the SRT. A stock cobra will eat a stock srt alive. They are very, very nice cars. But let's face it..when you are shopping for cars, it's a whole lot easier to appease the other half by bringing home a "neon" that by bringing home a mustang, especially if you will actually use the backseat for something other than groceries.

And yes...that is the same dragon the xt and svx guys run every year. In addition to the Coopers, the Miatas and the S2000's. Last weekend it was Yamaha V-Max's and Honda Preludes everywhere. I live close enough where I can make my run early satuday morning and beat the traffic and law enforcement. Check out WWW.TAILOFTHEDRAGON.COM It's definitely a blast.

Thanks again for all the replies.

Don

 

[Volvohead]

quote:

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Originally posted by Don Workman:
I now own a 2004 SRT-4 and use M1 5/30 and K&N filters at 2500-3000 mile oci.

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ARX is perfectly safe on a turbo plant such as this one. The dino interval on the rinse is usually short enough to cause no concerns. But yours likely doesn't need any ARX just yet, especially on a diet of full synthetic.

At that ultra-conservative interval, you can run M1 all by itself and the engine and turbo should outlast the rest of the vehicle. I might move to a 10w-30, though.

 

[Drew99GT]

Even better than idling is to just stay in vacuum for the last 2 or 3 minutes of your drive. Better coolent/oil circulation. The turboes that come on SRT-4s are indestructable darn near anyway at stock boost levels; the venerable Mitsubishi 16G.