Auto-Rx How It Works Plain Speak

[Frank]

Auto-Rx is a clean as you drive product. Auto-Rx® is added to the host motor oil and slowly dissolves contaminants from ring packs, cam lobes, and other high friction areas.

Slow methodical cleaning is the desired cleaning mode, unlike old solvent technology that can chunk off contamination deposits (dangerous), and severely impact polymer seal materials. Auto-Rx is compatible with all lubricating oils dino (conventional) group III, semi-synthetic, and full synthetics and does not alter your host oil in any way. We urge customers to use "conventional or group III oil for best results during rinse mode.

Auto-Rx® is made up of three ester groups. The lanolin ester is the main cleaning agent, its function is to impregnate the surface of varnish and coked up deposits. The second is an aliphatic ester. Its function is to provide for better film forming of the host oil, eliminating the potential of dry spots in the oiling system, during the cleaning process. This component is also very resistant to oxidation and is a supplement to the host oil while the contamination is being removed and deposited to the filtration media. The last ester is a biodegradable, polyol ester, which provides extra, extreme pressure capability to the host oil. Utilizing heat, pressure, and flow, generated within the oiling system, Auto-Rx safely and effectively dissolves deposits. Deposits formed slowly over time, they should be cleaned slowly and methodically as well.

The combination of esters provides polarity to the host oil, giving the lubricant an attraction to metal surfaces, reclaiming these surfaces from the contamination. Lubricating oils perform well in clean working conditions. Lubricating oils can either lubricate or clean. They can’t do both well. Detergents in motor oils are added to try and maintain a clean system. They do little to nothing on deposits that have already formed.

Auto-Rx® also cleans deposits from beneath rotational seals, causing no swelling or degradation to the polymer seal material. Auto-Rx can effectively slow, or stop, rotational seal leaks in many cases.

Auto-Rx® is designed to safely turn back the clock on lubrication system contamination. Periodic use of Auto-Rx will reduce wear and maintain peak performance, by keeping a clean oiling system.

 

[VK56VD]

Originally Posted By: Frank
Detergents in motor oils are added to try and maintain a clean system. They do little to nothing on deposits that have already formed.



This is interesting. Why do people on here claim to have a cleaner engine after starting a healthy oil change regiment on a some what dirty engine or switching to synthetic oil later in the vehicles life?

 

[ZZman]

Thanks for explaining the 3 different esters and their purpose. Has this always been the formula?

 

[dnewton3]

A simple, consumable, easily understandable explanation as to the "magic" that is in each bottle.

I have used ARX with great, documented success.

Now I can show others not only the results of the magic, but the origin of the magic.

Once again, thanks Frank.

 

[Hethaerto]

Awesome.

 

[panthermike]

Yes, awesome. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[BrianWC]

Originally Posted By: Spartuss
Originally Posted By: Frank
Detergents in motor oils are added to try and maintain a clean system. They do little to nothing on deposits that have already formed.



This is interesting. Why do people on here claim to have a cleaner engine after starting a healthy oil change regiment on a some what dirty engine or switching to synthetic oil later in the vehicles life?


That's a question I have been trying to get an answer to for a few years now. I'm sure there may be some ability to eat away at existing deposits but I suppose it goes back to what Frank says, "Oil can clean or lubricate but can't do both."

I've certainly never seen it happen with my deposits in my engine and good before/after photos of it are sparse on here. I think about the only instance I have seen was JAG removing a few spots with M1 0W40.

But some of recommendations I see when people have a dirty engine are just hilarious. My favorite being "just run a short interval of Rotella diesel oil and it'll clear everything out."

 

[greenaccord02]

Well, I make the claim that switching to synthetic after 80kmi cleaned up the varnish in my engine because it did. It took a couple OCIs, but it absolutely did work. Could I have paid for an additive that would have done the same thing faster? Yes, undoubtedly AutoRx would have done it faster but I've always run synthetic in my cars so there was no additional cost involved because I have it built into my car budget. For that matter, I've had slow leaks stop by swiching to an HM oil - nothing out of the ordinary there. Many people have seen the same.

There are people who have used both methods with success and chosen their methods for their own reasons. As far as pictures go, I haven't seen a great many fully documented independent pictures to back up either method, but some good ones exist for both to be sure not to mention quite a few stories in the annals of BITOG. It's personal preference because both can and do work. Just making sure it's understood that the people making these claims are not delusional or misinformed. There was varnish in the oil hole and on the dipstick - now there is none... If the only change was synthetic with a regular OCI then only one conclusion can be drawn.

Maybe that will help answer your question.

 

[BrianWC]

I'm just pointing out that with either method, we see things like, say..people taking "after" pics with a clean engine but we don't know what they started with. Or, people saying "my car sure runs a lot smother after switching to synth...or a short run of diesel oil." But we never get a lot of proof. I'm not defending arx users, either. Everybody needs to take pics if they really want to get an accurate idea of what's going on.

 

[greenaccord02]

Very true. Even with me every time I try something new it's always just after the 'point of no return' that I think, "Yeah, should've broken out the camera..." It's especially good, IMO, when the plan is discussed before hand so everybody can watch the developments 'as they unfold' so to speak. However, in at least one case such an effort has come to a less than desirable conclusion:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=5&Number=1139971
That was rather a dissapointment. I think if more people did tests like this and posted results with more products we'd really gain alot of truly useful knowledge.'Oil Additives' is a section that alot of people see as being 'all snake oil' regardless of product or results. Everybody here knows that's not a universal truth, but we need real tests carried out by a wide variety of people before some will believe it.

 

[c3po]

Well, I make the claim that I thought my engine was clean because starting in 1987 when my car had 25,000 miles I started using Mobil 1, and then at 200,000 miles I switched to Amsoil and ran that until 343,000 miles.

At 333,000 miles I replaced my oil pump, and it took a long time to build up oil pressure, my buddy said you have some junk in here. I also replaced the pushrods since 1 of them was so worn it was barely touching the rocker arm, so I replaced those too.

With the oil pan off, everything looked clean inside, when I changed the intake manifold everything looked clean inside, same thing when I took the valve covers off. I recently replaced my valve seals as they were shot.

It's obvious that since I had to replace the pushrods and rocker arms on this small block chevy that oil was not getting up there, I was always under the impression that synthetic oil would keep an engine spotless.

Probably my oil passages were a little clogged, you cannot see into every part of the lubrication system in your engine.

There are some advantages to synthetic oil:

1) Higher Flash Point
2) Lower Pour Point
3) Extended Drain Intervals

Motor Oil lubricates and cools parts, it is not a cleaner, try washing your hands with motor oil.

 

[greenaccord02]

You didn't by chance run that oil for longer than the car's stated service interval, did you?

People say solvent doesn't work - ever try washing your hands with Seafoam?

 

[Pablo]

NO oil prevents wear.

Or No OIL, your engine will die.

 

[BrianWC]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
Very true. Even with me every time I try something new it's always just after the 'point of no return' that I think, "Yeah, should've broken out the camera..." It's especially good, IMO, when the plan is discussed before hand so everybody can watch the developments 'as they unfold' so to speak. However, in at least one case such an effort has come to a less than desirable conclusion:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=5&Number=1139971
That was rather a dissapointment. I think if more people did tests like this and posted results with more products we'd really gain alot of truly useful knowledge.'Oil Additives' is a section that alot of people see as being 'all snake oil' regardless of product or results. Everybody here knows that's not a universal truth, but we need real tests carried out by a wide variety of people before some will believe it.


There have been more tests on here good and not as. Some folks results are better than other in cosmetic terms. I've never done compression or fuel econ tests b/c that was never what I was looking for, just a clean engine.

 

[BrianWC]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02

People say solvent doesn't work - ever try washing your hands with Seafoam?


Ever tried running your engine with no oil and just Seafoam? Ever tried washing your hands with Seafoam mixed with dirty motor oil?

No one would dispute solvents work. What I would dispute is the perception of just how well they work.

 

[greenaccord02]

We just need to have more testing with well documented procedures and results all around. That'll help these discussions alot.

To be honest, I've washed my hands in gasoline and diesel to remove tar, paint and other stuff like that with good results. That's about the extent of my petroleum distillate handwashing experience. This could be a future test: handwashing with Dino, Synth, ARX, MMO, Slick 50, etc. Just kidding. Here's an idea though - take the spark plugs out of a car that runs rich or burns alot of oil something with heavy carbon fouling and put them each into containers side by side filled with conventional, synthetic, autorx, and whatever else and see which one got clean first and after how long. That would be interesting.

 

[Gary Allan]

Many agents require heat on top of dwell time to work. Not ever studying chemistry ..I think most interactions are endothermic.

Now get a lab heater with drop in magnetic stirrer ...

 

[BrianWC]

Maybe, maybe not. I think heat helps the action of all off the above. I've done that before with MMO vs seafoam vs chemtool and the only one that really removed anything from soaking alone was the chemtool.

 

[greenaccord02]

That's interesting - I would've bet on the Seafoam. Chemtool it is. Good infirmation there - see what I mean.

And I think ya'll are right about the temperature and need for agitation.

 

[c3po]

When I used Mobil 1 I changed the oil and filter every 3000 miles, same thing with the Amsoil, that's just the way I did it.

I know many will say I changed the oil too soon back in the day, but a vehicle with a carburetor is never going to run as clean as a vehicle with fuel injection.