Auto-RX Test

[Shaman]

Subject: 1995 Mazda AZ Wagon (Japanese Domestic Market only)
Engine: 660cc DOHC 12 valve 3-cylinder
Transmission: 3 speed auto
Top Speed: about 110 kmph (Top gear shifts in at about 25 mph)
Mileage: 13.9 kmpl (measured since purchase 4 months ago)
KM: 61000

Car was bought from a friend when my second car starting banging into second. Car’s outside is a little rough, but mostly just the roof. Engine bay isn’t bad, but the filler cap and cams are a little sludgy. Car burns about ¾ per month, since a LC piston soak. PCV valve will be replaced soon and a catch-can will be put on in January. Car smokes at takeoff after sitting at lights for more than 30 seconds. This may be in part because of the 5-30 from 5-40 switch, and probably because of valve stem seals. Oil cap has built up ________ on it, and I am hoping too see what happens to it. I don’t know how much head flow the engine has, because the car stumbles when I take the cap off. I have done really short changes on it, and both times the oil was really dark, even on the dipstick, after only 1000 km. Transmission has had the fluid about 10K KM, and I will be ARXing it too. It has a cold shift problem, and sticks after running at high speeds (70 kmph). We will see what comes of it.

Expectations: I don’t really expect much to happen. My last two tests didn’t come out the way I expected them to, but this car seems to be worse off than the previous car and bike. Current oil is “economy” bulk 5-30 from Ken’s Garage. Rinse will be a bulk 5-30 if I am lazy, or a cheap 10-30 (it’s cheaper than 5-30) from Yamashin. I hope to see a bump in the mileage, hopefully in the 15.5 to 16 range. I am saying this because the engine is a snail compared to other Kei-cars I have driven, and most friends with them are getting 16-17 kmpl.

I am also wondering about a post-ARX oil. I can get Chevron 10-40 for $2, and Mobil1 in different variations for about $5 a bottle at Costco. GTX and Valvoline are around $4 a bottle, and Syntec is about $8.

Pictures will come this weekend.

 

[Rick20]

I am a bit confused. After an LC piston soak, the car burns 3/4 per month. I'm guessing that is 3/4 of a quart or liter, but how many kilometer or miles get accumulated in a month? Also was that an improvement or a negative after the piston soak. Also, the PCV valve is in need of replacement and will be installing a catch can in January. I would think that correcting the crankcase ventilation should occur sooner rather than later. This could be the reason for the sludging to start with. When you mention that you did short changes, do you mean a 1500 mile cleaning phase, with ARX, followed by a 2000 mile rinse? Or were these two short OCIs before the ARX application? I would not expect great results if there is not good oil flow to the top end.
How about the oil that gets to the top end, is it able to freely drain back to the sump? In any event I would think that with the crankcase vetilation corrected, this would be a two application candidate for sure.

 

[Shaman]

I drive about 700 km a month. The PCV still sounded good when I checked it and cleaned it, but I will replace it just in case. The soak didn't seem to do much. The oil changes were without ARX, and probably about 1000-1500 miles each. ARX was added at 61155 KMs.

 

[Shaman]

I drive about 700 km a month. The PCV still sounded good when I checked it and cleaned it, but I will replace it just in case. The soak didn't seem to do much. The oil changes were without ARX, and probably about 1000-1500 miles each. ARX was added tonight at 61155 KMs

 

[Rick20]

Sometimes a soak mearly cleans a passage through the ring packs at the point of least resistance. The result is basically a negative. I think that running the ARX through the oiling system will be the better approach to cleaning the oil control rings and intermediate rings. I would also expect ARX to attack deposits around the cam lobes and bearings during a first application. I'm not so sure about the fill cap, this would be an area of low oil flow. Do you have any compression numbers or leak down test data on this unit?

 

[Shaman]

Nothing of the sorts. Being here in Japan has really limited my options on that kind of stuff. Never did it in the states either.

 

[Shaman]

I was about to add some ARX to my transmission, but I think that it is already overfull. When the car is hot and running, the fluid is over the top dot on the stick, and is bubbly. Do I need to drain som fluid out before adding ARX?

 

[Shaman]

Update

I am now at 61937.
Good and bad
Engine runs a little smoother
Gas mileage is the same
Engine likes to try to die(stumbles hard) in parking lots.
Smoke at warm idle still there as of a few days ago. Haven't had the car up to full warm up and then stuck in traffic lately. Used about 1/8 of a liter so far.

 

[Shaman]

I am now at 67509. Nothing has changed. Oil usage is the same, mileage is the same, oil is the same color it's been. I will try to find a way to cut the filter open when I change the oil. I am trying to decide between a x-30 and a x-40. Mileage wasn't really different when I changed between them, and I am wondering if the high visc. would be better for the oil burning.

Did a water vacuum suck. Really made the car run better. No more pinging, except in the high RPMs, where the car rarely is.

Just reread the thread, and wanted to clear something up. the car didn't start burning oil until after the LC soak. I can't say for certain it was the LC soak, because I switched to 5-30 the same day, but the car now burns enough oil that 1 liter of 5-50 plus some random 5-40 added to the oil hasn't reduced the oil consumption.

 

[Shelby]

how do you do a water vacuum suck?

 

[Shaman]

It's like a seafoam treatment through a vacuum line, but using water instead.

Warm up car
Find a vacuum line upstream from everything, pull it off
attach hose to vacuum port.
Start car and let it suck the stuff up. Keep the car alive.
When you run out of water, shut off the car
Wait 20 minutes
Start car
Drive it like you stole it to get the water or whatever else cooked out.
Enjoy


This is over-simplistic, but you get the idea.

 

[Rick20]

I am a bit at a loss here. You installed ARX at the 61155 km mark on the clock. At 61937 km you mention the motor a bit smoother. That would be the equivalent to driving 485 miles. Which would be about the time it take for ARX to be well into ring cleansing.

Now you are at 67509 km on this unit, with a water treatment somewhere in the mix. Granted the water/steam might have dissolved some carbon like deposits on the piston crowns to reduce some knocking.

But did you change out the oil and do a rinse phase somewhere in this 5572km or roughly 3500 mile interval?

And if so what did the oil and filter look like when inspected during these routine maintenance functions look like?

Were the top end sludge deposits impacted? Did you change out the crankcase oil right after the water application, I hope?

Although this unit is relatively young, 67509 km/42,000 miles, it may have been a two application motor.

 

[Shaman]

The second application started in August. I have popped over to the heavy burner regime, so it will have a normal clean rinse, and a heavy burner clean rinse. I have a record of gas mileage from 6/3 of last year. No noticeable difference. The whole bottle went into the 3 liter sump, and about 1 liter of oil has burned out. Oil will be in need of a change after Christmas, considering my usage of the vehicle. I don't think that my fingers are crossed.

 

[Shaman]

Sorry Rick, didn't realize you had replied. The topend is basically the same. I didn't get to check the filter because of oil disposal rules here(not really allowed basically). The next change is due in a month or two. I was on the regular second rinse phase until I saw the new directions on the ARX website, and then dumped the rest of the bottle in about 1000 miles ago. I will take it out to probably 3000 miles just to let the second shot of ARX do it's thing, then get the oil change and hopefully try to get the filter open. Up until now the previous directions have been followed.

 

[Rick20]

Shaman,

Regarding the frothing of the ATF fluid, not a good thing. At least try bringing down the fluid level to the appropriate level.
Question: How did it become overfilled to start with? Better check to see that water/coolant is not being introduced to the transmission oiling system, posssibly causing the the frothing.

Second the catch can attached to the crankcase ventilation sounds like a good idea. Sounds to me that proper crankcase ventilation should be achieved, before any expected improvements might occur.

I think in your case a couple mechanical conditions need to be addressed to get this unit back on track. ARX cleanings and piston soaks are not addressing the real issues with this vehicle.

 

[Shaman]

Update again.

I am now on the second rinse phase using 5-40. The burning is still there. So the heavier oil didn’t change anything. I left the car idling for about 10 minutes to see if I can get some oil on the plugs, but there was nothing on any of them. The tips were a little white, but nothing that looked like oil on them. Could it be just a bad PCV valve? I have two of them that I have been soaking in lacquer thinner to get the gunk out, but the smoking still comes.

 

[Frank]

Why not buy a new one?

 

[TurboJim]

Cleaning the old one is not the same as replacing it with a new one.

 

[Shaman]

Buying a new one involves about $50, paperwork, a vehicle inspection, proof of insurance and ownership, proof of up-to-date vehicle and road tax papers, and probably half a day without the car. I have already tried at every place I could think to buy one. That’s what happens. Can’t get them in the states, as they are specific to this engine in this vehicle, and this vehicle is only available in Japan. may try to buy a few random ones in the states this Christmas and see what happens.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
may try to buy a few random ones in the states this Christmas and see what happens.


Is this a true PCV valve or a metered orifice? I mean, I've never seen too much variance in PCV valves. They're a regulated manifold leak to the crankcase with filtered make up air. If it was too big and caused too much of a "big gulp" when it got unseated ..you choke or lengthen the hose ...

..at least that's what I'd be doing in your (very) unique situation.

..and we thought we had it bad.

How is your access to the appropriate size hose? I may have asked you all this before (wondering)...err..and when is your next trip to the 'States ...or even Oz ..heck ..anywhere off the island. The rest of the world can't be this anal about this stuff.