Complicated Auto-Rx question

[shawn j]

I recently ordered Auto-Rx and put it in my car after changing the oil and filter. The oil was previously Mobil 1 and was replaced with conventional.

I took my car to do some maintenence done and asked to buy a new oil plug bolt and the dealer misunderstood me and thought I also wanted them to install it, which they did. Much to my dismay, they took the old oil out and replaced it also - without asking me!!!. You can imagine my horror of knowing the Auto-Rx was drained from my car. They put conventional oil in. I had driven approximately 425 miles with the Auto-RX in, 85% on the highway. To keep things simple with my dealer I told them I had synthetic oil in my car and they replaced the new oil with synthetic (Mobil 1) to appease me. I did this because I knew there was no way they were going to replace the Auto-Rx and the cost between the 2 is a wash.

Now, the reason I changed my oil in the first place was because I had synthetic and I did not want to drive the extra miles required for a synthetic clean.

Currently the car still has the new oil filter I installed before putting Auto-Rx in and the car has synthetic oil in it. I do not feel like "wasting" good, fresh synthetic oil, but I only got about 425 miles on the Auto-Rx. I have an extra bottle of Auto-Rx I could put in my new oil, but would I have to change the filter again before?

According to the new instructions, the Auto-Rx ran 1/3 of the full application (I thought the old one said 1000 miles but now it is 1500...).

Car is a Chrysler Cirrus w/104,000 miles. I did not plan to do the treatment for cars w/over 100,000 miles because I had used Mobil 1 since 60,000 miles.

I have emailed Frank, but thought I would ask here also. First post here, began reading a few weeks ago and bought Auto-Rx because of what people have said. Thanks for any opinions...this is highly annoying.

 

[greencrew]

Since you drove 85% highway you may be in good shape. Auto-RX cleans when hot. If most of that was driving was long trips your engine may have been operating in the best state for cleaning. I would think you are in good shape.

 

[Pablo]

Stuff happens. It just happens with more idiocy when dealers are involved.

OK you were running M1 for 60K, the engine should be semi-clean at worst. With the short AutoRx and clean dino run, consider it an expensive mini flush.

Since you have M1 in - just run it for 5K-7.5K or so and save your money for AutoRx again.

 

[sprintman]

425 miles instead of 1500 is a 'mini-clean' indeed. Another reason why I do all my own oil/filter changes and still go to the dealer (they are excellent) for book stamping etc.

 

[Chris]

If you saved the filter, bust it open to see if you have made any progress, then go from there.

 

[Frank]

Shawn sent you e-mail this is not a major problem
you have one bottle of Auto-Rx left. You need to
read new application instructions (posted 9-9-03) as your comments on synthetic oil and Auto-Rx are not correct. New application format is for simplification of application for all oils.

 

[shawn j]

Thanks for the replys folks. Yeah, I thought that the limited miles the auto-rx was in my car got used to full potential since it was almost nonstop highway driving in the heat.

I have decided that I don't want to "waste" fresh synthetic oil and put a new bottle of Auto-RX in it right now. I will change the oil filter (the original one when I started the Auto-RX) in about 1000 miles. That way I will have done a mini application and mini rinse phase. I doubt the oil filter will have any issues, it will be like 1500 miles total. I'll keep the synthtic in for less than a normal run decide when to change it by looking at it, maybe 5000 miles total. Somewhere along the way I'll decide if I want to use the other bottle of Auto-RX I have.

I also put it in my power steering and auto transmission at the same time as the oil and the PS is clearly improved and I have also noticed a very good improvement in the transmission shift quality.

[ September 15, 2003, 02:53 PM: Message edited by: shawn j ]

 

[Eiron]

shawn j,

I know you've already got a PM from Frank regarding the new directions, but it wasn't that long ago when the "standard" application using conventional oil was 500 miles. Unless the chemistry of A-Rx has been radically modified in some way by Frank&Co, I'd say you're much closer to a full cycle than you are to a mini cycle, regardless of what the new, simplified directions say.