Cut open Filter: Now What

[PSU_Engineer]

I just purchased a Summit Racing oil filter cutter and may have been in too much of a hurry to try this new toy out. Currently I have 4 filters cut open to try and evaluate my Auto-RX test on my 200,XXX mile Ford truck. The question that I am confronted with is, now that I have these filters cut open, what am I looking for? All four of the filters’ media inside look identical to me. Is there a “shadetree” method of determining what is happening to the oil by looking at the contents of the filter? Is there a method of examining the filter that I haven’t explored; such as stretching out the pleats and seeing what falls out?

I am fairly certain that another member of this board has asked a similar question to the one that I pose. I searched the board, and specifically the Oil Filter section for any type of thread or post that is reasonably close to this topic. If the question has been answered before, please pardon my error in not finding it.

Thank you,

Tony

 

[Gary Allan]

Some members have found visible debris in the pleats when doing an Auto-Rx cleaning. This is surely not everyone. If you see "nothing" then either your engine wasn't that dirty to begin with ..or all the formations liquified into smaller particles.

I found nothing in my filter(s) ..but I could hear the ticks and rattles come and go as the cleaning/rinsing progressed (HLA/etc.)

Some who have real sludged engines will plug the filter entirely during an Auto-Rx cleaning. I haven't seen one on this board that's quite that bad, but a 'net-friend used it on one of his older vehicles and it did just that.

 

[XS650]

That fits my experiance. Of the three engines I ARXd, a Chevy LT4 V8 with about 40k miles, GMC 4.3L V6 with about 105k miles and an Acura TL with 85k miles, none of them showed anything unusual in the filter.

 

[Dave Hess]

Gary and XS650,

Did you notice any improvements in gas mileage after Auto-Rx ??

 

[XS650]

Quote:

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Gary and XS650,

Did you notice any improvements in gas mileage after Auto-Rx ??

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I wasn't tracking mileage on the GMC, but as much as the running improved, the mileage must have. I didn't track mileage accurately enough in the Acura to say for sure, but gut feel was no change in mileage.

The LT4 which I did track mileage in had no change. A resident guru told me I should use LC and FP. I used them for a couple of months in the LT4 and Acura, also no improvement. If you don't have a problem, magic elixirs won't fix it.

If you do have a problem that ARx is supposed to fix, the ARx seems to have some effect.

 

[Gary Allan]

Hard for me to attribute mileage gains to Auto-Rx. Although I recorded the highest mileage of my ownership post treatment, it's a little hard to figure how the engine had issues when new that Auto-Rx reengineered @ 165k miles.

It did a really good job of cleaning ..and relieved some annoying HLA noises.

This was in a third vehicle that didn't see much long mileage until my daughter when away to college 200 miles away. Hence we had a good reason to experience long mileage type fuel economy during that time. Before that it was mostly short trip stuff unless one of the jeeps was in the shop or due to be in the shop the next day. So, it's a little hard to say.


..but I don't doubt that some surely do.