WOO HOO! Verizon wireless ROCKS!
Hi everybody,
OK, Gary is right, and so down to BITOGer vacation business.
Mileage ... in a 1995 Dodge Caravan 3.0 V6, A604 4speed automatic, with 127K on the clock ... loaded with about 500 lbs, of stuff too precious to ship or have trucked up later, ... is as follws.
The first tank was 19.4 mpg, but the second was 19 mpg. The third tank though was 19.93 mpg, and the last two tanks, even with mountains and hills galore, were .... 20.9 mpg and then 21 mpg. That's not bad, considering that I should be in jail for speeding
, and we traversed some serious mountains and hills between Fort Wayne and St Johnsbury VT.
Oil Consumption ... Sorry to all those who are sick to death of hearing about ARX, buuuuuuuut .... this trip began when my Van was 500 miles into it's second ARX rinse, which began after a two bottle second ARX clean phase.
The Van used 2 quarts during the first 1000 miles, of flatland high speed freeway driving
mostly, and yet now after an additional 700 miles, of even harder driving through The White Mountains of New Hampshire and lots of very hilly local terrain, there has been no noticeable oil consumption so far. I am keeping a sharp eye on it. I am also very hopeful. I think things are looking good.
Butt Dyno ... I know the keester dyne is "less than exact". Both of us however, are totally convinced that engine performance began to dramatically improve, about half way across the White Mountain range. I shudder to think, what crossing those mountains would have been like, if I had not treated the engine with ARX. As it was however, the Van charged up the mountains like they were nothing, and engine compression was more than enough, on the way down, to make excessive braking completely unnecessary. I don't know how many times I said out loud, "Wow! I just can't believe this is the same engine!"
Other Impressions ... The idle speed has come up about 75 RPM, and it sounds and feels very different. MMC 3.0s have a notorious little limp ? or blub ?
during the cycle at idle, and that is now totally absent. The idle is now very even and strong. I don't know how to describe it. It sounds good though.
One more thing. I scared us both when, I put my foot in it, on a steep on ramp tonight. It was SO LOUD and quick. I hit 75, without realizing it, before we even hit the end of the ramp. I can't wait to feel the pull after we unload the Van.
Which Oil? .... Pablo, both the second ARX clean phase with two bottles, and this second ARX rinse, has been on Penzoil Platinum 5W 30, and going by what little I know, I belive, PP is a very good oil. I still want to try your Amsoil soon though.
Other Stuff .... I have also been adding a splash, of HONDA synthetic 2 CYCLE RACING oil, to each tank of top tier Sunoco or Mobil mid-grade 89 octane gas. The fill before heading up the White Mountains I put in a little MMO though, because I wanted to clean the CCs, piston tops and valves. I bet the squish areas are nice and clean now BOY HOWDY!
I discovered that the AIR LIFT air bag controller, self adjusts the pump and valve system, to keep the bags optimized for load and driving condition, and that is really sweet. I had no idea they did that, because I lost the destruction sheet.
PS
You DO NOT want to mess the local fauna here at all. We keep seeing these signs, warning us about 40 MPH MOOSE! Man, those big boys, can really really move huh?
Got to hit the hay.
Hugs to all!
