I know people on BITOG believe in using Auto-RX to clean their engine. But there are other 'cheapie' products out there that can do roughly the same thing - CD-2, Rislone, Bardahl Ring-EEZ, and Engine 'tune-up' formulas. If you absolutely HAD to use one of these types of products, which one do you think would be best- ie: clean the engine the best, BUT without diluting the oil too much, or damaging seals and gaskets...any opinions?
If you HAD to use one.....
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i wouldn't use any of those flushes in my engine - i think you're better off using none than something harsh like that. if you want cleaning, use an HDEO and short OCIs for a while. or just buy ARX. i have never used/needed ARX but that is the only product i would use if my engine needed an internal cleaning.
I figured HDEO's high detergency cleaned engines. Something in it cleared up my sticky valves, anyway.
Addyguy the best all around additive I've used is Marvel Mystery Oil. Some say that MMO can damage brittle gaskets but IME the opposite happens, gaskets seem to swell and minor leaks dissapear. My regimen for older engines is this:
Do a couple of short 3k OCI's with a good HDEO. Near change time drain a quart or so and refill with a quart and a half of MMO and run that for around 500 miles (the remaining pint I use either in the gas tank or suck through the intake to decarbonize a'la Seafoam). This IMO cleans about as good as ARX ever will.
When I change that batch out I do a 50/50 cheap dino and MMO interval, around 2500 miles tops. On my 3.1 this works out to 2.5 quarts Supertech and two quarts MMO.
From then on I use a maintenance dose of 1 pint MMO each OCI and the remaining half quart goes in the gas tank.
Addyguy the best all around additive I've used is Marvel Mystery Oil. Some say that MMO can damage brittle gaskets but IME the opposite happens, gaskets seem to swell and minor leaks dissapear. My regimen for older engines is this:
Do a couple of short 3k OCI's with a good HDEO. Near change time drain a quart or so and refill with a quart and a half of MMO and run that for around 500 miles (the remaining pint I use either in the gas tank or suck through the intake to decarbonize a'la Seafoam). This IMO cleans about as good as ARX ever will.
When I change that batch out I do a 50/50 cheap dino and MMO interval, around 2500 miles tops. On my 3.1 this works out to 2.5 quarts Supertech and two quarts MMO.
From then on I use a maintenance dose of 1 pint MMO each OCI and the remaining half quart goes in the gas tank.
I just could not use any of these products for engine cleaning. I would rather run synthetic oil as I expect it would do a much better job than any of these products at cleaning the engine.
EDIT: Oh hey, I forgot, if you want to throw something in other than ARX or synthetic, try Marvel Mystery Oil. Or Schaeffer's Neutra 131 can be run as a crankcase purge at one ounce per quart.
[ October 07, 2005, 09:37 PM: Message edited by: TallPaul ]
kingrob- you use 2 quarts of MMO in your sump for 2500 miles?
sounds dangerous to me- i mean- i was never under the impression that MMO qualified as an engine oil.. though the idea of doing large treatments like that, has crossed my mind.
sounds dangerous to me- i mean- i was never under the impression that MMO qualified as an engine oil.. though the idea of doing large treatments like that, has crossed my mind.
Agree 100% with Surfstar - I wouldn't use any.
HDEO - Rotella 5w-40 - seems to have worked on my lifters, haven't had ticking for the last 800 miles.
HDEO - Rotella 5w-40 - seems to have worked on my lifters, haven't had ticking for the last 800 miles.
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I think that the impression is supported by the fact that most applications where HDEO is used (diesels mainly) have plenty of kerosene/diesel in the oil due to fuel dillution ..and keep their engine relatively clean. Many feel that it's from the oil ..but it surely could be just because there's a perpetual "kero-flush" going on from day one.
Now an HDEO probably is able to "not dirty" an engine as much as other oils in a mile for mile like service comparison.
I'll second TallPaul and vote for MMO.
Use a HQ Oil added to your oil in the oci.
Use a HDEO, i.e. a good gas/diesel if you want to clean up cheap over the long haul/ heck run straight gas/diesel oil, that's what I do always, except in an extreme situation or when breaking in my new ride
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