Question about Analysis?

[buster]

Patman,

I was thinking along the same lines as you. While it is very possible my engine doesn't need AutoRx, after reading some posts of a few people that have only used a good synthetic, and found there engines were like your moms Probe, I thought of using RX. If there is no way this stuff could hurt my engine, in anyway, seals etc...I'll use it. It's cheap so it's no big deal. The best way for me to find out is too take off the valve cover, but I don't want to do that....too cold. My car too, as of this past fall, started making a piston/slap or valve tap noise and I'm suspicious it could be a dirty lifter. This is what makes me think a dose of RX might help.

 

[buster]

I currently have 5k miles on Amsoil 0w-30 and want to test it at 10k. However, I have already used 1.5 qts of oil that I had to add. Toyotas 1.8l engines tend to burn oil, especially at high speeds of 75-80mph, which is what i do. I'm not sure how I can obtain any good data bc by 10k miles, I will already have replaced most of what was there. My car only takes 3.9qts. of oil. I'm thinking maybe I should shorten the tests to 6 or 8K. Any thoughts?

 

[OneQuartLow]

Patman, have you tried any "ring remedies" to slow consumption?

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by OneQuartLow:
Patman, have you tried any "ring remedies" to slow consumption?

---

Actually it's not the rings in my case, I've got the dreaded LT1 intake leak. Auto-rx didn't solve this, since it's a physical problem with the RTV sealant on the intake. The LT1 engines uses RTV instead of a real gasket, on the front and back of it's intake manifold. The problem is that the EGR setup is also right there behind the intake causing excess heat in that area, which causes virtually every single LT1 engine to develop this leak at some point. I just haven't bothered to fix mine since I don't want to spend an entire day with my engine all apart, nor do I want to pay $500 to the dealer either. The way I see it, if the leaks stays at the current level (which is really only one quart per 6k) then I'm actually helping the engine since I'm introducing fresh oil to it more often. It just makes a mess on my undercarriage, plus my driveway has a few drippings on it too (although not as much as you'd think, since the oil comes out mostly while I'm driving than when it's parked)

 

[OneQuartLow]

Ah, got it. Now I recall hearing about this problem from you & others here. My Chevy experience died in the late 80's with my last Z28.

What prompted my suggestion was our two family burners. We're going through the usual suspects & cylinder soaks right now. They're nothing special so this time it's at least as much for product education as longevity.

Stupid addiction, this oil thing.

 

[Patman]

That's an interesting situation and I'm not 100% sure what I would do. My car also uses a bit of oil, about 100ml per 1000km. I think maybe you should run out the test to 10k, just be sure when you're topping up the oil to do it a little bit at a time (don't wait for it to need a 1/2 qt, add it 100ml at a time as needed) And then don't add any fresh oil in the last 500-1000 miles.