Should i auto rx an engine that runs good at 95k

[darkdan]

Personally, I'd rather know I have a leak and fix it.

Usually it's just a front main seal or valve cover anyways. Nothing a few hours in the garage won't fix.

Of course it doesn't say anything in the owner's manual about auto-rx. That would be like McDonald's saying, "And for desert, don't forget to go to wendy's and get a frosty!" Also, the typical the manufacturers don't care about the car is out of warranty.

While auto-rx isn't "needed" to make an engine last long, it certainly doesn't hurt anything. Worst comes to worst you spend $25 and might not notice anything (however I'm sure something got cleaned).

I don't know about you, but I waste $25 on stupid stuff all the time. So I'm sure you could find the money to spare.

 

[Gary Allan]

quote:

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I don't know about you, but I waste $25 on stupid stuff all the time. So I'm sure you could find the money to spare.

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Exactly!! I had a choice of throwing $25 in the street or sending it to Frank. I'm glad Frank won on the debate.


Sorry too much evidence that the stuff works and works well. It has far more +'s than it does -'s on the few that experienced unfavorable side effects. I've used it myself and was impressed with the results. My oil fogger 3.0 Mitsu is no longer a rolling testimony to owning a $hitbox. It relaxed the cooked valve seals to the point where the problem ...isn't a problem. This was an alternative to a $250 seal replacement bill. No brainer. If it hadn't fixed it

..I'd look at it as a $275 bill instead. ...so?? If I had used A-Rx before the condition began to show itself....it never would have poked its ugly head up.

It too wasn't broke at that point ..so I didn't fix it preemptively ..but I wish I had.

 

[2003TRD]

What I was saying was that I dont doubt that it works, but if you have a high mileage engine that used dino or or an unknown oil for a 100K miles for an unknown maintanence schedule, is it worth possibly opening a false seal? I am not a mechanic so I dont know what all is involved with replacing seals but I know that friends that have had to replace engine seals in the past had to pay ALOT of money to the shops to do it. I know a seal is cheap but labor intensive. In the AutoRx megathread above 2 of the 27 people noticed leaks that were not there before, so an 8% chance your seal is going to leak based on those numbers.

 

[Gary Allan]

Sure ..there is that risk. You're also not necessarily seeing complete data. Those leaks may very well fix themselves with time ....or not. In my case, with 164k on my 3.0 Mitsu, I had leaks. I have all the original gaskets and seals (including valve covers). I always had a drip problem under the vehicle. I don't now. Not all engines/seals will respond this way. In my case I had nothing to lose ..and it paid off in spades for the gamble.

Given the position that I was already in...the dice were loaded for me to begin with ..so to speak. Given my results, however,I would be strongly compelled to use it before I ever got to "beater" stage on a vehicle.

If a vehicle was going to suffer catostrophic failure (or failure due to multiple "complications")50,000 miles earlier since I didn't do an A-Rx treatment ..would the cost of a seal replacement really make a difference in the long term costs of the ownership of the vehicle? It really depends on your mentality toward a given vehicle. You can treat it like a beater ..one that you want to put as little into until it serves its appointed task ..and then discard it since it has no market value ...or you can treat it like an ongoing utility that provides nearly 100% service for a very long time with the proper maintenance. Most of us are trapped between the rock and a hard place of buy new vehicles whenever affordable ..yet having perfectly good vehicles with no market value after we're bored with them. Things like kids in college and new roofs usually mandate some modification on our agendas ..but I think that they distract us from just viewing a vehicle just like a commercial enterprise does a piece of machinery that produces a product or provides a needed utility (air compressor, blower, etc.).

..to be even more redundant only in the interest of being understood completely...

Suppose your ring packs are stuck and your blowby and fuel dilution are costing you 1 or 2 mpg and increased oil fatigue that contributes to a shorter useful engine life? Would the cost of replacing the effected seal be recovered over the remaining life on the engine ..or would the leak offset this avoided cost?? To me it's a matter of cost managment. I don't want to ever buy another new car just because I can.