Yes, as far as I've ever heard it is.
Should I run auto-rx on a used BMW V8?
- Thread starter saaber1
- Start date
- Status
Originally Posted By: sprintman
Is PP ester and PAO free, ester free being the critical one?
Dunno, but the auto-rx website says you can use PP or valvoline synpower. Says it's group III.
BTW, previous owner went to Jiffy Lube and when I opened the oil canister the top of the plastic pipe in the center of the filter (cartridge type) was broken and little bits of plastic were everywhere in the oil filter housing. Had to take housing off the car to clean it all out. Found none in the oil pan thank goodness. I wonder if Jiffy Lube broke it. I assume they did but could have cracked over time too I suppose.
Is PP ester and PAO free, ester free being the critical one?
Dunno, but the auto-rx website says you can use PP or valvoline synpower. Says it's group III.
BTW, previous owner went to Jiffy Lube and when I opened the oil canister the top of the plastic pipe in the center of the filter (cartridge type) was broken and little bits of plastic were everywhere in the oil filter housing. Had to take housing off the car to clean it all out. Found none in the oil pan thank goodness. I wonder if Jiffy Lube broke it. I assume they did but could have cracked over time too I suppose.
Purhaps the fast Track ARX would be worth considering. Dosage would be 3 fluid ounces per quart of motor oil. If you have 1000 miles of service life left on the host dino, then just replace the filter and add in the Fast Track dose and run for 1000 miles. Follow that up with a dino rinse for 2000 to 3000 miles. Then switch over to synthetic oil with the 3 fluid ounce maintenance dose to continue cleaning.
To me that makes more sence than trying to clean deposits over long OCI's with synthetic. Why circulate deposits any longer than you have to.
To me that makes more sence than trying to clean deposits over long OCI's with synthetic. Why circulate deposits any longer than you have to.
I always run 3oz per litre. 20 oz's in my BMW sump and running it 6,200 miles (10,000 kms).
Originally Posted By: Rick20
Purhaps the fast Track ARX would be worth considering. Dosage would be 3 fluid ounces per quart of motor oil. If you have 1000 miles of service life left on the host dino, then just replace the filter and add in the Fast Track dose and run for 1000 miles. Follow that up with a dino rinse for 2000 to 3000 miles. Then switch over to synthetic oil with the 3 fluid ounce maintenance dose to continue cleaning.
To me that makes more sence than trying to clean deposits over long OCI's with synthetic. Why circulate deposits any longer than you have to.
I have used 2 bottles ARX in 5 qts. oil in 2 cars in the past and it worked fine.
The deposits in the oil sump/pan on this car were hard to remove. Carb cleaner spray would not budge them. Soaking in castrol engine cleaner and scrubbing took them off though. So I think it is going to take some time to clean this stuff off. I won't be putting many miles on this car so I think the PP + 1 bottle (20 oz. would be better if I had a second bottle of ARX on hand) ARX is a good compromise and will be light years better than continuing to run dino. I bet owner thought he was doing good maint. by running dino when the oil meter says to change the oil. I would much preferred he had run a good synthetic!!
I can monitor progress 2 ways: 1) the remote oil filter is on top so I can check it's condition periodically without dumping the oil. Also I can see a little bit through the oil cap. The varnish I see there was similar to what was below so I can keep an eye on both filter and under oil cap to see how it's doing. If the car doesn't like PP however, I might abandon this plan (runs perfect on bulk dino though ha ha).
Purhaps the fast Track ARX would be worth considering. Dosage would be 3 fluid ounces per quart of motor oil. If you have 1000 miles of service life left on the host dino, then just replace the filter and add in the Fast Track dose and run for 1000 miles. Follow that up with a dino rinse for 2000 to 3000 miles. Then switch over to synthetic oil with the 3 fluid ounce maintenance dose to continue cleaning.
To me that makes more sence than trying to clean deposits over long OCI's with synthetic. Why circulate deposits any longer than you have to.
I have used 2 bottles ARX in 5 qts. oil in 2 cars in the past and it worked fine.
The deposits in the oil sump/pan on this car were hard to remove. Carb cleaner spray would not budge them. Soaking in castrol engine cleaner and scrubbing took them off though. So I think it is going to take some time to clean this stuff off. I won't be putting many miles on this car so I think the PP + 1 bottle (20 oz. would be better if I had a second bottle of ARX on hand) ARX is a good compromise and will be light years better than continuing to run dino. I bet owner thought he was doing good maint. by running dino when the oil meter says to change the oil. I would much preferred he had run a good synthetic!!
I can monitor progress 2 ways: 1) the remote oil filter is on top so I can check it's condition periodically without dumping the oil. Also I can see a little bit through the oil cap. The varnish I see there was similar to what was below so I can keep an eye on both filter and under oil cap to see how it's doing. If the car doesn't like PP however, I might abandon this plan (runs perfect on bulk dino though ha ha).
I agree when I did my head gaskets I had to literally scrub the hardened gunk off my pushrods and rocker covers with gasoline and steel wool, brake cleaner worked too. I think it would take near forever for that stuff to be removed by even a HDEO.
AutoRx is mystical. You doubt it because you are without the Tao.
I have the tao...Just don't [censored] with my chi
Originally Posted By: nucleardawg
I have the tao...Just don't [censored] with my chi
That's what she said.
I have the tao...Just don't [censored] with my chi
That's what she said.
Oddly enough, in my experience with my car, the most hard-baked deposits were the ones that arx got off the easiest. The varnish and the gooier stuff that was in nooks and crannies was the more difficult part.
I saw back up in the thread someone mentioned B-12 Chemtool for cleaning surfaces while the engine was apart. I think that's a good idea. Just be very conservative so as not to get it near any parts that will need an oil film when you crank her back up. Some people use diesel in a spray bottle. But I found that completely ineffective for my purposes.
Redline did no "noticeable" cleaning for me but I have no idea what a steady diet would do compared to the one OCI I did. I don't know about these newer oils like M1 HM either b/c I never got a chance to use them in my SAAB.
Thankfully I have 3 sludge free Hondas so I don't have to worry about this anymore (knock on wood). Just using up the arx in maint doses. Life is good!
I saw back up in the thread someone mentioned B-12 Chemtool for cleaning surfaces while the engine was apart. I think that's a good idea. Just be very conservative so as not to get it near any parts that will need an oil film when you crank her back up. Some people use diesel in a spray bottle. But I found that completely ineffective for my purposes.
Redline did no "noticeable" cleaning for me but I have no idea what a steady diet would do compared to the one OCI I did. I don't know about these newer oils like M1 HM either b/c I never got a chance to use them in my SAAB.
Thankfully I have 3 sludge free Hondas so I don't have to worry about this anymore (knock on wood). Just using up the arx in maint doses. Life is good!
Originally Posted By: BrianWC
I saw back up in the thread someone mentioned B-12 Chemtool for cleaning surfaces while the engine was apart. I think that's a good idea. Just be very conservative so as not to get it near any parts that will need an oil film when you crank her back up.
I used castrol super clean and scrubbing to clean, then carb cleaner in massive amounts to rinse, then after evaporation, massive amounts of light spray oil to rinse/ temporarily protect from oxidation etc. Hopefully those rinses and light oil will hold things over until my oil filter center stalk arrives. The center stalk was either broken by Jiffy Lube or broke on it's own. Looked to be broken a long time.
Also regarding the loose bolts on the oil pump, apparently that is common for this engine. Just goes to show that every car has weak spots and finding out about them and doing proactive maintenance is the key IMO.
I saw back up in the thread someone mentioned B-12 Chemtool for cleaning surfaces while the engine was apart. I think that's a good idea. Just be very conservative so as not to get it near any parts that will need an oil film when you crank her back up.
I used castrol super clean and scrubbing to clean, then carb cleaner in massive amounts to rinse, then after evaporation, massive amounts of light spray oil to rinse/ temporarily protect from oxidation etc. Hopefully those rinses and light oil will hold things over until my oil filter center stalk arrives. The center stalk was either broken by Jiffy Lube or broke on it's own. Looked to be broken a long time.
Also regarding the loose bolts on the oil pump, apparently that is common for this engine. Just goes to show that every car has weak spots and finding out about them and doing proactive maintenance is the key IMO.
I've been running FI cleaner through my van to try and eliminate a bogging down problem before I have to go through a tune up. I can tell you beating on it (Italian Tune up) has certainly given me the feeling of more power.
Good luck with your clean up, keep us posted!
Good luck with your clean up, keep us posted!
Italian tune up never hurts every 20K or so.
Every 20K??????? I do Italian tune up every day on the way to work and back home.
Well, I meant if the car never sees that kind of driving. Taking a grandmother's car out for a spin once a year, for instance. Every day never hurts either.
MolaKule
Staff member
PP is predominately a GroupIII. Just about every GroupIII oil today has a small amount of PAO and esters as performance correcting/enhancing fluids.
Last edited:
- Status
Similar threads
