I did a double treatment on my 91 pathfinder(3.0 V6) with 145k miles on it, I did everything by the book with the arx treatment. Now I'm on the second 3k miles oci after the second rinse phase cycle and The inside of the motor still looks cruddy.. I took a photo before the treatment but it didn't come out good since its too dark and deep inside the filler hole. what you can see through it is the cam and valve springs no baffles. It look the same before I treated it with ARX. if i stick my fingers through the hole and touch something it would leave a crud on my finger. would a 3rd treament be beneficial? or try something else?...thanks for any input.. one thing I notice for sure is the truck's running smoother and stronger after the arx treatment, mpg is still the same...
What if ARX is not cleaning everything?
- Thread starter stang5
- Start date
- Status
The most important thing is your ring packs are clean.
Who cares what it looks like if it's running right?
Who cares what it looks like if it's running right?
He bought it to clean his engine (ie remove varnish and crud) Thats why he cares. If I spent 50 bucks I would want it squeaky clean. He didnt do a before and after compression comparison so we can not objectively say the ringpacks are clean. Maybe try a quick flush product and a couple of short 500 mile oil & filter changes. Be sure to cut open your filters and take a look.
For $50 I would expect it to be clean, or at least minimal visible results
I don't think darkdan, that you can say what he(stang5) hoped to get out of the clean for certainty. And how do you know that the ringpacks are clean?
Just because a product works for some people doesn't mean it works for all.
You could try a third one I guess, but do you trust it to do anymore than it did the first two times?
I don't think darkdan, that you can say what he(stang5) hoped to get out of the clean for certainty. And how do you know that the ringpacks are clean?
Just because a product works for some people doesn't mean it works for all.
You could try a third one I guess, but do you trust it to do anymore than it did the first two times?
are you saying that after ther treatment
you can or could physically touch something ans show residue???
you can or could physically touch something ans show residue???
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2002
- Messages
- 39,793
It would have been interesting to see the inside of your filters. If they were plugged it would indicate that a third treatment would be in order.
I would think that there would be a practical limit to the amount of dirt that oil can suspend, that Auto-Rx can dissolve, and a filter can contain. The fact that you can remove the dirt with mere contact kinda indicates that it's been softened/liquified and may in fact still be in the removal process.
I would think that there would be a practical limit to the amount of dirt that oil can suspend, that Auto-Rx can dissolve, and a filter can contain. The fact that you can remove the dirt with mere contact kinda indicates that it's been softened/liquified and may in fact still be in the removal process.
Change your filter and restart the rinse cycle. You have liquified debris all over your engine Thanks Gary.
well just change oil and filter 2k miles ago and will change it when I hit 3k miles..This will be the 2nd 3k miles oci after the 2nd treatment rinse cycle. I'm using dino oil btw, I stuck my finger again today down the filler hole and touched the side of the valve cover from the inside. The stuff that sticks to my finger is carbon crusty kinda stuff...I can take some photos but don't know how to post it up here...
The stuff that sticks to my finger is carbon crusty kinda stuff...
The Auto-Rx will only clean the areas that the oil flows. It does not evaporate or mist, so the area you are talking about does not have oil flow at that point or it could not be crusty. As you mentioned earlier, your engine was running better and this is because Auto-Rx cleaned where the oil flows. Remember, Auto-Rx becomes part of the engine host oil and only goes where it goes.
Hope this explains it better.
The Auto-Rx will only clean the areas that the oil flows. It does not evaporate or mist, so the area you are talking about does not have oil flow at that point or it could not be crusty. As you mentioned earlier, your engine was running better and this is because Auto-Rx cleaned where the oil flows. Remember, Auto-Rx becomes part of the engine host oil and only goes where it goes.
Hope this explains it better.
If you have easy access take off the valve cover and see what you find. If its clean then its done its job.
ok, I was able to take the passenger side valve cover off since that was the easiest. I took some photos and emailed them to shaman ( one of the members here so he can host them) The inside is cruddy, alot of carbon type deposit.
Here's the story on my 91 pathfinder. I bought it with 99k miles from a lady who had the usual 3 oci from a local lube joint. when I first looked through the filler hole everything is clean and shiny new. anyways since I do my own oil changes I decided to put the pathfinder on the amsoil diet(ASL 5w30). I did a couple short OCI before I went with the once a year OCI and filter change half way through. I did this for 2 years averaging 8k miles/ year..After about 2 years I noticed that the inside of the engine (looking through the filler hole) has completely darkened..Then I found this place and tried the ARX to clean things up.
Here's the story on my 91 pathfinder. I bought it with 99k miles from a lady who had the usual 3 oci from a local lube joint. when I first looked through the filler hole everything is clean and shiny new. anyways since I do my own oil changes I decided to put the pathfinder on the amsoil diet(ASL 5w30). I did a couple short OCI before I went with the once a year OCI and filter change half way through. I did this for 2 years averaging 8k miles/ year..After about 2 years I noticed that the inside of the engine (looking through the filler hole) has completely darkened..Then I found this place and tried the ARX to clean things up.
The only application I have seen Auto-RX NOT clean in is one where the oil cannot circulate.
stang, if RX isn't working in this engine then you need to tear it down and manually clean.
BTW you are the first I have seen in 5 years of product use by myself and 1000's of analysis customers.
Terry
stang, if RX isn't working in this engine then you need to tear it down and manually clean.
BTW you are the first I have seen in 5 years of product use by myself and 1000's of analysis customers.
Terry
Rub your fingers through the stuff and see what it feels like. This looks more like varnish to me.
http://www.jason-long.com/head1.jpg
http://www.jason-long.com/head2.jpg
http://www.jason-long.com/head3.jpg
[ October 30, 2005, 02:32 AM: Message edited by: Shaman ]
http://www.jason-long.com/head1.jpg
http://www.jason-long.com/head2.jpg
http://www.jason-long.com/head3.jpg
[ October 30, 2005, 02:32 AM: Message edited by: Shaman ]
Shaman, you've got an extra "http" in your links. Here they are, corrected:
First blurry head shot
Second blurry head shot
Not-quite-as-blurry valve cover shot
I agree... doesn't look like sludge, more like varnish. Time for LC20!!
First blurry head shot
Second blurry head shot
Not-quite-as-blurry valve cover shot
I agree... doesn't look like sludge, more like varnish. Time for LC20!!
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2002
- Messages
- 39,793
Here's what mine looked like after three treatments. If you look along the left side of the head, you'll see spotless "streams" and various shades of varnish ..and some darker stuff that's sitll there. You'll note that the vast majority, although not quite the same ahade/hue as yours, is quite dark.
I'd like to see your head in 3-6k more without another treatment.
It all depends on how it slings around in there
I was wondering if the cause of the "darkening" has been cured? Is the engine PCV system perfect? No blowby, etc?
AutoRx is a great cleaner but if the cause isn't fixed.....
8K interval on synthetic with a filter change midway will not cause your engine to go from shiny clean to a sludge monster even with a known sludger (and yours isn't)
I also recommend a UOA with Dyson.
AutoRx is a great cleaner but if the cause isn't fixed.....
8K interval on synthetic with a filter change midway will not cause your engine to go from shiny clean to a sludge monster even with a known sludger (and yours isn't)
I also recommend a UOA with Dyson.
How would I know if the engine has blow by? The PCV valve has been replaced.. The crusty stuff thats on the valve cover and also on some of the nook and cranny of the engine, feels like softened carbon.. I wiped the valve cover with a paper towel and almost all of the stuff came off with little effort..I'm thinking of using some lube control now. I will get a uoa on the next oci..I know arx cleaned up something as what I said the truck runs very very smooth and alot more peppy after the arx treatment..
Somestimes the rinse cycle has to be a bit longer. The crud gets attacked but it takes time to wash it all out. That part is slow, but, at least with ARX it is happening and although the progress is slow, at least there is a cleaner engine in your future. If you're like me, you would like to see daily progress. After all, what else do we have to do, except look inside the oil fill hole.
- Status
Similar threads
