Yet another recommendation question

[Don Workman]

Good Morning all...long time lurker, first time post. I am in need of educated opinions and obective recommendations. I own a 2001 ACR Neon w/60k miles. Aside from the first couple oil changes, the car has had nothing but synthetic it's entire life. Neons have always had a problem w/piston slap but I think there are problems elsewhere. I did a change 700 miles ago w/mobil 1 5w-40 and super tech filter (I use 0-30 for winter, 5-10w40 for summer). Upon start up, there are the normal (for neons anyway) ticks for a few seconds, but...(theres always a but..2 in my family)..about 10-15 seconds later, I get a tapping for 15-20 seconds or so. It eventually goes away, but the fact that it is there at all concerns me.I also get some valve clatter when revs drop back to idle like when you are in a drive through and drive from the order screen to the window in 1st gear and coast down to a stop. I have read all the praise for auto rx and seafoam and wonder if these could help. I have some mileage left on the extended warranty and have to take it in to get a strut replaced anyway. I love my adjustable struts, but they are prone to leak. Should I try the self fix-it w/the sea foam and the auto rx or just let the dealer handle it. My only reservation on letting the dealer handle it is that they will use the Mopar combustion chamber cleaner and call it fixed when there could be probs. elsewhere (fix the symptom and not the problem).

In lurking about for sometime, I have learned 2 things, well 3 actually. There are strong opinions about, those opinions are well educated and never use Fram oil filters. I am in need of those educated opinions.

Thanks in advance,

Don

 

[Dan4510]

I would go with an arx cleaning myself. I am not familiar with neons but if there is an oiling problem that needs cleaning that will help.

I have never used seafoam but others seem to have had good luck with it.

Dan

 

[Matt_S]

If your problems are related to carbon buildup, Auto RX and Seafoam will certainly clean it out of there. I understand that a lot of the piston slap problems on the GM V8s are due to carbon buildup on the piston rings, so if you're having a similar issue, Auto RX will help. Is is reported to be excellent at cleaning ring packs. Given that you've always used synthetic, though, I wouldn't expect any real buildup, at least on the lubricated parts. You could have significant carbon inside the combustion chamber, though.

If you decide to do both treatments, I think you'd be wise to start with the Seafoam, then change the oil out and start with Auto RX. I don't think you'd want to drive around with leftover Seafoam, along with whatever crap it cleaned up, in your oil for 1,500 miles. My personal preference, though, is to use Techron regularly (or Fuel Power or Redline SI-1 or any good fuel system cleaner) and avoid doing anything as radical as sucking Seafoam through a vaccuum line.