ARX Anomaly? Need your feedback on this..

[Oilgal]

Now just 500 miles, into my second ARX clean cycle, my manifold vacuum has decreased slightly. It is still better than it was before ARX, but it has dropped 1 InHg, from where it was after the first ARX clean cycle.

Anyone else ever noticed anything like this?

 

[oilboy123]

I would think a fraction of 1% or less of people even have a gauge installed.

So you might be the only one. Or do you mean while at idle?

 

[Oilgal]

I have a pod mounted gage. I mean at idle though.

 

[Oilgal]

Come on you guys. Is this normal?

 

[Gary Allan]

Got me swinging

I haven't used a Hg gauge in a long time. Great for telling if you've got a plugged converter. Maybe one of the intense diagnosticians will comment.

Maybe you have a longer term barometric change in the local vicinity. Lots of strange atmospheric stuff going on lately

Maybe you're simulating higher altitude.

 

[Oilgal]

It has been very cold here lately is all, and dry as toast consequently also. Could that account for this?

How can you tell if you have a plugged converter using a vacuum gage?

 

[Gary Allan]

In neutral ... you should pretty much maintain nearly full vacuum even when you raise the rpms. It will blip when you open the throttle ..but pretty much return to full vacuum. If you raise the r's and the vacuum drops (and remains reduced) ..then you've got back pressure and the engine isn't moving as much air for the same throttle position. Plugged cat (most likely).

 

[INDYMAC]

I haven't used a vacuum gauge in a long time. In fact, I think the only time was when I was learning how to fly in the Navy. The primary trainer was a T-28 Trojan that we had to be careful with vacuum pressure when changing to higher engine RPM's and when engaging the supercharger above 14K feet. Otherwise, an overboost could occur and ruin our day!
What exactly are you using your vacuum gauge for in your mini-van, Oilgal?

 

[Oilgal]

Now I feel, really dumb, and I mean even more than usual.

Well it has the symptoms you describe. That Catco hiflo cat is only three years old! Holy cow.

It must have been burning a lot of oil when the ring packs [hi steve20

] were coked up. Never saw any smoke, but the carbon in the tailpipe had been of concern to me before.

I need a new cat.

 

[Oilgal]

Originally Posted By: INDYMAC
I haven't used a vacuum gauge in a long time. In fact, I think the only time was when I was learning how to fly in the Navy. The primary trainer was a T-28 Trojan that we had to be careful with vacuum pressure when changing to higher engine RPM's and when engaging the supercharger above 14K feet. Otherwise, an overboost could occur and ruin our day!
What exactly are you using your vacuum gauge for in your mini-van, Oilgal?


You were a Navy fighter pilot?!

That is so cool!

I was often in trouble, when I was little, for insisting I would be a jet fighter pilot when I grew up. Mom went ballistic whenever I said that, and Dad would once again reluctantly reaffirm, that girls just can't do that. I so loved those early 50s jet jockey flicks. sigh I wouldn't mind flying any of those old SC or turbocharged IC engine jobs either.

but I digress

Why do I have a vacuum/boost gage. Well, everything I have done to my van so far, was in preparation to turbo it. Things changed, and money got tight. Now I don't have the bread to do it right, and so, well, ... I had to change priorities. Maybe someday.

Now I use it to keep track of my ring seal, I mean RING PACK seal [hi steve20

], and the state of my vac lines, head gasket etc, I guess. oh khrap ... I am heartbroken over it.

 

[Oilgal]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
In neutral ... you should pretty much maintain nearly full vacuum even when you raise the rpms. It will blip when you open the throttle ..but pretty much return to full vacuum. If you raise the r's and the vacuum drops (and remains reduced) ..then you've got back pressure and the engine isn't moving as much air for the same throttle position. Plugged cat (most likely).


Been thinking here.

I don't see how my engine could be pulling vacuum with the throttle open. It seems to me the opposite should be true.

Could you explain this to me?

Seems I have to really work at it, to grasp the same stuff, that seems to come so easy to you guys.

 

[Oilgal]

You know, come to think of it.

I noticed a few times this past week, that my vacuum would remain at or near 20 InHg while driving, if I was giving it very light throttle. So is ARX trying to clean my cat out? Apparently ARX, and oil, is making it's way past my valve stem seals and out into the exhaust. Oh Lord. I hope this all works out well.

I am worrying a bit here.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
I don't see how my engine could be pulling vacuum with the throttle open.


Check it yourself. Just sit there and hold the throttle slightly open. You'll see very little difference in Hg. That's in neutral now. You do it UNDER LOAD ..where something is holding the engine back from just running out the air fuel mixture ..then sure. Lower vacuum. It won't change much without a load. It will swing when you crack the throttle ..

No ..no issues with the cat, imo...

 

[Oilgal]

Thanks you Gary.

Yeah, just cracked I still get vacuum. I only got 4 hours sleep last night. I am not at my best.

I guess I am just sorta paranoid now. This second ARX clean cycle is weird.

Last night my engine was making THE WEIRDEST little noises ever. I can only describe these sounds as briefly occurring, odd rustling, um-mm, scraping or squishy sorta whistling sounds. I have heard other people describe similar events. I am still really surprised by them however. It's just weird.

The AMV has also decreased slightly, from where it was, right after the first clean cycle. I sure hope my cat is alright, because they cost a lot more now.

 

[Gary Allan]

? About $75 on ebay for a Magnaflow. Should last more miles than you'll need.

Odd noises? Well, you may hear them. At this point, you're the first to report them in the second cleaning, AFAIK ..but there's always a first in everything. You may be a celebrity

 

[dnewton3]

I heard some odd noises on shortly after the application of my two bottles of ARX in my Taurus. They were unusual, but mechanical in nature, and very subtle. Turned out to be my idler pulley on the serp belt. I replaced both it and the tensioner pulley, and the noise was gone.

Oilgal - perhaps investigate a simpler explination for the odd noises? No certainty here, but it can't hurt to snoop around.

 

[Oilgal]

Trust me you guys. The first thing I did was check all the vacuum lines belts and hoses. I am pretty sure I remember others describing odd ARX clean cycle noises. I know what all the regular engine foul ups sound like. They were really weird.

Maybe it's all in my head. It was a spooky lonely highway that night.

 

[Gary Allan]

Your mind plays tricks on you ...you trick back - PeeWee Herman

 

[Rick20]

Oilgal,

Is it possible that your oil filter is loaded up again. I ask this because you had previously mentioned on other threads that you felt the need to replace oil filters fairly frequently during the original rinse phase of your first application. Now you were 400 miles into a second cleaning before adding the second bottle, trying the double dose. It may be possible that the filter was pretty close to blind from the first 400 miles of this application. I wonder if possibly your filter is in the bypass mode and messing with good oil circulation or flow. It may be worth checking?

 

[Oilgal]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
Your mind plays tricks on you ...you trick back - PeeWee Herman


No kidding.

Small wonder, that sleep deprivation, is one of the main methods used to soften up interrogation subjects. A good nights sleep put all of this into better perspective for me.