Question on Auto Rx...is it working?

[Gary Allan]

The grit that some see is larger formations disintegrating during the cleaning process. This can come from anywhere, but I suspect that it's from the rings. They appear to clean up fairly early in the cleaning phase.

Here's what you eventually see:

Note how "stuff" is removed in layers ..or at one or more localized areas and spreads from there. Again, this is for the cosmetic end of things.

 

[SamSpade]

Chris B., did you 'feel' any performance improvements (i.e. smoothness, better torque, quieter engine) during the first 1,000 miles of the clean phase?

From my experience and others that was the most noticeable benefit. The cleaning comes late in the process, and in most cases only if done repeatedly.

 

[panthermike]

Originally Posted By: SamSpade
Chris B., did you 'feel' any performance improvements (i.e. smoothness, better torque, quieter engine) during the first 1,000 miles of the clean phase?

From my experience and others that was the most noticeable benefit. The cleaning comes late in the process, and in most cases only if done repeatedly.


+1, any difference in the way the car runs?

BTW, sorry it isn't working out for you.

One idea though, as for the oil filter housing. On the ARX site, it mentions something to the effect of not removing varnish. The site also states that varnish is nothing to worry about. I have no idea though, and I hope you have better luck on this second application.

 

[Nickdfresh]

I think I've heard that varnish in a timing chain can be indeed something to worry about. But I could be wrong...

 

[demarpaint]

I always thought varnish was just a cosmetic thing. I can't see how it could hurt anything, but?

 

[sprintman]

Those photos could have been taken from my Mazda. It has never looked any different in that area but it runs way better and high oil consumption is almost negligible.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: ADFD1
I've read reports of people having clogged heavy filters, people having to change filters halfway through the clean as well as the rinse phases. What happened here? Looking at all that garbage under the fill cap I would think the filter would have weighed a ton based on what I've read here. Mine came off light nothing different about them, but I have a feeling my engine was clean. This one appears to be a mess from what little we can see.

Well to this, my response would be that the crud would have to be there in the first place for it to end up in the filter. As far as I know, we don't know that because we have no pictures of what the engine looked like on the inside. All we have are shots of the oil filler cap and oil filter housing. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[sprintman]

Off topic how much HP has E36 M3 and are 6-speeds available?

 

[Chris B.]

Hi guys,
Well the car ran great the day I brought it home. It continues to run awesome and smooth. Lots of power and no ticking or knocking noises. It also has not burned a drop of oil. Maybe it is just the filler hole that looke sludged and the acctual engine was clean to begin with? Do you think that is possible? Could a scope look in to the engine and look around? Maybe the dealer could do that for me?

 

[sprintman]

So much easier to do a before and after compression change, but that seems beyond most people these days.

 

[chevrofreak]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Hi guys,
Well the car ran great the day I brought it home. It continues to run awesome and smooth. Lots of power and no ticking or knocking noises. It also has not burned a drop of oil. Maybe it is just the filler hole that looke sludged and the acctual engine was clean to begin with? Do you think that is possible? Could a scope look in to the engine and look around? Maybe the dealer could do that for me?


Yes, I think it's possible.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: sprintman
Off topic how much HP has E36 M3 and are 6-speeds available?

In the US, it had 240 hp and a 5-speed ZF manual.

In the rest of the world, it had 282 hp initially and then 321 hp in later years, and a 6-speed Getrag manual.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Hi guys,
Well the car ran great the day I brought it home. It continues to run awesome and smooth. Lots of power and no ticking or knocking noises. It also has not burned a drop of oil. Maybe it is just the filler hole that looke sludged and the acctual engine was clean to begin with? Do you think that is possible?

Absolutely.

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Could a scope look in to the engine and look around?

Yes.


Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Maybe the dealer could do that for me?

Ask them.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I always thought varnish was just a cosmetic thing. I can't see how it could hurt anything, but?

I don't see how any deposits can be written off as harmless. One could say the same thing about small amounts of sludge. Maybe it is just cosmetic. But I'm pretty sure that if ARX were effective at removing it, they'd would extol this virtue to no end here...

 

[occupant]

This topic makes me cringe.

My little cousin drives an '04 S40 up in Jersey. I'm not there to change her oil for her. If her engine is half as clean as the motors in this topic, I'd be aghast. She's pushing 100K on the car and whining about poor trade-in values. I'd be more worried about it lasting until some sucker buys it at this point.

She complained to me last week about having to spend $81 on an oil change at the dealer. I asked her what they used and she never got back to me. I bet it was something cheap, bulk, and probably Not Good for the car at all.

Maybe I should buy the piece off of her, get it detailed, run some cleaners through it, and sell it for a profit down here in Texas. Oh wait, no one in Texas drives a Volvo. Crud...

 

[BrianWC]

Yes they do. SAABs to if you can believe it.

 

[sprintman]

Thanks d00df00d, much appreciated...s

 

[db130]

My local junkyard has six or seven mid 90s vintage FWD Volvos and I've peeked under the oil fill cap on all of them and they all look better than the OP's "dirty" engine. Some have a light gold varnish and some appear to be spotless. My two personal Volvos, on the other hand... they both look like OP's dirty engine underneath the cap(both of my cars are currently going thru clean cycle #1). This thread doesn't exactly inspire confidence, although I intend to finish my clean and rinse cycles regardless.

 

[dbdeland]

Customer who followed the instructions and got results.

Hi all,

After two bottles of Auto RX here are my results. I used two cans of Auto RX because that was recommended by the company for cars with my mileage. (started with approx. 154K) It was recommended by the company to use an oil that was "free" of special additives so I used Valvoline regular dino oil 10W30 in San Diego. I usually use Mobil 5000 and will return to that oil. The company also recommends running the car for 2500 miles, with Auto RX then changing to 3,000 miles for the "clean oil" cycle. Did that twice and followed the mileage quite closely except for the last clean cycle. Only ran that for about 2600 miles then changed to Mobil 5000. (In other words, it's Auto RX for 2500 miles, then clean oil "rinse" for 3,000 miles---twice.)

A little history about my car. I'm the third owner, bought the 97 Sl with about 93K on the odometer. The previous owner had it for about 60K and swore he changed the oil every 3K and I believed him. I have religiously changed the oil and installed a new oil filter every 3K since. I drive the car with care and don't push it. 3,000 r.p.m. is my usual shift limit.

As far as performance, I didn't notice a difference until I was using the second can of Auto RX. I had previously installed all new mounts but was disappointed with the slight, rough idle. That idle is quite a bit smoother now, after the Auto RX treatments. The "get-up-and-go" and response also seems better after the treatments and most noticeable after the second can of Auto RX. The Auto RX did nothing for my gas mileage.

Here is how I did the compression tests. Both tests done in morning before car was started for the day---engine cold. Removed the PCM B fuse, removed all four spark plugs and hooked up the gauge to first cylinder then turned the key while holding the accelerator peddle all the way down----for about 10 cycles, each cylinder. For the four cylinders, the difference is noted below.

Cylinder #1 Before Auto RX=208 and after RX=225
Cylinder #2 Before Auto RX=197 and after RX=215
Cylinder #3 Before Auto RX=167 and after RX=180
Cylinder #4 Before Auto RX=197 and after RX=200

(Cylinder #1 was to the left, as standing in front of engine, etc.)
Do not know why the difference in compression---why it improved so much in one cylinder and not as much in the next.

 

[sprintman]

Hey stop this! You are not allowed to confuse people here by posting actual data, this forum is for [censored] artistes only. I have reported this post to the 'mods'