2nd Kreen Cleaning -- 98 Camry V6 -- Results

[Artem]

Hey ladies and gentleman (do we even have ladies on this forum, besides Helen?)

Here are the results of a second cleaning phase with Kreen in my 1998 Toyota Camry V6 with 230,000 miles. I ran a quart during the first cleaning phase and now ran a second quart in 16oz doses over the course of 2,500 miles.

I sent out a sample of the oil for analysis, will post the UOA when it comes in mid next week.

Here's a picture after the first Kreen cleaning...

We'll use this as the BEFORE picture in this case.

and here's the results of a full quart of Kreen...

Honestly, it's not the results I was hoping for after using the so called potent engine cleaner. All of this is after Auto-RX had a stab at it, softening it up and chewing away quick a bit and using the amazing PYB and it's supposed cleaning abilities along side the cleaners. I touched another area with the tip of my screw driver and it's very soft and comes right off, so I don't know why these cleaners aren't able to remove the stuff.

Here are more pictures of the valvetrain from various angles. I will now use these pictures as the BEFORE pics of the upcoming Auto-RX PLUS (the newest and greatest formulation of the juice). The previous Auto-RX seemed to clean this particular area WAY better then I expected Kreen to clean it, so I'm hoping the more powerful ARX+ will put a better dent in the build up as well as clean the rest of the block.

 

[Turk]

Artem,

Which oil(s) have been previously used in this engine, along with OCI & filters?

 

[Donald]

Are you trying to make it a well running engine or a place you can eat off of?

Try Auto-Rx Plus!

 

[Trav]

Why don't you just run a few OC with nothing but PP or PU? It may be soft enough now that just a good oil can clean it up.
Did you try the carb cleaner on a small spot without brushing or scrubbing? Did it remove it?

 

[LeakySeals]

I say try MMO next. 1qt is $5 at Walmart. What many of us old timers have used for decades. Your in a good position to test MMO compared to other cleaners.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Are you trying to make it a well running engine or a place you can eat off of?

Try Auto-Rx Plus!


Have you tried it? pics? What exactly makes it "Plus"?

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Why don't you just run a few OC with nothing but PP or PU?


Yep, that's why I want to know what oils he's been using up to this.

 

[Artem]

Trav mentioned this in another Kreen thread and I had the perfect opportunity to test this on the intake manifold, as I was cleaning the entire intake tract a few days ago while changing the spark plugs in the rear 3 cylinder banks, along with the valve cover gasket, which was ooozing oil ever so slightly.

Originally Posted By: Trav
I only run it for 1K or 1500 with cheap dino and dump it, my own decision but adding to the mix at 1K with Kreen isn't going to hurt.
I said earlier in this tread i didn't think it would work at removing it and gave you a way to test it.

I think the stain is in the metal. I doubt anything can remove that short of manual cleaning with some real strong acidic chemicals.
So saying i will never use this brand of laundry detergent because it didn't remove the dye from my clothes is a bit over the top IMHO.

Again..
Spray or drop a little carb cleaner on a small spot. If the varnish liquefies Kreen can remove it, if it doesn't it wont.
If the engine is running fine and there is no sludge i wouldn't bother manually cleaning anything either.


The intake manifold was sprayed with Carb cleaner and allowed to soak for 15-20 seconds or so. Most of the stuff was dissolving instantly as it was hit with the carb cleaner and the rest was cleaned up after a quick wipe with a microfiber towel.

The results were what looks like a BRAND NEW intake manifold! Now I know that the IM isn't exposed to the same conditions that go on under the valve cover, but I figured the fine mists of oil that gets sucked into the IM through the PCV valve would stain the metal the same way that it does under the valve cover, yet everything cleaned up down to bare metal. I'll let the pics speak for themselves...

 

[beast3300]

No doubt this is a very sweet test of those cleaners your trying out. It would be also awesome doing this with a well known cleaning oil (if the experiment doesn't go well) to see if it gets all that funky stuff out of there.

 

[Trav]

No the intake is not subject to the same conditions under the cover.
The manifold runs much cooler and carb cleaner will shift it with no problems so this is meaningless.

Did you test it on the head under the cover?

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Donald
Are you trying to make it a well running engine or a place you can eat off of?

Try Auto-Rx Plus!


Have you tried it? pics? What exactly makes it "Plus"?


I have not tried it. Its a new formulation that should clean up sludge faster. The old Auto-Rx has been superseded and is no longer available. Its on my list to try but I have a few bottles of Auto-Rx to use up first.

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: Turk
Artem,

Which oil(s) have been previously used in this engine, along with OCI & filters?



The last 30k or so has been PYB in 5w-10w30 flavor as I've been doing back to back to back cleaning with ARX and now Kreen with 3k OCIs.

Before that it was Amsoil OE for 4-5 +/- OCIs with drain intervals of 5k (UOAs posted on here).

Before that it was Mobil 1 / EP with 3-5k intervals since new.

Originally Posted By: Donald
Are you trying to make it a well running engine or a place you can eat off of?

Try Auto-Rx Plus!


The block runs like a dream, always has. Full throttle, pedal buried in the floor mat and shifts @ redline everyday while zipping around town, getting on the highway, etc. Zero issues and she keeps asking for more! Original EVERYTHING (minus spark plugs, belts, fluids, battery and a starter)

I'd like to get it clean enough that I'll be able to sell the engine as "LIKE NEW" @ 300k when the rest of the body goes to the junk yard but the engine / tranny go on to live another life in another Camry for another 300k.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Donald
Are you trying to make it a well running engine or a place you can eat off of?

Try Auto-Rx Plus!


Have you tried it? pics? What exactly makes it "Plus"?


I have not tried it. Its a new formulation that should clean up sludge faster. The old Auto-Rx has been superseded and is no longer available. Its on my list to try but I have a few bottles of Auto-Rx to use up first.


Okay that answers my question.

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Why don't you just run a few OC with nothing but PP or PU? It may be soft enough now that just a good oil can clean it up.
Did you try the carb cleaner on a small spot without brushing or scrubbing? Did it remove it?


I'm not interested in running just plain ol' oil without any cleaners while attempting to clean this engine. I feel it's a waste of time as I serious doubt PP, PU or any other engine oil with clean what ARX and Kreen along with PYB could not clean in over 25k miles.

Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
I say try MMO next. 1qt is $5 at Walmart. What many of us old timers have used for decades. Your in a good position to test MMO compared to other cleaners.


I'm not a big fan of MMO, to be honest with you. I have plans to try the new ARX+ next after a quick couple hundred mile flush with fresh PYB to remove any remaining Kreen from the block.

If ARX+ won't produce good results, i'll dump MMO into it next, I promise.

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Donald
Are you trying to make it a well running engine or a place you can eat off of?

Try Auto-Rx Plus!


Have you tried it? pics? What exactly makes it "Plus"?


Here's a few links for you to take a look at.

http://www.prlog.org/12085645-auto-rx-poised-to-release-new-product-auto-rx-plus.html

http://www.auto-rx.com/instructions-plus.shtml

It is supposedly much stronger then the previous formulation. The first ARX that I used didn't impress me, so I hope ARX+ will as I want nothing more then to find a cleaner that will CLEAN ENGINES! Is that too hard to ask for?

 

[Turk]

Ok, you were running PYB, ARX, Amsoil OE & Mobil 1. Those are great cleaning oils.

If you were running basic oils and the before/after was the same, I'd say Kreen does little.

But, you ran great oils and the engine was brought/kept at a very clean state, so there probably was not much more the Kreen would've done.

 

[Artem]

Originally Posted By: Trav
No the intake is not subject to the same conditions under the cover.
The manifold runs much cooler and carb cleaner will shift it with no problems so this is meaningless.

Did you test it on the head under the cover?


Negative. I didn't want to mess up test mule as there was no really good spot to spray and do the experiment. I did poke at the juicy build up area in question and the stuff is super soft. I know a blast of carb cleaner will melt that stuff right off! I'm shocked that none of these cleaners have managed to get it off yet.

 

[Trav]

But it doesn't say what is different from the original.
By stronger do you mean more of the same ingredient? What would make that better than just running two bottles which i have tried.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Artem
Negative. I didn't want to mess up test mule as there was no really good spot to spray and do the experiment. I did poke at the juicy build up area in question and the stuff is super soft.

I thought you were going to do that and post pics? No problem now at least we know or don't know in this case if this stuff is affected by a solvent or not.

I mean i can clean that up in 20 min (see my Honda engine pics) in the condition it is in right now (covers removed) but i would run some test to find out what i need to use to clean it.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Artem

I did poke at the juicy build up area in question and the stuff is super soft. I know a blast of carb cleaner will melt that stuff right off! I'm shocked that none of these cleaners have managed to get it off yet.


I said this earlier and it might be worth saying again. My bet is the next cleaner in the engine will take the cake. Something you used softened it up, or a combination of products did. As far as the staining goes, that won't come off easily with any of the engine cleaners.

Good luck, you've certainly gone the distance!