A-RX in my Silverado 5.3- initial impression

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About 1600 miles into my cleaning phase. My history is a 2009 5.3 AFM that began consuming oil around 25-30k miles. Currently 57k. Consumption got bad enough for the dealer to finally do the TSB fix for a revised PCV valve/cover and AFM shield in the oil pan. They also did a piston soak but said this fix is usually 50/50. Next fix would be engine teardown for piston & ring replacement.

Did a double dose of A-RX in Mobil 5000 oil. Took several 300 mile trips over the last 1600 miles. Initially, it continued to drink oil. Down 1/2 quart over the first 500 miles. However, it has begun to stabilize since then and is now only 3/4 quart down over the next 1100 miles. I'm not sure how much of this is the TSB and how much is the A-RX, but the consumption is definitely stabilizing. Also, for the first time in a long time, I am able to spin the tires from a standing start and trigger the traction control. I have no doubt A-RX is cleaning and has freed up some coked oil/carbon from the ring packs.

Just thought I'd share. I know it A-RX has fallen out of graces around here. Regardless, the journey ends here. I traded it for a Honda Pilot
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Originally Posted By: zuluplus30
dealer to finally do the TSB fix for a revised PCV valve/cover and AFM shield in the oil pan. They also did a piston soak

The piston soak cleaned the rings and boosted the compression. What was done in the TSB reduced the oil consumption.
I seriously doubt ARX did anything at all in 1600 miles.
 
Its hard to know what has helped. I would finish with the ARX program.

Having before and after compression tests might have shown something. But its possible the compression rings can be fine and the oil rings gummed up, so you burn oil, but compression shows OK.
 
Originally Posted By: zuluplus30
Also, for the first time in a long time, I am able to spin the tires from a standing start and trigger the traction control.


Gee...I wonder why this engine is in such bad shape. Maybe if you try taking care of your stuff, you won't have these kinds of problems. I remember when I was a teenager......
 
Two out of the three replies this gents post are negative, wow.

I have used Auto RX , and while I admit its not cheap it did work for me in several applications, so for me the cost was justified.
One truck, '48 Ford V-8 flathead, I use periodically for the PTO and it only idles, for a couple of hours at a time, since 1972. It never gets driven down the road and I knew the rings were gummed up. The Auto RX worked, as I'm sure many other products would have, but Auto RX is what I chose to use.

From reading the first post it seams as if GM had an acknowledged issue with this engine, hence the TSB. Why would someone suggest that the issue was caused by owner neglect?
 
The OP no longer owns the vehicle, so we'll never really know the final outcome or long term results of the TSB of anything else for that matter.
 
The point is the GM dealer did a piston soak.
GM has one of the best top engine cleaners in the business, that and the mechanical work indicated in the TSB is much more likely to have helped the problem than something in a bottle.
 
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