Okay, I'll show one ARX-related photo
06-03-2005, 12:15 PM
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Okay, I'll show one ARX-related photo
First of all, let me say that I am skeptical about ARX, but that I am currently nearing the completion of the the second and last phase in its application. This is too early for me to make any statement regarding whether or not ARX works, or what exactly it does, if it does anything
To bring you up to speed:
I had recently a UOA on M1 5W-40 done, and while the resulting wear numbers were very good, and while no fuel or other contamination was found, the TBN (Total Base Number) appeared low for this oil after only 8k miles, and insolubles appeared a bit high. The oil consumption of ca 0.5 qt/1k miles also pointed towards a possible issue with rings or valve stem seals. This, in conjunction with some other UOA data, suggested that the engine had either a sticky ring or rings, most likely due to carbon buildup. In the worst case scenario, the rings would be worn. I had no compression or leakdown test performed, because I simply don't know a good mechanic here.
In an effort to clean the ring/groove area, I began using ARX, an engien cleaner that works via the oil. I did not use ARX to remove sludge, as my engine was sludge-free and only had some very slight varnishing last time I removed a valve cover. I also began using a fuel system cleaner, which can be safely added to every tankful of gas. This cleaner, Fuel Power (FP60), is said to remove and prevent carbon deposits. My gas mileage appears to have improved by 1 or 2 mpg with FP. It also has an effect on upper engine noise, so I guess it functions as an upper cylinder lubricant, similar to MMO and Lucas UCL. FP did not (has not yet?) foul my spark plugs.
I added one bottle of ARX to a new fill with M1 5W-40 for the "cleaning phase." Allegedly, the cleaning pahse softens sludge (n/a in my case) and carbon. That means that during the cleaning phase visible cleaning may or may not occur. At the end of the cleaning phase, I changed the oil and cut open the filter to see if there was any visible sign of cleaning occurring.
This is how the filter looked after 1600 miles:
<img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/moribundman/filter.jpg">
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/moribundman/filter.jpg
This is an M1-301 filter and as you can see I sawed into the flter medium when I cut the filter open. I bent open the pleats, so that you could geta better look at the filter medium. The string was on the filter, which is unusual for an M1.
Because I lacked any knowledge about how filters commonly looked after how many miles, I polled people who cut their filters routinely open. The average guess came down to 5100 miles. The filter was actually in use for only 1600 miles. I assume it looks a bit darker than it normally would and I guess some cleaning occurred. I did not find any large bits or pieces of gunk, no metal flakes, nothing of that sort in the filter. The filter medium does appear dark, though. I don't know for sure, but I guess it could be mostly trapped carbon. Oil consumption remained unchanged during the "cleaning phase."
For the second ARX phase, the "rinse phase," I switched to a mineral HDEO, Chevron Delo 400 15W-40. A mineral is required, because mineral oil does not exhibit the polar properties full synthetic oil exhibits. Especially ester oil "stick." That means those previously softened deposists can be "rinsed off" with a mineral oil -- at least in theory. The rinse phase is supposed to last 2-3k miles. I'm now 1200 miles into it. Oil cosumption during this time has dropped to 1/4 qt, meaning half of what it was before. That may be due to the 15W-40 vs the 5W-40 for several reasons:
1. 15W-40 is thicker on startup (15W), so the engine may simply burn less oil due to the higher cold viscosity. I do drive 50 city, so this may well be a point to consider, since the engine is driven at less than full operating temperature for a good amount of time.
2. 15W-40 is a slightly thicker (a few centiStokes thicker) 40 that the previously used 5W-40. That may well mean less oil consumption at normal and high oil temps.
3. Both oils may simply be very different. M1 5W-40, being a full synthetic, may simply slip by the rings and valve seals more easily than the 15W-40 mineral oil.
How will I know if ARX did do anything?
Well, once I'm done with the "rinse phase," I will be going back to using M1 5W-40 for again 8k miles. I will keep track oil consumption and I will also have another oil analysis done. Comparing pre-ARX and post-ARX UOA figures will allow me to see if ARX had any affect. I'm hoping for a lower insolubles (soot) number and a higher TBN (remaining activity of the oil).
The only thing I'm positive about by now is that Fuel Power is working at least for increasing engine smoothness and gas mileage.
Sorry for the long, tedious, and very boring rant! :-P
To bring you up to speed:
I had recently a UOA on M1 5W-40 done, and while the resulting wear numbers were very good, and while no fuel or other contamination was found, the TBN (Total Base Number) appeared low for this oil after only 8k miles, and insolubles appeared a bit high. The oil consumption of ca 0.5 qt/1k miles also pointed towards a possible issue with rings or valve stem seals. This, in conjunction with some other UOA data, suggested that the engine had either a sticky ring or rings, most likely due to carbon buildup. In the worst case scenario, the rings would be worn. I had no compression or leakdown test performed, because I simply don't know a good mechanic here.
In an effort to clean the ring/groove area, I began using ARX, an engien cleaner that works via the oil. I did not use ARX to remove sludge, as my engine was sludge-free and only had some very slight varnishing last time I removed a valve cover. I also began using a fuel system cleaner, which can be safely added to every tankful of gas. This cleaner, Fuel Power (FP60), is said to remove and prevent carbon deposits. My gas mileage appears to have improved by 1 or 2 mpg with FP. It also has an effect on upper engine noise, so I guess it functions as an upper cylinder lubricant, similar to MMO and Lucas UCL. FP did not (has not yet?) foul my spark plugs.
I added one bottle of ARX to a new fill with M1 5W-40 for the "cleaning phase." Allegedly, the cleaning pahse softens sludge (n/a in my case) and carbon. That means that during the cleaning phase visible cleaning may or may not occur. At the end of the cleaning phase, I changed the oil and cut open the filter to see if there was any visible sign of cleaning occurring.
This is how the filter looked after 1600 miles:
<img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/moribundman/filter.jpg">
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y108/moribundman/filter.jpg
This is an M1-301 filter and as you can see I sawed into the flter medium when I cut the filter open. I bent open the pleats, so that you could geta better look at the filter medium. The string was on the filter, which is unusual for an M1.
Because I lacked any knowledge about how filters commonly looked after how many miles, I polled people who cut their filters routinely open. The average guess came down to 5100 miles. The filter was actually in use for only 1600 miles. I assume it looks a bit darker than it normally would and I guess some cleaning occurred. I did not find any large bits or pieces of gunk, no metal flakes, nothing of that sort in the filter. The filter medium does appear dark, though. I don't know for sure, but I guess it could be mostly trapped carbon. Oil consumption remained unchanged during the "cleaning phase."
For the second ARX phase, the "rinse phase," I switched to a mineral HDEO, Chevron Delo 400 15W-40. A mineral is required, because mineral oil does not exhibit the polar properties full synthetic oil exhibits. Especially ester oil "stick." That means those previously softened deposists can be "rinsed off" with a mineral oil -- at least in theory. The rinse phase is supposed to last 2-3k miles. I'm now 1200 miles into it. Oil cosumption during this time has dropped to 1/4 qt, meaning half of what it was before. That may be due to the 15W-40 vs the 5W-40 for several reasons:
1. 15W-40 is thicker on startup (15W), so the engine may simply burn less oil due to the higher cold viscosity. I do drive 50 city, so this may well be a point to consider, since the engine is driven at less than full operating temperature for a good amount of time.
2. 15W-40 is a slightly thicker (a few centiStokes thicker) 40 that the previously used 5W-40. That may well mean less oil consumption at normal and high oil temps.
3. Both oils may simply be very different. M1 5W-40, being a full synthetic, may simply slip by the rings and valve seals more easily than the 15W-40 mineral oil.
How will I know if ARX did do anything?
Well, once I'm done with the "rinse phase," I will be going back to using M1 5W-40 for again 8k miles. I will keep track oil consumption and I will also have another oil analysis done. Comparing pre-ARX and post-ARX UOA figures will allow me to see if ARX had any affect. I'm hoping for a lower insolubles (soot) number and a higher TBN (remaining activity of the oil).
The only thing I'm positive about by now is that Fuel Power is working at least for increasing engine smoothness and gas mileage.
Sorry for the long, tedious, and very boring rant! :-P
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