So, I am 1650 miles into the first of at least two, and maybe three clean phases. Normally, I have been changing the oil every 2000-3000 miles or when it gets dark. But the oil is darker than normal, probably because of the Auto-Rx doing its job.
According to the instructions for the clean phase, I need to go at least 2500 miles before changing the oil and filter in preparation for the rinse phase, but what about the oil filter? If Auto-Rx is doing its job, the oil filter must be clogged: and indeed, occasionally, the check oil pressure light will flash momentarily during a long drive. The oil pressure light never did this before using Auto-Rx. The rinse phase has a mid-phase oil filter change, but not the clean phase.
Which brings up the question: if my engine is leaking oil and I am incrementally/regularly putting in new oil to fill it up, how does this differ from the rinse phase, where I change out the oil in one step instead of incrementally?
Also, the front engine oil leak is getting worse. Same place: It appears to be coming from where the head meets the block which meets the timing belt cover.
I'm not sure how dirty your engine is, but i think you'll be fine. I think you should be most concerned during the rinse phase - that's when I'd mid-phase filter swap.
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2001 Ford Ranger, 4.0 V6. Mobil 1 0w-30, Motorcraft FL 820s filter, 3oz Auto Rx
I had to change the Oil Filter early on my Ford Granada Cologne 2.9i V6 12 valves because it was leaking from there, it must be full of rubbish, so if this happens to you I suggest you do the same, including topping up with the same new Engine Oil.
-- Edited by ForeverFord at 18:42, 2009-01-05
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1994 Ford Granada Scorpio Cosworth Automatic 2.9i V6 24valves
Just joined the board tonight. I have been hanging out on BITOG and have a short thread about my '02 Ford Taurus with 131,000 miles.
This past week I got to around 1500 miles on my first clean phase. I started noticing a bit of slugishness whenever I accelerated. So I changed out the cheap filter while it was hot. I wanted it to be full of crud and bring some hot oil with it.
When I got to looking at my drain pan and the oil that came out with my old filter I was shocked. The oil was filled with little metal bits that looked like very fine glitter.
I take good care of my Taurus. I am trying to get another 5 years out of it. Regular oil changes and periodic maintenance is the way I live. I believe that Auto RX has already paid for itself with what it has done, and I have yet to get through the first clean cycle.
When I bought Auto RX I figured that I would just give it a shot and see what happened. Now I am convinced it works.
Go ahead and change your filter and top off your oil lvl afterward, it wont hurt anything and you should see some of your lost power come back if it is loaded with crud.
So, I did change the oil filter and added more oil due to the seal leak.
I kept my old oil filter from my previous oil change (immediately before putting in Auto-Rx) and compared it to the one I just took out. The new clean-phase oil filter that I just took out was considerably _lighter_ than the old one I took out in September. I would expect that if ARX is doing its job, that the new filter would be _heavier_ than the old. Not so.
I looked inside both filters and they looked the same, some oil, some grit.
Both filters have about the same number of miles: I tend to change my oil filters at 1500-2000 miles, and this time I changed the most recent filter at 1650 miles.
I wonder if I need to add more ARX; perhaps the small oil leak or oil burning of the engine is depleting the engine of ARX? Yes, I understand that ARX is supposed to be on the metal, but with constant replenishing of the leaking oil, I am essentially rinse-phasing the engine, even though I am supposed to be in the clean phase.
Any ideas?
However, I did not get any oil light flash after a 300 mile drive.
When you are stopping seal leak (no more Auto-Rx) the seal material is now clean on both sides (no swelling with Auto-Rx) you should be on a rinse cycle with non synthetic (No group 5 or High Mileage Oil) for 3000 miles.
It is the "simple' additive package in say Castrol GTX or Walmart Super Tech that restores pliability to the seal.Stopping the leak if not torn or ripped. it takes miles driven to attain that.
