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Post Info TOPIC: Just completed BMW clean phase...
littlebeemer


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Just completed BMW clean phase...
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Hi,

After much deliberation I finally purchased some Auto-Rx. Im aware of the various snake oils out there and Im always very particular about what goes in my engine so Id spent a lot of time reading up on this product. Much of what appears on the net can be taken with a large pinch of salt but the consensus of opinion regarding Auto-Rx was favourable.

Firstly some information about my vehicle. Its a 2004 BMW E46 with the 1.8 N46 Valvetronic engine. When I purchased the vehicle it had done just over 30,000 miles and the service records showed it had been serviced by BMW at 15,000 mile intervals. Incidentally the oil recommended over here in Europe for this vehicle is Castrol Edge 0W:30. Thin oil should get to the top of the engine a little quicker and with the Valvetronic technology there are more components up there to be lubricated. 0W:30 should also marginally help the MPG figures. I immediately started doing additional oil changes in between the 15,000 service intervals; the vehicle was therefore having regular oil and filter changes at ~7500 miles, using Castrol Edge.

I cover approximately 15,000 miles every year, probably about 60 - 70% of this being short runs where the engine barely gets up to temperature and with a sump capacity of only 4 litres I thought that an internal clean would be of benefit.

Before starting the Auto-Rx clean phase I drained the oil and fitted a new filter as recommended. The old oil was fairly clean. Oil consumption between changes is zero. For the cleaning phase I had purchased some Shell Helix Ultra 5W:40. This is Group 3 oil and is normally fairly expensive but I purchased enough to do 3 oil changes at a good price (eBay has its uses!). Incidentally my BMW TIS tells me Shell Helix Ultra 5W:40 is BMW LL.04 recommended oil. The mileage when I started the clean phase was 77,727 miles. Initially I checked the condition of the oil on the dipstick every day but when I realised it was remaining a light brown colour I resorted to weekly checks. I removed and replaced the filter at 79,727 miles, almost hoping I would see some sign that Auto-RX was doing something. The filter was clean.

After a cleaning phase of 3,000 miles I drained the oil and removed the filer. The oil was still relatively clean, by now a slightly darker brown but certainly not dirty. I examined the filter and it appeared clean with no obvious particles trapped in the mesh.

I fitted a new filter and filled the engine with more Shell Helix Ultra 5W:40 for the rinse phase.

I am now almost ~500 miles into the rinse phase. I check the condition of the oil on the dipstick every day. It is clean. It will be interesting to see what happens. I will post again in ~2,500 miles.

John


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geeaea


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A periodic cleaning to assure that the ring packs are clear and that any accumulations, however minor, it's unwise. I use it as a prophylactic every 75k+/-.

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bmwtechguy


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Are you saying a periodic cleaning is wise or unwise? I'm not sure I read you there.

I think that littlebeemer's engine is probably not too dirty inside. Engine consuming no oil between changes would indicate it was probably well-maintained by previous owner who perhaps drove mostly long trips. It may be that, as a result of all the engine's good maintenance, there is just not much to clean up there, especially with shorter oci by littlebeemer ever since he has owned it.

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littlebeemer


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I'm sure geeaea meant a periodic cleaning is wise...

bmwtechguy - I think you're probably right that my car's engine is fairly clean so not much for Auto-RX to do. 

I neither dropped my oil pan nor removed the rocker cover and there's some sort of splash guard just inside the oil filler so I can't see in there.   However from the condition of the oil when doing previous changes I was fairly sure the engine was reasonably clean.

The Auto-RX treatment was really a 'belts and braces' thing...

My daughter is going up to Manchester next week (~200 miles round trip) and she shows the BM very little mercy so it will get a good hard run.  This car runs quite hot and I did read on one of the other forums that Auto-RX likes that, it will be interesting to see if the oil colour has changed when she gets back -  I'm tempted to think that it probably won't and that may confirm that there was little for RX to do...

I did mention in my initial posting that Shell Helix Ultra 5W:40 was BMW LL.04 rated, it is of course LL.01, wouldn't want to mislead anyone...

Thanks for your input.

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geeaea


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Gosh, proof reading.  It's suppose to say "is not unwise".  Sounds like some audio visual dylexia was involved.  no



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Richone


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I think that the important thing to remember here is that internal deposits on ring packs or functioning components of the variable timing system (vanos) can accumulate to an extent of not causing an immediate runability problem, yet may be accumulating at a rate that it may well become a problem in the future. The product used correctly, keeps you from ever getting to the problem phase. It is a maintenance product. I find it interesting that most posts and testimonies are related to problems where Auto-Rx should have been administered long ago.

If deposits are minimal Auto-Rx usually dissolves these deposits so that they are actually suspended in the oil and likely dissolved to the point that they can readily pass through the filter element with the oil. It is mainly the sludged up motors that fill up filter elements.

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