I have 4 vehicles that I am very interested in using your product in.
I will detail each vehicle specifically so that you can provide me with the exact information to allow the Auto RX to do its job for each car... I have read your site, but am emailing you because I want to make sure I use the product exactly as needed for my specific vehicles based on their usage.
First off, let me tell you that I am the type of guy who does ALL the maintenance and work on my vehicles - I'm not a mechanic by trade, but very capable of turning a wrench/modifying/repairing cars etc. - basically just mechanically inclined. I also keep an extensive spread sheet on all of my vehicles to document EVERY thing that is done to my cars...
Here are the vehicles :
1) 1991 5.0L V-8 Mustang LX 5-speed. I purchased this car new and have changed the oil with conventional oil & filter about every 3500 miles. It has 215k miles on it. It WAS a daily driver up until about 3 months ago. It was driven 50 miles a day round trip to work, mostly "hi-way" miles of 55 - 65 mph with little stop and go traffic. It was driven about 10k miles a year and "burning/leaking from engine seals..." about 3/4 qt of oil between oil changes. It will now be driven about 3k miles a year. I am interested in ONLY the engine cleaning requirements as the transmission was just replaced and has Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF in it, so I believe it is fine considering being new and that it will only be driven the 3k miles a yr now - UNLESS you disagree - please comment.
I would like to convert the engine oil over to Synthetic once the Auto RX treatment is complete IF you feel that will be ok since it will be in there for about 2 yrs ( 3k miles a yr x 2 yrs = 6k miles and then the need for an oil change ) - please comment.
2) 1993 Honda Civic VX 1.5L 4cyl. 5 - speed. Has 175k miles on it. I just picked it up in Dec 2010 to replace the Mustang as my daily driver for the same specifics that the Mustang was driven... I DO NOT KNOW the past history of either the engine or tranny oil in this little Honda. I am now in the process of going over it with a fine tooth comb to bring it back to NEW like OEM standards. I have purchased Genuine Honda MTF Advanced protection ( part # 08798-9031 ) for it and would like to use it AFTER the Auto RX treatment is complete, if acceptable. - please comment.
Also, what should I use for tranny oil DURING the treatment ? - please comment.
I am interested in using Synthetic oil in the engine, but I have heard mixed views on this ( in the engine or tranny ) for this car, so if you have any input on that, it would be greatly appreciated !
3) 2000 Dodge grand Caravan SE V-6 3.3L Automatic. Has 132k miles on it. I purchased this car new and have changed the oil with conventional oil & filter about every 3500 miles. Was driven about 12k miles a yr. It just had the tranny serviced. Driven by my wife who is a Stay @ Home Mom, running errands around town, shuttling the Kid's etc. It was also used for family trips to TN twice a yr ( 1500 miles round trip ) as well being used for about 3 camping trips a yr pulling a 2500lb pop-up camper. Usual camping trip was no more than 250 miles round trip. I gave it to my retired Father about 5 months ago and will now only be driven locally - short trips and about 400 miles a month - please comment.
4) 2004 Chevy Tahoe V-8 5.3L Automatic. Has 55k miles on it. Was purchased USED Jan 2010 with 42k miles on it to replace the van and it's specific driving habits. I have changed the oil with conventional oil & filter about every 3500 miles. The tranny oil is original as far as I know, according to the users manual, it is good for 100k miles - please comment.
Please comment where applicable or anywhere else you see fit on each vehicle for BOTH the required ENGINE & TRANNY treatment needs to best suit each vehicles specifics to assure the Auto RX product is used properly. Please provide the breakdown of needed Auto RX for initial cleaning treatments & maintenance...
On the Mustang 5.0 motor there are two options. Option one would be to run a regular standard treatment. Add 1 full bottle of Auto-Rx to a fresh fill of conventional oil and operate the car for 2500 to 3000 miles.Change out the oil and filter and run an oil change interval of conventional oil with no Auto-Rx. This is the rinse. Based on your predicted driving habits, you would be running the clean phase in the first year and running the rinse phase the second year of operation.
Normally a motor of this mileage, we would suggest running a second clean and rinse procedure. The other option would be to run the Fast Track application. This is merely doubling the Auto-Rx dose to 2 full bottles added to a fresh oil change and running for 1500 to 2000 miles. Change out the oil and begin the rinse phase on conventional oil only. Regarding your thought of changing over to a full synthetic. You would be changing out the oil on an annual basis, which appears to be 3000 miles.
I don't see you getting any financial benefit from full synthetic. Besides, the conventional oil at 3500 mile oil change intervals has served you well so far. Why mess with it. The Honda will surely save you some dough at the gas pumps. I would run a full bottle of Auto-Rx with a fresh oil change in the motor for 2500 to 3000 miles. Then a 3000 mile oil change interval on plain conventional oil for the rinse. Repeat this process twice and your motor is done.
With respect to the manual gear box, add 1 fluid ounce per quart fluid capacity of the transmission. Operate for 1000 to 1500 miles. Drain and replace with the new Honda MTF you just bought. On the Caravan, you can basically follow the basic application as the first option on the Mustang. Sounds like it will see about 4500 miles in a years time. 3000 miles with a full bottle of Auto-Rx added followed by the 3000 mile rinse with no auto-Rx added. You can repeat this procedure again. Or instead just start running a maintenance dose of 3 fluid ounces with each oil change after finishing up the rinse, to further clean it or protect against any future contaminant build up based on the short trip driving.
Lastly the Tahoe. First I must say that I know of no ATF that is still very good at the 100K mark. I certainly would not go 100K on my original fill of ATF. I would think that it is about due right now at 55K. The procedure is simple, just add 6 fluid ounces(1/2 bottle) to the existing fluid, run the truck for 1000 to 1500 miles and change out the fluid. Clean any filter screen or magnate. The motor at this point is a simple basic application. Add 1 full bottle to a fresh oil change and operate for 3000 miles. Run a rinse, no Auto-Rx for 3000 miles. You may want to consider running the maintenance dose in this vehicle also, especially when towing to keep things clean. Rich