The procedure to clean a high mileage motor or a sludged motor are quite similar. Both require running 2 applications. That is clean cycle with ARX installed, follow by a rinse cycle with a fresh oil change and no ARX added. This procedure is to be performed twice. The difference in the heavy sludge application is changing out the oil filter half way through the first cleaning cycle. In heavily soiled motors we recommend that the filter be changed out at the 1500 mile mark of the 2500 mile run with ARX installed. Reason being we do not want the filter to become so full of contamination that the oil gets circulated in the oil filter bypass mode.
-- Edited by Frank on Sunday 25th of September 2011 03:08:42 PM
What mileage is considered high mileage ? Without opening up the valve cover, it is hard to tell if the engine is oil sludged.
I recently poured a bottle of Auto RX into a 2001 Toyo Sienna after oil change at 84K miles. Right after the oil change, the colour of the oil was light yellow. After running for 1,000 miles, the oill appeared to be light brown, which was the same colour as it had run for 3,000 miles without Auto RX. Can I conclude that the engine has some sludge without opening the valve cover to verify it ?? In this situation, should I replace the oil filter after 1,500 miles in the cleaning phase ??
-- Edited by electrolastic on Tuesday 4th of October 2011 06:09:12 PM
Normally 100,000 miles is considered to be high mileage for the average car or truck. However, units that have accumulated the 100K mostly all on the highway amy still be relatively clean if a good maintenance protocol has been followed. But by the same token a vehicle driven on primarily short driving protocols can have deposits resembling a high mileage motor at 50K if it has spotty maintenance, or if it has been worked hard like pulling trailers or heavy loads. But to pick a mileage number considered to be high mileage, on average 100K is a good number.
In all likelihood if the colr of your oil has only minimally changed in color over the 1000 miles of dwell time, it is unlikely that you are dealing with a heavy sludge in most cases. Although I must comment that if the oil filter has become fairly loaded with contamination the filter becomes tighter and filters at a greater degree. A good example to explain this is a paper type air filter. When first installed the new airfilter allows much greater air contaminant particles to pass by. But after 1000 miles or so the airfliter has caught enough larger particles to somewhat choke down the size of the air opening in the filter. At the 1000 mile mark the average paper air filter is working at optimum perfrormance. It is still allowing very good air flow, but has become a much better filter than it was on the day of installation. For this reason I always suggest installing a new air filter at least 1000 miles before a scheduled oil change. Afterall, why let a bunch of road dust enter a fresh oil change. The same is true on oil filters. They become better filters over the first 1000 miles or so.
Are you running a conventional oil or group III oil, in combination with ARX? If not then the cleaning process is slowed down dramatically. Telltale signs of heavy sludge and filter loading or blinding, usually results in a bit more valve train noise or even oil pressure warning lights if a filter has become blinded to the point of no oil passing through the filter and the oiling system working in the bypass mode. If you are not experiencing either of the two tell tale signs then it is likely that your filter is still not loaded and you can bypass the 1500 mile oil filter change and proceed onto the 2500 mile mark.
Sometimes the feel of the oil on the dipstick tells you more than the color. If the oil on the dipstick feels gritty then the oil filter may be already exhausted.
I Hope this answers your questions please reply back.
Richone: Thanks for your reply. Oil and oil filter have been changed every 3,000 miles. Only conventional dino oil is used. I would say the car is well maintained, even though it has been mainly driven for short distances. Usually the oil seems to be darker than that of my other cars. The oil is not gritty though. I probably keep the oil filter until the end of cleaning phase.
Many times short trip driving causes oil to darken. For one reason the motor runs at a rich fuel to mix for a good majority of time running only 2 to 5 mile trips. Therefor you will get more unburned fuel slipping past the rings. Also with short trip driving the oil doesn't get hot enough to evaporate condensation moisture out of the crankcase. Although with 3000 mile oil change intervals you should be in pretty good shape.
Another thing that should be considered is the operationality of the PCV valve and associated plumbing. A sticky valve or obstructed hosing can keep gasses trapped in the crankcase. Also a motor location in a van tends to run hotter than a motor located in a car where the airflow around the motor is greater to dispell heat. Just a couple more reason why oil may darken sooner in the Sienna.
I've used Auto-Rx twice in my 2001 Camry V6. 137K miles. Also used it in a friend's Camry. Very satisfied. But I run Mobil 1 most of the time.
I think the Sienna has the same engine. 84K miles on conventional oil in this engine, IMHO, is high mileage. This engine has hot spots where oil sometimes pools and the oil return galleys are slightly small. The fact that Toyota came out with an oil gel settlement due to litigation has influenced my treatment of the engine.
Not going to offer an opinion on the oil filter change. Frank is the one to ask. Keep an eye on the oil pressure light to be sure. But if you do you might end up changing the oil early because oil change shops often will only change oil AND filter during service. The worst that would happen is you'll cut this treatment short and have to do another at extra cost.
I don't mind spending extra if I have doubts about the current filter getting too full.
-- Edited by jjbula on Saturday 8th of October 2011 12:22:16 PM
Jibula: You have a V6 car of the same year and you knew of the oil gel issue of the engines in those years. I checked the oil on Sunday, it seemed even darker. The oil pressure warning light has NOT come up though. I can change the oil filter myself at 1500 miles in the cleaning phase, since I have the oil filter and tool handy. However, it may be a little messy with oil drops on my garage floor if I do it myself. I do not mind paying a little extra cost, even if I have to take it to the shop and ask them to just change the oil filter only.
Today, 10/22/201, I replaced the oil filter. The metal screen inside the the filter looked clean. However, when I looked toward the bottom (far end) of the filter, I could see some oil gel deposit. The oil filter only costs a few bucks. It's not big deal, either to replace it or not in the cleaning phase.
-- Edited by electrolastic on Saturday 22nd of October 2011 08:38:10 PM
