Mower #1: Toro rider powered by a 17 hp B&S engine/1100 hrs.
This engine has been treated to Amsoil full synthetic oil since break-in. The oil and full-flow filter were changed annually (average 66 hrs). I always needed to top up now and then between oil changes in recent years, but the last two years I needed to top up after every mowing (4 hrs). No significant leaks were evident so this oil was going out the exhaust pipe.
After adding ARX, I topped up after the next mowing, now it has consumed no oil for the last seven mowings, or about 28 hrs. I can only imagine that the piston rings were suffering from combustion by-product buildup and that ARX is cleaning it up, allowing better oil control and no doubt, improved compression. That is pretty significant! As an unexpected bonus, that annoying dirt-attracting oil film has disappeared from the engine's exterior... now it remains clean and pretty!
Mower #2: Snapper walk-behind with B&S engine/40 hrs.
This engine was not using oil but it was plagued by the ever-present oil film on it's exterior. That cleared up as well after ARX treatment began. Woo-hoo!
I suspect that engines in lawn and power equipment clean up faster than automotive engines because they typically run at full throttle... more engine revoulutions per hour of running time = the good oil flow needed for fast, efficient cleaning.
This stuff has worked every time I have tried it.
You have all likely heard the advice "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." Well, I'm here to tell you that Auto-Rx metal cleaner is a rare exception to that rule!
Regards... Mike
-- Edited by oldgoat on Saturday 11th of June 2016 12:23:36 PM
I have had good results in small four stroke motors as well. I even fixed an output shaft rotary seal leak on a rented mower one time. You are right about air cooled small motors running at high rpms. The Cleaning action is fast.
Did you run the Auto-Rx with the Amsoil full synthetic? Just curious because some say that the cleaning is a bit slower in full synthetic group IV motor oils. That has not been my experience.
Yes, I used the ARX with full synthetic, as I plan to run it all season.
I will perform an oil and filter service at the end of the season and switch over to a good dinosaur oil at that time. Next year's mowing season will then be my rinse cycle. Beyond that I will go back to synthetic and the ARX maintenance program.
Mike
PS: I hope the rental place offered you a discount for fixing their mower!
-- Edited by oldgoat on Saturday 11th of June 2016 12:34:52 PM
I think you could use the full synthetic next year as your rinse. Rings are freed up, etc. I would even suggest that you start the maintenance dose with the full synthetic for next year. I would even suggest that you change oil after the season, add the maintenance dose and run the equipment for 5 minutes to coat the working parts with fresh clean oil for storage. The lanolin esters are great corrosion inhibitors and would provide a nice film for storage.
OK Rich, I will take your advice and use full synthetic for the rinse.
What do you make of the oil film drying up? This was probably coming from where the dipstick tube enters the crankcase, which has a static, not a rotating seal. My theory is that excess blow-by was overburdening the crankcase vent system somewhat and now that ARX has addressed that issue, things are back to normal.
