I recently purchased a new Toyota ECHO and am planning some preventitive measures to help protect the engine. I believe that it's generally better to prevent gunk buildup rather than to try to clean it out later - provided that the chemicals you add to the engine oil / gasoline don't cause later unexpected side effects.
To this end I've already begun adding 131C to the gas, and I'll be doing a seat-of-the pants comparison of this with 131 Neutra over the next few months or so. Anyway, I believe I have the gas part of this covered.
The oil is a whole different arena. I admit that I've used both Slick 50 and Duralube, but not since 1996, where I went totally synthetic. With both Slick 50 and Duralube I DID notice a smoother running engine when a quart of either product was mixed in with the oil. However, a friend added Slick 50 to his 1980 Datsun 280Z, and had his oil screen plug up with teflon - and his oil light came on. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be much damage (other than the cost to pull the oil pan and clean the filter). Since coming to this board I've discovered that Duralube is chlorine based and that this can have serious results if water somehow mixes in with the oil - so I likely won't be using either of these two again.
Along with improvements in conventional oil, and a growing concern about long runs with synthetic oil, I'm considering limiting my mileage to about 5000 kms (3000 miles), and changing the oil every few months. Costco has a Castrol GTX oil change for about $20.00, and it seems that that oil has been getting some pretty good ratings in here wrt good wear analysis.
That leads to Auto-RX and 132 Moly oil additives. Should I use one or perhaps both with the Castrol GTX oil to help maintain a clean, well lubricated engine? One concern that I've heard as per this board is that it's possible to "over-condition" engine seals; what's the likelihood that I'll create more problems than I'll solve by doing any of this?
Anybody got any opinions?
- Spartane
To this end I've already begun adding 131C to the gas, and I'll be doing a seat-of-the pants comparison of this with 131 Neutra over the next few months or so. Anyway, I believe I have the gas part of this covered.
The oil is a whole different arena. I admit that I've used both Slick 50 and Duralube, but not since 1996, where I went totally synthetic. With both Slick 50 and Duralube I DID notice a smoother running engine when a quart of either product was mixed in with the oil. However, a friend added Slick 50 to his 1980 Datsun 280Z, and had his oil screen plug up with teflon - and his oil light came on. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be much damage (other than the cost to pull the oil pan and clean the filter). Since coming to this board I've discovered that Duralube is chlorine based and that this can have serious results if water somehow mixes in with the oil - so I likely won't be using either of these two again.
Along with improvements in conventional oil, and a growing concern about long runs with synthetic oil, I'm considering limiting my mileage to about 5000 kms (3000 miles), and changing the oil every few months. Costco has a Castrol GTX oil change for about $20.00, and it seems that that oil has been getting some pretty good ratings in here wrt good wear analysis.
That leads to Auto-RX and 132 Moly oil additives. Should I use one or perhaps both with the Castrol GTX oil to help maintain a clean, well lubricated engine? One concern that I've heard as per this board is that it's possible to "over-condition" engine seals; what's the likelihood that I'll create more problems than I'll solve by doing any of this?
Anybody got any opinions?
- Spartane
