The story of Auto-RX, M1, and LC

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ALS

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I bought a 97 Volvo 960 66K miles with a 2.9 Liter I6 in Feb 2005. For some reason the last oil change before selling the car the previous owner filled it with Castrol synthetic. Before the 65K service it had 5K dino OCI. I got all the service records with the car. I ran that oil for 2,500 miles before dumping it and starting my Auto-Rx treatment. Once the full treatment was done I filled the car with M1 10W30 and 6 oz's of Lube control. Well it has been 3700 miles and 6 months later, I got the oil changed yesterday. Yes I know I could have gone a lot longer but I felt safer by following the minimum OCI's. I got one heck of a surprise when the oil filter was pulled. The oil that was draining from the filter mount was extremely black. When the oil pan plug was removed what came out confirmed what I saw earlier.
From what I saw yesterday confirms that Lube Control does clean very well. Those 3700 miles were 90% highway btw.
I run my 87 Volvo Turbo with M1 10W30 and a maintenance dose of Auto-Rx. Even at 5K miles and all short trip city driving (less than 3 miles) I never have seen the oil come out this dark.
I'll be interested to see in October how dark the oil I put in today looks. I know, I know, I should have done an oil analysis on the oil but I forgot all about it.
The gas mileage jumped about 1.1 miles per gallon on the highway and the engine smoothed out a lot after doing the Auto-Rx treatment on the car. Plus after I changed the oil yesterday the motor was much more quiet with the new oil and LC.

[ April 19, 2006, 09:27 AM: Message edited by: ALS ]
 
I don't think that LC had cleaned the motor, when compared to what ARX had achieved in your earlier oil change.

LC added to oil when added to fresh oil and subsequent 1 oz. per quart additions at every 1000 miles will darken the oil on its own. I'm not say thats bad in any way, appearance has little to do with oil effectiveness. Color is not by any means a scientific tool. Right out of the container some oils are darker than others.

It is likely that the LC acted as a rinse aid after the ARX cleaning treatment. I don't think that LC is even close in the catagory of ARX when it comes down to dismantling oxidized oil deposits. For one it doesn't provide a mechanism to suspend soils, its primary purpose is to prevent oxidation. Many comments have been made on this board that LC will help wetten carbon deposits, that may be true. However, for real deep , methiodical cleaning of engine deposits, it does not compare to ARX, IMO.
 
I was just amazed at how dark the oil got in such a short time. Like I said I wish I had gotten an oil sample and had it analysed.
It would have told the real story of what was going on inside the engine.
 
I'm happy for you ALS. Nothing quite like buying a used car and then making it run better than when you bought it.

No sense in starting an additive war; if you're happy, we're happy.
smile.gif
 
There is no additive war as there is only one additive under discussion LC

Auto-Rx is a metal cleaner it does not change the oil chemistry in any way..

These two products are completely different in formulation application and type of results.

Terry Dyson has time and time again posted on these chemistries and what each one does. I respect his findings.
 
I've done a MolaSoak, ARX treat, and then run RL with LC on three or four cars since 2003. Every time, the first OFL past the ARX treat has had darkened oil (run out to 6000 miles or so, anyway).

Second or third OFL looks "normal".
 
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