Auto-rx

**Ivar** · 09-04-2009, 08:36 PM

I am currently gathering information for an LS3 buidup but I was reading a post where Sarge said he wanted to here the good and bad about auto-rx.

I know he is a fan of the product, I just wanted to get his permission since I could not PM him on this board.

**Sarge** · 09-05-2009, 04:18 AM

Post away friend. We solicit any and all input on a variety of products, tricks and tips.

**Ivar** · 09-05-2009, 06:02 AM

I was a moderator on the auto-rx tech forum for 2 years and I continue to use the product, and it has done a great job in my:

1) Transmission
2) Differential
3) Powersteering

The only downside to auto-rx in my engine was that I was clogging oil filters every 1000 miles, I attributed it to a dirty engine, but then I started reading old posts on another forum where auto-rx was popular and people were having problems with the product. One guy did 3 Clean and Rinses and it did not clean his valvetrain. There wer so many complaints and fighting on this board about auto-rx that I had to investigate.

I found out this product was invented to clean printing presses that run on hydraulic fluid, a printing press is a closed system just like a :

1) Transmission
2) Differential
3) Powersteering

Because a printing press is a closed system and it does not introduce air so the contaniments are soft, whereas an engine introduces air and of course you have combustion so the contaniments are hard.

I found out this product was originally tested on someone's automatic transmission and since it did some cleaning arx decided to market it as an engine cleaner with no testing, they never tested the product on an automobile engine.

There application instructions keep changing, originally it was 500 miles for the Clean Phase, now it is up too 2500 miles. I found out the product was not cleaning people's valvetrains because the product does not work well under splash lubrication. It is heat activated and seems to work great in cleaning up the rings.

Anytime people have had a problem with auto-rx the response has been, you must be doing something wrong. I still think it is a good product too clean up the ring packs and other areas in an engine if there are not alot of deposits or you have low miles and do reasonable oil changes.

I would think many LS1 owner's drive there cars hard and do reasonable oil changes so your engines maybe fairly clean. The other thing I found out is that auto-rx is heat activated so if someone is using the product and doing very short trips they may not get the car very hot, and auto-rx does not work well when the engine is cold.

On the back of there bottle it says auto-rx will drive ALL third part contaniments too your oil filter. The stuff is not cheap, it goes for $26.00 a bottle, the more bottles you buy the lower the price. If you bought 2 bottles it would knock the price down by about a dollar a bottle.

If you have more questions please ask, it is a good product under certain conditions, but since the product was never originally designed to clean an engine there are limitations.

Thanks, Sarge

**Ivar** · 09-23-2009, 05:25 PM

Sarge, I remember reading a post on another board where you were using arx and decided too put in Amsoil Engine Flush, you stated that the oil came out very dark, and some of the members slammed you, that was wrong, and I will tell you why.

I found 2 posts from Frank Miller where he stated that arx had a hard time removing deposits from aluminum, unless I am wrong, most LS1's have aluminum blocks and aluminum cylinder heads. Frank basically said that arx was designed for printing presses where the internals are made out of cast iron, he said that aluminum is porous and that arx may not remove the deposits during the clean and rinse phases.

I also wanted to let Sarge know that I went back through the oil additive section on this forum and found out that 415 people have used arx, and out of those 415 people I found, I concluded that 400 people were not satisfied with arx, many people complained the product was not working or they just stopped posting on that forum. There were many others who bought the product and then said they would post back and they never did. There were also many people who bought the product and when they complained Frank Miller basically attacked them saying they did something wrong or he even denied they had even bought arx.

Sarge, with your permission I can cut and paste 2 of the posts that I was talking about, I remember you said that your oil came out real dark after using the Amsoil Engine Cleaner.

**0rion** · 09-23-2009, 05:50 PM

I'll chip in my 2 cents here and don't take this as a flame. 9 out of 10 times when I see these types of posts it's from someone that's disgruntled and starting a smear campaign. I'm not saying you are.... I'm just saying in the past that's what I've seen. What are your personal experiences with auto-rx? Keep in mind that I've never used it so I'm about as un-biased as they get. I'm just curious what you're hoping to gain here with this thread? Personal experience posts carry for more weight IMO than 3rd party "he said she said" posts. I'd like to hear what your personal experience has been and/or the reasoning behind the posts.

**Ivar** · 09-23-2009, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

I'll chip in my 2 cents here and don't take this as a flame. 9 out of 10 times when I see these types of posts it's from someone that's disgruntled and starting a smear campaign. I'm not saying you are.... I'm just saying in the past that's what I've seen. What are your personal experiences with auto-rx? Keep in mind that I've never used it so I'm about as un-biased as they get. I'm just curious what you're hoping to gain here with this thread? Personal experience posts carry for more weight IMO than 3rd party "he said she said" posts. I'd like to hear what your personal experience has been and/or the reasoning behind the posts.

My personal experiences with arx is that I have used it for over 2 years and I was a moderator on the arx tech board, I had friends with aluminum engines that were not getting results with arx so I did some investigating. I am just stating facts and when Sarge posted about using Amsoil Engine Flush the arx guys were pretty rough on him.

**CompSyn** · 09-24-2009, 01:59 AM

I don't know what's up but I've seen some weird posts both here on LS1.com and BITOG about AutoRX in recent times?

I mean, I'm an Amsoil dealer and I've used both the Amsoil Engine Flush and AutoRx on two separate vehicles and don't have anything bad to say as of yet.

But these weird posts surface, and I have to wonder what's up with AutoRx?

CompSyn

**Ivar** · 09-24-2009, 03:13 PM

We've all seen the good and bad post's on Autorx... virtually everyone says it cleaned the sludge, some have pointed out the residual varnish still on the engine parts and the waxy crystals in the filters...hmmm. I got to thinking about it, and during re - orders I have discussed this with Frank. As a result, I think Autorx has really benefited from all the feedback here on Bob's site.

Just think about it - First, the feedback lets Frank know just what Autorx will and won't do in automotive applications. I understand that autorx was invented for another industry, and I think all of the metal parts dealt with were cast iron or steel. In those applications, I'm pretty sure Frank DID see all varnish gone. If y'all notice, all of the engines that have been presented as still being varnished after Autorx's applications were aluminum heads, valve covers, and rockers. I got to thinking about it, and I think the porosity of the aluminum accepts the color and hold it much more tenaciously than cast iron. I see that everyday in my shop, when cleaning aluminum vs cast iron. I don't think frank had been exposed to this before, so the members here have really helped Frank learn what autorx's abilities and limitations are.

Also, some have posted pics of a waxy residue in the filters... I guess that got under Franks skin too, as we see he's gone back to the drawing board and upgraded the formulation. Frank has also revised the insructions, due to member feedback.

All in all, I see the feedback - both pro and con - to have helped Autorx become a better and more user friendly product. Someday Autorx will probably be much more widely available, and I see all the feedback on autorx here at Bob's site to be the best thing to happen for Autorx, and all of us who've come to know Autorx as the quality product it is... Steve

This post was from September of 2003, I have seen over 100 different people on this website post about bad experiences with arx, I found this info by going back through the oil additive section on this site.

I recently saw a guy who had an all aluminum engine and his valvetrain looked exactly the same beofre his arx treatments, and afterwards, he ended up doing 4 clean nad rinses, arx did nothing for his oil burning issue, he is no longer using arx in his engine.