Auto-RX Desludging a 4.3L

[BlazerLT]

Originally Posted by BlazerBoyLT98

Just curious if there is anything new to report? I have been real interested in this....

Still plowing through the 1500 mile cleaning cycle.

I don't drive it alot but I will definitely give a go with the 1000 mile drive I will be undertaking within the next week.

I will keep you posted, the oil continues to darken fast and I am still under a 1000 miles.

[BlazerLT]

Welp, the cleaning phase is finished.

I ran 2000 miles seeing I went over the 1500 mile suggested interval while going through a long 7 hour drive and I could not stop to do anything on the highway.

To finish off the cleaning phase, the engine underwent a 850 mile drive within 2 days. Lots of long easy going highway running at 55-60mph on cruise.

Oil pressure is up, and I know it is time to give this baby some new oil and a filter. She deserves it.

So here we go.



The oil seemed to get dirty earlier on in the cleaning phase and then start to get a little cleaner as the miles piled on. This could be because the initial cleaning of the AutoRX and the filter taking several passes to clean the oil up a bit. Oil looks low here because the truck is up on ramps when the shot was taken.



For only having 2000 miles on the oil, the oil draining out of the filter was really dark to borderline black and didn't flow very well even with the engine completely warmed up to temperature before the change.

Oil filter was replaced with a Quaker State (Purolator) oil filter and a 4.5qt load of Formula Shell Conventional Clean Engine Formula 5w30. Got it really cheap for a US$17.50 for a case of 12 from Costco. I didn't want to go bargain basement with the oil.

The oil was changed and the engine was fired up and WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

Oil pressure was down by 1/4 and valve train noise was slim to none. I was sitting outside of the truck and could hear the fuel pumping whining like they do on GM trucks and I thought I had a problem but then I noticed that I could hear it now because the engine had quietened down that much. My baby was crying for an oil change.



So the oil was changed and the Fram Extended Guard Filter was drained and set on the workbench for disection. I used a hacksaw and in 5 minutes it was cut open. It was amazing just how much oil was still in the oil filter. I still had about 250ml drain oil through the new cut and that is after I drained the filter for 20 minutes into the oil drain pan. Sign of a good ADBV.



First thing is first, this oil filter is built like a brick poop-house. Solid, rigid and heavy. Here is the can, and the filter draining some more. The silicon ADBV was intact and the filter was in perfect order.



For 2000 miles, the oil filter sure was dirty and dark compared to the light orange color is has in its new and dry stock form. Let's rip it apart shall we.

To do this I took a hammer handle and bashed the metal end caps off instead of wasting time cutting it gently off. It worked and in 20 seconds, I got this.



The fibrous synthetic filter media is backed by a support screen mesh which was REALLY strong but easily peeled off of the media for closer inspection.



Although there was no visible chunky sludge, this didn't surprise me at all. The engine has been taken care of. But the filter media was actually pretty well plugged up with fine grit and liquified sludge. Wanna see? Think I am lying, well, wait no longer.





Just scraping the inner seams of the filter media unearthed embedded sludge and grit in the filter. The whole filter was literally plugged with this stuff throughout.

A good sign that the sludge was liquified properly and deposited in the Extended Guard's large filtering capacity media.

To anyone doing a cleaning cycle, USE THIS FILTER! Its' capacity far surpasses and standard paper media filter for cleaning and removing elevated sludge levels in the oil.

I switched to a Quaker State filter for the rinse cycle to lower my oil pressure and allow proper oil flow with my remote oil filter setup. Since the swap, pressure is down for sure.

And now, the other noticed differences

Other than the lower engine noise, fuel economy is higher than I have EVER witnessed in 3 years owning this truck.

With the EXACT same road trip and fuel used, my max fuel economy this time of year was 21mpg.

For this trip, on the way to my destination, I got 24MPG! On the way back, I got 23MPG!!!

The economy difference between going there and coming back was probably from the air temperature being 10c lower than it was when I was going down to my destination.

But still, this is an improvement.....

The Rating for this truck is 18MPG city / 21MPG highway. The truck weighs 4600lbs.

I will keep you updated seeing the rinse phase is still to come.

I will keep you posted.

[blazee]

Nice

[BlazerLT]

Just to let you guys know, this is what the oil filter looks like when it hasn't been used yet.



This is mine for comparison...



See the difference in 2000 miles? Yeesh..... Nutz.....

[rental blazer]

The Rating for this truck is 18MPG city / 21MPG highway. The truck weighs 4600lbs.

my 85 blazer 2.8 avg. 17 city 21 hiway witht eh automatic and oil gets dirty fast as hell on the rebuilt motor with 52k miles i think i am gonna go check that out now too and by the way it wigths 3680 lbs. and its a 4x4 thanks for the testing -- off topic do you happen to know what causes a vibation in the steering wheel from 30-45 mph then from 75 and on ?

[BlazerLT]

Originally Posted by rental blazer

The Rating for this truck is 18MPG city / 21MPG highway. The truck weighs 4600lbs.

my 85 blazer 2.8 avg. 17 city 21 hiway witht eh automatic and oil gets dirty fast as hell on the rebuilt motor with 52k miles i think i am gonna go check that out now too and by the way it wigths 3680 lbs. and its a 4x4 thanks for the testing -- off topic do you happen to know what causes a vibation in the steering wheel from 30-45 mph then from 75 and on ?

Make sure your PCV valve is replaced so the oil will not get impregnated with post combustion gases.

FGor the steering thing, this is not a thread on that topic, please start another thread on that topic if you haven't already done so by now.

[muzzy1maniac]

I thought Fram filters were taboo in this forum. What made you decide to go with it?

[s10blazerman4x4]

not speaking for lt but what from i know the extra guard ones arnt the crappy ones fram has

[BlazerLT]

Extended Guard is a great filter. It is called the X2 filter from Fram. In Canada, it is known as the synthetic oil filter.

Avoid the Extra Guard, Wear Guard and Tough Guard.

[rental blazer]

Originally Posted by BlazerLT

Extended Guard is a great filter. It is called the X2 filter from Fram. In Canada, it is known as the synthetic oil filter.

Avoid the Extra Guard, Wear Guard and Tough Guard.

what are people's opion on the super tech (walmart brand oil and filter?) and my moter with 52k miles looks like it has about a razerblade thickness of clut or sluge or shit whatever you want to call it how bad is that? and how do i get my picture of my car onto my name like you have help please........

[BlazerLT]

Originally Posted by rental blazer

what are people's opion on the super tech (walmart brand oil and filter?) and my moter with 52k miles looks like it has about a razerblade thickness of clut or sluge or shit whatever you want to call it how bad is that? and how do i get my picture of my car onto my name like you have help please........

Supertech oil is a poor oil with little to no real additives.

Best to avoid it.

If you want normal oil, buy Castrol GTX 5w30 and a good oil filter.

BTW, what is a clut?

[rental blazer]

Originally Posted by BlazerLT

Supertech oil is a poor oil with little to no real additives.

Best to avoid it.

If you want normal oil, buy Castrol GTX 5w30 and a good oil filter.

BTW, what is a clut?

well where can i get that stuff at the best price i am a member of costco too and a collage student so don't expect me to buy oil that costs a arm and a leg when i change it once a month (2500 miles)

[BlazerLT]

Originally Posted by rental blazer

well where can i get that stuff at the best price i am a member of costco too and a collage student so don't expect me to buy oil that costs a arm and a leg when i change it once a month (2500 miles)

Costco has good oil cheap so try there.

Also, why are you changing your oil every 2500miles?

That is a waste of good money and your oil is definitely good for 5000 miles with todays better oil and oil filters.

Buy a good oil and change it at 5000 miles or even 4000 miles if you are doing mostly city driving.

You gotta see this, you are complaining about money, but yet you are changing your oil WAY to often.

[dmbrisket 51]

Originally Posted by rental blazer

well where can i get that stuff at the best price i am a member of costco too and a collage student so don't expect me to buy oil that costs a arm and a leg when i change it once a month (2500 miles)

why even do it once a month if your not going to do it with quality parts, college student here to, but think of the cost of saven a little bit on oil now, and haven a searious problem later, ie knock, bearing, sludge buildup... its not cheep to proporly maintain a vehical, but it is cheeper in the long run, do oil changes, good oil filter and greese every 3k miles and youll be fine... hell switch to the 7500 synthetic if you want. more expenceive but less often must it be done

[rental blazer]

Originally Posted by dmbrisket 51

why even do it once a month if your not going to do it with quality parts, college student here to, but think of the cost of saven a little bit on oil now, and haven a searious problem later, ie knock, bearing, sludge buildup... its not cheep to proporly maintain a vehical, but it is cheeper in the long run, do oil changes, good oil filter and greese every 3k miles and youll be fine... hell switch to the 7500 synthetic if you want. more expenceive but less often must it be done

well true but i fear the systic will make my motor leak oil like i hear about others