All posts by Andy

Cheapest Fuel – How to Save Fuel by Buying the Cheapest and Converting it into Premium Fuel

October 9, 2024 Andy Leave a comment

Pump prices are rising, and those with electric vehicles have started feeling the pinch with an unprecedented rise in electricity.

There is something you can do.

Premium or Super fuels usually deliver better fuel economy than standard fuels, even from the same brands. For example, V-Power diesel will provide more performance and MPG than standard Shell diesel fuel. But, it is more expensive.

The solution:

Buy the cheapest pump fuel you can find and then use a fuel additive to convert it into premium fuel. A high-quality additive will typically cost a fraction of the price of buying premium fuel at the pump but deliver similar benefits. * Except for higher octane with gasoline. If your vehicle requires or responds better to higher-octane gasoline, continue using it. Just find the cheapest brand available.

Petrol Additive – Ensure any petrol additive contains the following:

Proven PORT and GASOLINE DIRECT INJECTION (GDI) detergent pack, particularly if you drive a modern vehicle with a GDI fuel system.
High-performing fuel system / upper cylinder lubricant.
Combustion improvement function.

Although the above won’t make up for any shortfall in octane, they will improve fuel economy by maintaining a cleaner fuel system, reducing upper cylinder friction, and improving combustion quality.

Diesel Additive – Ensure any diesel additive contains the following:

2-EHN cetane improver that delivers a minimum 3-point increase per dose. Using 2-EHN alone will reduce fuel lubricity and not provide the maximum available fuel savings.
High-performing Ester (or similar) fuel system / upper cylinder lubricant with an HFFR no higher than 250. Disregard any product using mono-acid lubricants as they underperform with standard EN590 diesel fuel.
Cleaning and combustion improvement technology.

Any diesel product that meets the above three criteria will convert regular diesel into Super diesel and improve fuel economy when added to a standard, low-cost diesel.

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Fuel System Cleaning

Fuel Injector Cleaners and Polyether-amine

September 2, 2022 Andy 4 Comments

In 2007, I revealed to the public the importance of PEA (polyether-amine) chemistry in fuel system cleaning. As a result of this revelation, polyether-amine is now a hot topic of discussion on most automotive websites. Nobody had even heard of it then, and now everyone is an “expert.”

Polyether-amine is critical for rapid fuel system cleaning and carbon removal from the combustion chamber and valves. Cleaning is fast, with improvements in vehicle running evident in just a few miles, particularly if the fuel injectors suffered from deposit build-up.

In fairness, the lower-cost treatments do a reasonable job cleaning old petrol or diesel injectors as any solvent-based cleaner. However, they fall short with modern high-pressure fuel systems, carbon removal, and removing deposits from the combustion and post-combustion areas. Unfortunately, high-quality polyether-amine (PEA) is considerably more expensive than polybutene-amine (PBA).

The introduction of gasoline direct injection (GDI) and generally higher pressure fuel systems on gasoline and diesel engines meant more development was needed. Products such as Oilsyn Petrol Doctor contains three detergent packs that work in synergy. They handle port injection, GDI, and carbon removal needs with the assistance of polyether-amine. This is also driven by changes to engine oils and how the lower viscosity oil vapor finds its way into the engine via the EGR system and other mechanisms. This results in a varying composition of deposit formation that requires a different cleaning approach.

When purchasing a fuel cleaner or conditioner, ensure it contains multiple detergent functions that address the different types of deposits and fuel systems.

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Carbon Cleaning, Turbo Cleaning & Maintenance

Turbo Cleaning and Turbo Cleaners

August 19, 2022 Andy 90 Comments

Not a week passes without us being asked by a customer or repair garage to recommend a solution for sticky turbocharger vanes on diesel engines.

While turbochargers offer enhanced performance for petrol and diesel vehicles, they’re not without problems. One of those is maintenance and cleaning – carbon can build up over time and use, threatening the turbo’s operation and other post-combustion components in the engine.

Understanding the Situation:

Let’s address why turbochargers clog up or accumulate deposits. A turbo is essentially driven by exhaust gases. These gases result from the combustion process and contain particulates, hydrocarbons, and even oil that have entered the system. What happens is that these particulates build up on the hot side of the turbo. The carbon can also build up on the wastegate, which creates problems for the turbo actuator in controlling the boost. The wastegate can then stick, which means the solenoid that controls the actuator is affected because it’s trying to draw more current than it’s designed for. The ECU picks up this condition and throws a warning light, putting the vehicle in limp mode.

The most common issue with turbos on diesel engines is carbon accumulation on the variable vanes mechanism, resulting in sticking vanes or complete seizure. This creates either an under-boost or over-boost condition, usually resulting in an engine warning light and tripping the limp home mode, restricting the vehicle to low power and sub 2.5k RPM.

Why do turbochargers accumulate deposits in the first place?

1. Accumulated deposits in the fuel system and combustion area will result in lower-quality combustion, resulting in additional hydrocarbons that will deposit in the post-combustion regions, such as the turbocharger.

2. Driving styles and types of journeys. Stop-start driving and short trips will take their toll as the engine cannot reach sufficient temperature to optimize combustion quality and help burn off existing carbon deposits. More hydrocarbons are produced while the engine is in its warm-up cycle.

3. Oil – this is the missing link. Many believe that post-combustion carbonaceous deposits are the result of un-combusted fuel only. This is not true. In diesel vehicles especially, the carbon is a mix of fuel AND oil. Oil bypassing the piston rings will end up in the combustion chamber, will not be fully combusted, and will end up deposited in the post-combustion areas such as the turbo, DPF, EGR, etc. Oil recirculating from the crankcase breather system can also deposit within the intake system.

From the above, you can see that there are several contributory factors.

Turbo Carbon Removal:

If you are unfortunate enough to have a turbo diagnosed with excessive carbon build-up, several options are available. Firstly, politely decline any suggestion that the turbo must be replaced unless the unit is proven faulty, damaged, or excessively worn. Excessive carbon does not fall into any of these categories.

Addressing the cause and any remedial work or treatments is equally important. It’s pointless tackling the carbon on the turbo directly without ensuring the fuel system runs efficiently because the chances are high that the turbo will accumulate more carbon immediately after cleaning if the fuel system isn’t clean and operating correctly. I repeatedly hear of garages replacing turbos only for the same problem to reoccur shortly after with the newly replaced unit. This may be profitable for the garage but not cost-effective or convenient for the customer.

Therefore, to resolve this issue, you first need to ensure the fuel system is clean and operating correctly. Various products on the market can achieve this.

In-tank fuel cleaners:

Forget the cheap cleaners, as these rely on the principle of natural cleaning through carbon scavenging. To learn more about that, read our article “EGR cleaning and EGR Cleaners.” These products clean the fuel system and improve the quality of the combustion process, resulting in cleaner exhaust gases. These cleaner exhaust gases, combined with heat, can naturally scavenge and clean the carbon from all post-combustion areas, including the turbo. This is somewhat effective, but you achieve the same results from a high-quality fuel system cleaner.

You could try a dedicated turbo cleaner if a fuel system cleaner doesn’t fully resolve the problem. Again, many products are available, but most share a common flaw – they are post-post-combustion catalysts that only address post-combustion carbon, leaving the fuel system alone.

The best solution is a chemistry that combines modern high-strength detergents to ensure the fuel system is clean AND fuel-borne catalyst technology to remove and burn off post-combustion carbons, such as Oilsyn CarbonCode DPF and Turbo Dr or Archoil AR6400-D MAX.

Products that utilize multiple detergents and fuel-borne catalysts that survive the combustion process and are still active post-combustion provide the best chance of removing deposits. If these don’t work, no other fuel-based turbo cleaner will make a difference.

This approach works about seven times out of ten, which is the highest success rate we have seen. Also, remember that heat is your friend, and occasionally dropping a gear or two to increase temperatures will assist the cleaning process.

If unsuccessful, the only option (besides cleaning the turbo in situ or removing it) is to try an aerosol-based cleaner sprayed into the air intake. The good ones contain a blend of chemicals, some of which survive the combustion process and reach the turbo. They are best used when the engine is cold as more product will reach the turbo.

Only turbos severely seized with a combination of solidified fuel and oil-based carbonaceous deposits may not respond to these treatments. In these cases, the only solution is to remove the turbo for manual cleaning.

Prevention and maintenance:

Carrying out the below will provide the best possible chance of preventing deposit build-up and potential turbocharger malfunction.

1. Keep the fuel system and combustion area running efficiently by using a regular high-quality fuel conditioner such as Oilsyn Diesel Power/Race DNA or Archoil AR6900-D MAX. These will improve combustion quality and reduce the amount of recirculating hydrocarbons, even when the engine is cold.

2. Use the best quality oil possible or, at the very least, fortify it with an additive such as Oilsyn Velosyn, Archoil AR9200, or AR9400. Not only will this protect the turbo against wear, but it will keep the crankcase clean, maintain engine compression (this reduces oil bypassing the piston rings), and help prevent adhesion within the intake system, turbo, and EGR even if it does bypass the rings or crankcase breather system.

3. If you suspect a reduction of cylinder compression, use a professional engine flush or advanced cleaner such as Oilsyn ReleaseTech Power Flush or Power Cleaner, followed by an oil change. It is often postulated that compression loss results from engine (piston/rings/cylinder) wear. This is not always the case. Most compression loss conditions result from deposit build-up on the piston rings and skirts. The build-up then forces the rings from the bore and thus reduces engine compression. A professional flush will resolve this quickly and effectively. A high-quality oil and additive pack will help prevent any future deposit build-up or compression loss.

4. Occasionally drop down a gear or two to increase the revs and thus increase the temperature. Heat is your best friend when it comes to removing carbon. This is also important when using any fuel additives as it will enhance the efficacy of the cleaning chemistry.

Many fully synthetic oils with low SAP or ash content designed for DPF-equipped vehicles do not have sufficient quality or additive strength to keep the turbo well lubricated for the extended oil drain cycles. Some are supposedly designed to last up to and beyond 20,000 miles. However, from our experience and oil analysis, these oils struggle long before that mileage is reached.

I recommend researching your engine and vehicle to understand the turbocharger’s susceptibility to failure or deposit accumulation. If there are documented cases of either of these, we advise that you use the appropriate lubricants and additives to ensure your vehicle does not encounter the same problems.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further advice.

Oilsyn and Archoil products can be purchased from http://www.powerenhancer.co.uk

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Fuel Addtives

Difference between Oilsyn Diesel Power/Race DNA, Oilsyn Hybrogen and Archoil AR6900-D

August 3, 2022 Andy 98 Comments

Fuel additive science is not definite. There are too many influencing factors and different requirements to produce the “ultimate additive” that universally works for all. What may work well on one engine does not guarantee success on another. This presents the need for different technologies to help match successful functions to the engine, fuel, and user requirements.

This is also why it becomes difficult to recommend the best fuel conditioner for you and why Oilsyn and Archoil usually offer sample sizes of their most popular products so you can test and decide which works best for you and your vehicle.

Take Archoil AR6900-D or Oilsyn Diesel Power DNA as examples. They deliver a multitude of functions that include fuel stabilization, anti-foaming, cleaning (via detergents), lubricity (via a lubricant), cetane improver, and combustion improvement (via a combustion catalyst). These are all delivered chemically to the fuel, and obtaining a balance of functions becomes more of an art form than science because the functions can compete against one another.

Too much lubricity can reduce cleaning performance; too much detergent can reduce combustion catalyst performance; too much cetane improver can negate MPG gains being delivered by the combustion catalyst, and it goes on and on. When you consider that fuels vary in lubricity, cetane number, and detergent performance and combine this with the fact that engines respond differently to each of the functions mentioned above, it is no wonder it is impossible to achieve a 100% success rate with additive use. However, Oilsyn can get closer to it than most by offering a range of technologies that provide different functions or deliver similar functions differently. In contrast, most competitor products are simply cetane improvers with a cheap mono-acid lubricant. This includes many of the popular brands.

This is where Oilsyn Diesel Race DNA enters the arena. It delivers even more cetane, arguably the best-performing lubricant on the market right now, and a combustion catalyst. It has low cleaning performance because that robs the engine of power. Diesel Race DNA cannot be beaten for the ultimate performance and lubricity. The difference can be night and day when using this.

Oilsyn Hybrogen is helpful for maximum MPG and lowest emissions or with engines that don’t respond well to higher cetane diesel. Hybrogen is essentially an aggressive combustion modifier. It helps clean naturally through cleaner combustion gases. It improves combustion quality by manipulating the fuel rather than “treating” it.

From testing, we know that some customers prefer Diesel Race DNA, some Diesel Power DNA, some Archoil AR6900-D, and others Hybrogen. Most notice the greatest difference when using Diesel Power or Race DNA simply due to the lubricant that is not found in any other diesel additive.

Quick summary of each product:

Oilsyn Diesel Race DNA – Designed for maximum performance and lubricity. Outstanding cetane improver, lubricant, and combustion improver. It is much better on engines that respond well to additional cetane and where the customer wants maximum performance and protection.

Archoil AR6900-D MAX – Designed for all-around performance and protection. Good lubricant, stabilizer and cleaner, great cetane improver, and combustion improver. Often better on engines that respond well to additional cetane.

Oilsyn Diesel Power DNA – Designed for all-around performance and protection. Outstanding lubricant and cleaner, great cetane improver, and combustion improver. Often better on engines that respond well to additional cetane or where there is a requirement to reduce diesel clatter.

Oilsyn Hybrogen Road – Designed for maximum MPG and lowest emissions. Excellent combustion modifier with natural cleaning. Often works where MPG and power increase results have been less than expected with products that raise cetane.

Please note this is an approximate guide, and we are always available to advise further. However, we strongly recommend that customers test to see what works best for them.

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Engine Cleaning & Flushing

How to Break-in, Bed-in, Run-in an Engine – The Definitive Guide

July 30, 2020 Andy 1 Comment

It is almost certain that the user manual of any new vehicle you purchase will stipulate a running-in period, usually 1,000 miles or more. Why is this? Is it even necessary with modern engine’s technological advances and machining techniques?

I’ll answer the second part first – No, not in my professional opinion. I’ll get onto the “why” later.

Going back a few decades, cylinder liners underwent a single-stage honing process that left a crosshatch pattern on the surface of cylinders or cylinder liners. Sharp, jagged edges created by the newly honed surfaces then needed to be removed or smoothed to provide an optimum seal between the piston compression rings and cylinders.

This was best achieved with lower quality, usually mineral-based, engine oil allowing the piston rings to bed in against the cylinder, thus creating a tight seal. This bedding in process, basically “controlled wear of engine components,” included a gradual increase in load and revs on the engine over a period of running hours and miles. This was essential to deliver a good seal and cylinder compression and limit engine oil consumption. The engine oil would be replaced with a higher quality semi or fully synthetic oil with friction modifiers designed to lower friction and reduce further wear.

It is much different now since manufacturers introduced a final stage of the honing process. Referred to as a plateau hone, this finishing process simulates most of an engine run-in by removing the sharp, uneven ridges created by the primary honing process. It guarantees an almost perfect seal from the outset or at least very close. It also enables manufacturers to use high-quality synthetic oils from the factory without a need for running-in oil.

Therefore, in my opinion, any final running-in should ideally be completed promptly and not over 1000+ miles, with a risk of bore glazing resulting in reduced power loss and potential excessive oil consumption.

So why do manufacturers still insist on a lengthy running-in period?

I have spoken to numerous professionals on this subject, including a Metallurgy Professor who has worked with vehicle OEMs. There is no definitive answer, but here are my conclusions:

1. Manufacturers may be using the running-in period to mitigate minor machining tolerance issues from the manufacturing/assembly process, which may then be resolved through other bedding-in. However, I believe any underlying fault would likely surface at some point regardless of how an engine is run-in.

2. Even though the engine may not require as much bedding-in, other components such as the drivetrain (manual clutches, auto clutch packs, differentials, etc.) may do so. Then there are brake pads and discs, not forgetting those brand-new tyres. You get the idea.

3. User orientation. Being new, the car is likely to feel very different, and driving more cautiously gives the user time to become more accustomed to the vehicle.

4. Finally, the £ – applicable to BMW M-cars. Every M car owner knows the importance of the 1200-mile running in service, which requires an engine oil and filter change at a minimum. However, even BMW acknowledges that the factory fill oil is the same specification oil used for the 1200-mile run-in service. Oil analysis taken from the initial 1200-mile period has shown minor material wear or insufficient to warrant a change after 1200 miles. It is a nice way to squeeze in a money-making service.

Now we look at the other end of the spectrum. There is a consensus that owners of brand new vehicles should drive them “normally” from new or drive them like they stole them! This is also incorrect. Even though a plateau hone has done a lot of the hard work for you, there is still some work left to do.

This is how I “bed-in” my new cars; none have ever required oil top-ups between services. These include high-performance vehicles such as Audi S and RS models and BMW M cars.
I usually complete the engine run-in within 200 miles, with the first 50 miles being the most critical.

1. MOST IMPORTANT: Bring the engine to FULL operating temperature through everyday driving, allowing the engine to rev freely. Do not lug a brand new engine or leave it idling for an extended period! Where possible, use manual shifting with automatic transmissions to stop it from holding on to high gears and lugging the engine.

2. In the lower gears, particularly 2nd and 3rd, and where safe to do so, accelerate moderately to approximately 2/3 of the rev range and let the vehicle slow down using the engine brake rather than the foot brakes.

3. Repeat this process, slowly increasing the throttle to increase the accelerative effort/engine load. Then, move up to 4th and 5th gear for vehicles with transmissions with seven or more gears. Again, only when safe to do so and remaining respectful to other road users. Drive the car normally for a short while, allowing the engine to cool.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 but increase the revs by approximately 1,000 each time, building up the load and gears until you eventually reach full revs in mid-range gears. Achieving full RPM in top gears is unnecessary to bed-in an engine fully. It is also unsafe on a public road. Full throttle in the mid gears to full RPM and full throttle to a safe RPM in the upper gears is sufficient. It is not an exact science, and 50 miles is sufficient to give you an idea of how much running-in is required.

5. For the remaining 100-150 miles, drive the vehicle normally but occasionally with a full-throttle run in lower-mid to mid gears using the natural engine braking to slow the vehicle down. The engine should now be entirely run in.

I hope this proves helpful. Please read our article “Eradicate Bore Glazing” HERE to correct any existing bore glazing condition.

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Engine Cleaning & Flushing

How to Remove Engine Glaze and Restore Cylinder Compression

April 30, 2020 Andy 3 Comments

There are numerous causes of cylinder compression loss. The first is poor engine break-in. If you haven’t already done so, we recommend you read our guide on “Engine Break-in” HERE.

Providing it hasn’t been left too long, and the glazing hasn’t resulted in bore polishing (bore wear), the glaze can be removed and cylinder compression restored. Left untreated, it can result in bore polishing, when the machined hone marks wear away. This can only be corrected by re-honing the cylinder walls.

Engine glaze is a condition where hardened oil deposits fill the asperities in the cylinder hone markings. When this occurs, engine oil has nothing to “grip” onto, so it cannot deliver the necessary lubrication and protection. It also limits the seal between the piston rings and cylinder, resulting in a loss of engine power and excess oil consumption. These hardened deposits cannot be removed with conventional engine flushes.

Another cause is poor oil quality. The oil stock can break down, burn, and create a glaze. This causes combustion gases to blow by the piston rings, contaminating the oil further and thus creating a vicious cycle of oil breakdown. Neglected engines and overused engine oil can also contribute to this.

Bore glazing is particularly prevalent in engines that run idling for extended periods. This includes generators, but the issue is more commonly attributed to marine engines. Removing cylinder glazing will enable the piston rings to re-seat against the liner and ensure the lubricating oil can lubricate and protect as intended.

How do you fix compression loss from suspected bore glazing?

Effective and rapid cleaning is not a simple task. It requires a much stronger and more complex product with chemistry that rapidly cleans while protecting the engine. This is not a job for a cocktail of cheap solvents. Delivering sufficient protection to the engine can be a challenge for conventional de-glazing products to the degree that cleaning performance is compromised. Many rely on the existing engine oil without adding any additional lubricity package.

We recommend Oilsyn ReleaseTech Power Flush, which contains unique and powerful cleaning agents within a non-interference, very lubricious, proprietary ester base. This ensures the engine is protected throughout the cleaning cycle to the degree that, under professional use, the vehicle can be driven gently for a short period with ReleaseTech in the engine oil to improve cleaning performance. Cleaning power and engine protection are not compromised.

Cleaning the engine lubricating system

ReleaseTech’s powerful formula not only helps restore engine compression but effortlessly removes deposits from within the engine and sump. Deposits are safely dispersed and held in suspension within the lubricating oil without any risk of blocking oil channels, provided the oil is drained immediately after the cleaning cycle. This will improve efficiency and help extend oil life while reducing excess engine noise and clatter.

ReleaseTech Power Flush will not restore actual engine wear. Still, it remains a cost-effective way of determining if the underlying issue is engine glaze and thus provides a process of elimination before any costly strip-down. If Oilsyn ReleaseTech doesn’t fix it, no other engine-flush product will likely make a difference. Depending on the severity of wear, the engine will require an oil compression/viscosity additive or, worse, a cylinder re-hone.

Customers of ReleaseTech Power Flush report improved engine performance in cases of restored engine compression, quieter running, and engine oil that stays cleaner for longer.

Oilsyn is confident that ReleaseTech Power Flush or Power Cleaner will offer the best chance of restoring lost engine compression, and it comes with a full money-back guarantee if it does not.

ReleaseTech Power Flush can be purchased HERE.

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Fuel Quality

What is the difference between standard and premium (Super) diesel fuel?

January 16, 2017 Andy 7 Comments

I will keep this brief because it is straightforward.

Take any branded diesel fuel. What is the difference between that brand’s standard EN590 diesel and super/premium diesel, for which you pay an extra 8-10p per litre.

1. Higher cetane. Either by adding 2-Ethylhexyl nitrate (2-EHN) cetane improver or using naturally higher cetane base stock.

2. Possibly additional deposit control detergent and lubricant.

That is it. Vehicle owners report additional performance when using “super” diesel due to the improvement in combustion quality from the higher cetane value. 2-EHN is the worldwide recognized and proven standard for raising the cetane value in diesel fuels.

What would your average diesel fuel conditioning additive deliver?

1. Higher cetane. By using a 2-Ethylhexyl nitrate (2-EHN) cetane improver.

2. Lubricity additive.

Higher quality brands may also include the following:

3. Deposit control detergent

4. Water emulsifier

5. Anti-corrosion additive

6. Dispersant and antioxidant to help restore and preserve fuel quality

Other specialist additives can deliver the following:

7. Combustion catalyst enhances combustion quality further and helps keep post-combustion areas clean

8. Cold flow performance (anti wax/gel)

9. Biological contamination removal/prevention (biocide).

So what does this mean?

Virtually all diesel fuel conditioners contain 2-EHN or are 2-EHN based. Even the cheapest, lowest quality 2-EHN-based diesel additives will most likely deliver an improvement. However, we don’t recommend using 2-EHN alone due to its negative effect on fuel lubricity. Ensure any product you use contains an ester fuel lubricant and not fatty acid.

The average price of super/premium diesel is 8 to 10 pence more per litre or £5+ per average diesel tank. A 2-EHN-based conditioner that uses the same or similar performing ingredients and essentially turns standard diesel into premium fuel will cost between 1 and 3 pence per litre.

I hope that clears up the mystery.

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Fuel Saving

Fuel Economy Part 2 – What Does Work, Our View

February 4, 2016 Andy 1 Comment

This article concentrates on fuel-saving methods that work. It is based on common sense, significant testing, and experience. If you haven’t already done so, we recommend you read our earlier blog entry, Fuel Economy Part 1 – What Doesn’t Work, Our View by clicking HERE.

General Vehicle Maintenance

If you’re completely disillusioned with magic fuel pills, magnets, and other fuel-saving devices that didn’t work (as expected) or the miles per gallon (MPG) on your vehicle have dramatically reduced, don’t lose hope. Vehicle maintenance plays a crucial role in fuel economy. This is basic but valuable information.

Firstly, check your tire pressure. They should be at the correct pressure for your vehicle, assuming you are using the recommended size wheels and tyres.

If you are serious about saving every ounce of fuel you can, consider changing the tire brand to a good-quality, low-resistance tyre. The lower the resistance, the less the engine has to work, consuming less fuel.

Ensure your vehicle is regularly serviced. You would be surprised by the difference a clean air filter and quality oil will make. It is also possible to change the oil for a lower viscosity, which helps reduce “drag” on the moving components, but this should not be done to the detriment of engine protection, which is the primary function of the oil.

Engine Cleaning

Accumulating deposits on parts such as fuel injectors, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems, plenum runners, throttle bodies, pistons, and intake valves significantly impairs engine efficiency. The result is invariably power loss, rough idle, and reduced fuel economy. However, cutting through the tenacious fuel deposits is no ordinary task, and only the best cleaners make a notable difference. Therefore, invest in a high-quality fuel system and engine cleaner.

Remarkably, most vehicle owners wait until encountering running problems or very poor MPG before investing in fuel cleaners or conditioners. We have seen significant MPG increases from simply cleaning the fuel injectors and removing carbon build-up.

Oil Additives

Although we consider this a bit of a minefield, we would be remiss if we didn’t inform you that we have discovered small but tangible gains to be had from oil additives. Gains are not just from reducing friction but also from restoring engine compression by removing deposits from piston rings, cylinder bores, etc. A friend, a Metturugy Professor and researcher at Cranfield Univerisity, once told us that the most critical friction area is between the compression rings and cylinder liner.

These are safe gains, we might add, but please tread with caution as it is true that there is a lot of rubbish on the market. Do your research, but in the meantime, if you require a recommendation for a particular vehicle/application, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Engine Chipping / Re-mapping / ECU Re-flash / Tuning Modules

The fourth way to improve MPG is to remap the vehicle. This is achieved by altering the fuel and/or ignition timing and other parameters, such as turbo pressure, within the engine control unit (ECU) or using a piggyback tuning module.

Although results can vary widely, this can be a very effective and safe way of improving MPG if you know where to go and who to trust. Depending on the vehicle and the mapping quality, improvements of up to five percent can be achieved.

Driving Style

For our tips on how your driving style can improve fuel economy click HERE.

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Fuel Saving

Fuel Economy Part 1 – What Doesn’t Work, Our View

February 1, 2016 Andy 1 Comment

This article is Part 1 of a two-part series. Here, we will cover supposed fuel-saving products that, in practice, fail to deliver on their promises. We recommend you read this before reading Part 2, which focuses on fuel-saving ideas that work.

Oh no, yet another report on fuel economy. We understand how you might feel like you’ve heard it all before. But hold on, we promise you something different – views and experience from industry professionals and, perhaps more importantly, some common sense! Fuel economy, fuel savings, improved miles per gallon (MPG), and the use of fuel savers and similar devices are subjects we are regularly asked for advice on, hence the need for us to provide an overview of our experience on what we have tried and tested.

The results are interesting but not all that surprising. So we’ll give you the facts concerning fuel additives and fuel-saving devices and how they relate to MPG improvements.

Firstly, we will concentrate on fuel-saving products that have failed to increase MPG. We have either tried them ourselves or had access to independent test results.

Although it can be argued that the most accurate tests are performed in laboratory-controlled conditions, they are not always an accurate representation of actual life results, and most of our readers are not scientists. Instead, we prefer to test the various products using real-life driving and not dynameters or similar measuring devices. Besides, an attempt to prove a product works on paper as tested by an “independent” lab means nothing if the results cannot be replicated on the road, as this is where it matters. We use regular commuting routes to provide an honest assessment when comparing MPG figures.

The Mystic World of Fuel Pills

A company called Fuel Freedom International flooded the Internet with a “magical” gas pill promising ultra-high fuel economy. We tested this pill on our Audi A6 and Toyota for a total of five full fuel tanks on consistent, regular commutes. It resulted in a random fuel deviation of approximately +/- 1.5 mpg over the original MPG (A6 – 38 MPG and MR2 – 27 MPG), consistent with what we would typically expect, hence no gain.

The claims were further tested, but positive results were not forthcoming. The company’s explanation was that “the pill will kick in after burning several tanks of fuel.” But how many? Nobody had an answer. We considered five tanks for two months more than sufficient for our testing.

Another Texas company launched a hyper campaign promoting a fuel pill that could bring about almost 20 percent fuel savings and reduce emissions significantly when added to a tank of fuel. We tried this too and it didn’t work. Researchers also tested the product at the University of Texas at Austin and a Florida university. I know I said earlier that we weren’t going to concentrate on lab tests, but it is merely to make the point that the results were negative in both types of tests. Unfortunately, this pill turned out to be nothing more than a chemical equivalent of naphthalene. It had nothing to do with improving MPG; rather, it hurt engine performance. As a result, the company later had its assets frozen in a lawsuit.

We have refrained from providing detailed results on all the pills we have tried or providing details on journeys, times, MPG, etc. This is simply because there is nothing to report other than no discernible difference on our diesel or petrol test vehicles or from tests conducted by other independent bodies. We have not yet seen any scientific or empirical data that proves any of them work, although we wish we had because it would be much more interesting to write about!

Standalone Fuel Magnets

Unlike fuel pills, fuel magnets have been around for years. Manufacturers claim a “change to the molecular structure of gasoline by aligning the hydrocarbons” that, in turn, improves fuel efficiency.

Again we will not delve into too much detail, but needless to say, we tried and tested a variety of fuel magnets on both diesel and petrol test vehicles.

We can’t help but agree that the negativity surrounding these types of devices is founded. For example, a fuel magnet hit the headlines in 2005, claiming to improve mileage by 27 percent when added to the fuel line. This multimillion-dollar affair was investigated and discovered to be bogus. Later, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued the company, which then agreed to pull its ads.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) evaluated these products and rubbished their claims. Vested interests aside, if it had been possible to lower fuel consumption by placing a magnet in the fuel line, everybody in this cunningly competitive world would have done so, whether subjected to vested interests or not.

There are many other explanations of how magnets work in fuel lines. The “alignment” theory does have merit, but executing the process to “refine” the fuel is easier said than done.

The Problem of False Claims

Companies making claims about their fuel-saving pills and magnets is a global phenomenon.

An Australian company marketed a pill that promised to slash fuel costs by up to 42 percent. The Consumer Protection Department successfully prosecuted the company for false advertising.

For their part, the FTC endorses neither fuel pills nor fuel magnets. The blatant dismissal of all these fuel-efficiency claims is simply due to one fact – none of the claims are verified by unbiased research and/or controlled testing! All are based on individual testimonials, many being nothing more than words written by the suppliers.

But what about the many legitimate testimonials from customers? I have what we believe to be a reasonable explanation of this, one I have experienced firsthand. The most common explanation, and one that is completely valid, is that driving style, climate conditions, fuel quality variations, and other factors contribute to inconsistent MPG and fuel emissions.

Although these are vital factors, we believe there is a more significant underlying reason. Let us explain. One of the first tests I did many years ago with a fuel magnet netted an increase in fuel efficiency of nine percent on a weekly 600-mile round-trip commute for the first tank. The second tank earned approximately five percent and the third about two percent. Why?

After racking our brains, I finally figured out what had occurred, and it was a vital lesson. When you spend your hard-earned money on a product of this nature, you want it to work. This is a standard psychological phenomenon. It is human nature that people do not want to be wrong or proven wrong. Again, this is a psychological defense mechanism.

What occurred was that for the first tank, I was unwittingly trying to obtain the best MPG improvement possible and, as a result, ended up driving much smoother than I would normally. I would seldom reach excessive speed and would brake much smoother. The MPG improved as a result. I know this appears obvious, if not simple, but you would be surprised how many people do this without fully realizing it.

As I gradually returned to regular driving routines, the MPG gain deteriorated. I guess this does, after all, support a need for lab-based testing. However, since that original test, we have carefully ensured that we maintain our regular driving style during any future testing.

Blind tests are the perfect way to mitigate this issue. When advising fleet operators, we emphasize the importance of blind testing and treating fuel without notifying the drivers.

It is unfortunate, but it is the way of the world that “miracle” fuel savers are out to lure you with unbelievable claims. We strongly advise that you be realistic. We certainly are not so naive to think there isn’t much-vested interest in this market because there is. However, we are not gullible enough to believe that fuel magnets, fuel pills, copper tubing devices, air intake enturbulation gadgets, and other wacky gimmicks deliver as promised. Neither should you.

So with all this negativity, what, if anything, does improve MPG?

Click HERE to read “Fuel Economy Part 2 – What Does Work, Our View,” to find out.

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Fuel Saving

How to Improve MPG – Driving Style

January 24, 2016 Andy 1 Comment

Improving Miles Per Gallon (MPG) Via Driving Style

1. Don’t drive too fast or accelerate too hard. Wind resistance increases drastically with increasing speed. Studies show that every time you increase your speed by 10 miles per hour, you lose as much as 15 percent in fuel economy. So slow down and be a fuel-efficient, safe, and relaxed driver.

2. Try moving into high gears as much as possible without lugging the engine. When the revs are lower, fuel usage lowers. This means more economy for you.

3. Avoid accelerating when moving up a slope, such as a hill. If you increase your speed up a hill, the MPG will decrease dramatically. It’s best to maintain the same speed or allow the engine to slow naturally.

4. Anticipate stops and brake less. Every time you brake, you waste the car’s energy by cutting down the forward-moving force and transforming it into force acting through the brake pads. Accelerate slowly and stop naturally at the anticipated points by taking advantage of engine braking. Avoid braking at the last moment, which may force you to accelerate unnecessarily.

5. Don’t waste fuel by keeping your vehicle idling for long. Cars seldom require prolonged warming—in fact, it can do more harm than good. Prolonged warming can prevent a natural acid build-up from dispersing from the piston rings, resulting in increased engine wear. Driving gently is the best warm-up there is. When it’s 25°C degrees out, warming up for 30 seconds is fine. If it’s 10°C degrees out, a minute warm-up is OK.

6. Drive light. Removing excess weight from your vehicle improves your gas mileage. Any unnecessary items you can remove from your vehicle, especially heavy ones, will help you to save on gas mileage. For example, consider a roof rack. You waste about 5 percent in MPG efficiency when you have one of these on your vehicle.

7. Don’t misuse or overuse the A/C. When it’s pleasant outside, feel nature instead of shutting yourself in and burning extra fuel by keeping the air-conditioning equipment on. If A/C is necessary, ensure the recycle air button is on so that the A/C is not overworked by cooling incoming warm air.

While some of these seem like simple solutions, they are too often forgotten as we rush through life. By following these tips, you can save money and make fewer stops at the fuel pump.

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Reducing Emissions

How to Reduce Vehicle Emissions

January 5, 2016 Andy 4 Comments

All vehicles produce emissions as fossil fuel is burned and converted into energy. Unfortunately, like most other emissions, these usually end up in the atmosphere.

The damage to the environment and the planet’s population is evident. Emissions mainly comprise carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons, which create numerous problems. They cause smog, acid rain, and health problems and allegedly deplete the layer in the atmosphere that protects us from the sun’s direct rays. Personally, having researched both sides of the argument, I am not entirely sold on the arguments for global warming. But the damage to people’s health is genuine and does concern me.

Trace elements in fossil fuels have harmful effects, too. Sulphur and heavy metals cannot be eliminated entirely during refining. When fuel is not fully combusted, these emissions become a danger to health.

You can take steps as an individual to ensure that your contribution to these emissions is minimized. Poor maintenance and a fuel system and engine made inefficient due to deposit build-up are significant contributors to excess emissions. Using higher quality fuels and/or regular fuel treatments/conditioners can help ensure these areas – as well as the components designed to neutralize or capture emissions – are clean and function efficiently. This includes the catalytic converter and diesel particulate filters for most diesel vehicles that now have them. By tending to these areas, we can help keep harmful engine emissions to a minimum.

Ensure engine sensors, particularly those contributing to air/fuel ratio calculations, have not degraded. Dirty airflow sensors, in particular, reduce combustion efficiency and increase exhaust emissions.

There are cars available in the market today that are designed to be more environmentally friendly, such as hybrids. These cannot be ignored if you are serious about reducing car emissions. However, the actual benefits of electric or partly electric vehicles are widely debated. Some argue that the harmful emissions that are prevented are negated by the cost of manufacturing and later decommissioning the battery cells for these vehicles.

In addition to better maintenance and vehicle alternatives, behavioral changes also can reduce emissions. It’s a tough bullet to chew, but have you ever considered driving less? Why should you drive everywhere if you can walk or cycle there? It’s a serious point that we all should consider. Even carpooling or using public transportation can help cut emissions by having fewer vehicles on the road.

What do you do when you are caught in traffic? Most people just let their engines idle and continue using fuel to create emissions. The best thing to do is switch it off altogether. Car emissions peak at rush hour, so if more people turned off their engines, there would be considerably less pollution. BMW officials, for their part, are addressing this issue with their Auto Start Stop function, which automatically turns off a vehicle when it comes to a complete halt and then restarts it automatically when it is time to move. In time the problem caused by idling will likely become moot as most other manufacturers incorporate similar features.

While buying a new vehicle or walking to work might not be an option for you, there are steps you can take to reduce the emissions you create. And it can be as simple as keeping your engine clean.

As mentioned earlier, fuel system and engine deposits considerably increase car emissions. The engine’s efficiency is reduced as the flow pattern deteriorates on fuel injectors. As a result, more hydrocarbons are produced, depositing carbon in the combustion and post-combustion areas such as the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. This reduces efficiency further and results in even more car emissions. It’s a dwindling spiral, and ‘before and after’ emissions tests demonstrate the improvements made by cleaning the fuel system.

While some fuels are marketed as having cleaning properties, they don’t use fuel catalyst chemistry to prevent deposit build-up, even with the latest fuel-efficient engines. The answer is to use professional treatments regularly to keep the fuel system and engine free of deposits.

For more information on treatments to keep your fuel system and engine clean, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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Oil Additives

Oil Additives – Our View

September 2, 2015 Andy 26 Comments

Oil additives have long been a controversial subject that haunts the oil and automobile industries, their respective stakeholders, and – perhaps most significantly – the consumer. Thanks to a fair amount of negativity toward oil additives, they have often been labeled as doing more harm than good.

Numerous studies have been published by oil companies, car makers, and oil standards organizations disputing the value of additives and exposing the so-called risks of additive usage in engine oils. There is so much speculation pervading the market, particularly in Internet forums, that an automobile owner might become confused about whether it is necessary to use additives in their vehicle. This article attempts to regain accurate context and clarity on this taboo subject.

Oil is a multi-billion dollar global industry. Two of the essential attributes of this industry are stiff competition and hectic infighting for the protection of vested interests. The engine oils these companies sell conform to international specifications like SAE and API. The main motive with which these companies operate is obviously profit. However, it’s not a profit-at-any-cost situation. The quality of the product is also very important because that’s what can give a company an edge in capturing and retaining a sizeable market share. So, most oil companies invariably try to market good quality engine oil that optimizes performance and ensures longer engine life.

But – that all said – how eager are these oil companies to make the perfect oil? Do they make the best quality oil? The answer is undoubtedly a big ‘NO.’ Let’s see why this is so. First, the expression “best quality” is entirely relative. One oil might be suitable for a particular engine type but not for another. Moreover, there is no such end-goal specification, only set regulatory standards.

Research is unfolding new possibilities almost every day. In this highly dynamic situation, it is quite possible for an oil brand that is an excellent quality today to get replaced by a more efficient substitute tomorrow. Therefore, there is nothing sacrosanct about the best quality oil. Second and most important, oil companies would never make the “ultimate” oil, even if it was theoretically possible. Why? Because that runs counter to their business interests. Optimum quality oil can mean more shelf-life and less replacement, and this will obviously make their markets take a beating. It is, therefore, a natural conclusion that oil companies do not make – rather do not endeavor to make – the best quality oil. It’s in their business interest to promote marketing and strategic associations to earn more money rather than devote resources for quality optimization.

There are interesting examples of this. A well-known, worldwide oil manufacturer (renowned for their quality, fully synthetic oils) spends more on marketing than on research, development, and production put together! Another well-known petroleum supplier now owns the rights to Slick 50. Despite the many complaints and legal cases that have surfaced, and the brand has been notorious for tarnishing the oil additives market, this supplier purchased the rights to Slick 50 and continues to sell this product today. Why? Because it still makes money! For clarification, we do not endorse Slick 50 or recommend any PTFE-based additives for engine use.

The conglomerate of major oil manufacturers, standards institutions, and regulatory bodies has invested too much in the status quo (group III base stocks, decades-old ZDDP additives, etc.). And when you combine this with a market that is not yet demanding more modern (nano) additive technologies, many oil manufacturers have little interest in providing higher-quality lubricants. The latest base stocks (group V PAOs, group VI Esters, OSPs, higher performing additive pack ingredients, etc.) are currently reserved and used by the smaller boutique oil companies rather than the mainstream brands.

Stipulated specifications (ACEA, SAE, API, etc.) lead to many oils that are inferior by design. For example, improving the base stock or additive technology can result in oil that, although superior, is now “out of spec.” This includes full, mid and low-SAPS oils. Now consider the current ash measurement test. Not all sulfated ash is harmful to the DPF. Certain types of ash are beneficial and help diesel particulate filters catalyze carbons. The current ash test can only determine ash content and not differentiate between good and bad. This is a significant handicap to the engine oil quality for most diesel engines that require mid- to low-SAPS lubricants.

It’s not hard to accept that these oil companies make oil surpassing the basic quality specifications set by various accredited agencies. However, it is not in their financial interests to exceed these specifications, even if given the freedom to do so. This means you are likely buying good oil that you can rely on for good performance and protection but not necessarily the best oil for peak performance, protection, or deposit control. Deposit build-up is now a huge issue for manufacturers and consumers, particularly for direct injection engines. Many oils are not good enough, and progress is hindered by having to abide by outdated specifications.

This naturally keeps one issue in focus—oil quality can be improved to optimize performance, deliver peak output, reduce deposit formation in the engine, intake, EGR, and so on.

Engine oil has two main components – base stock and an additive package. The bulk of the oil – nearly 70 to 95 percent – comprises base fluid(s), with the rest being the additives. The additive chemicals add value to the positive qualities and minimize the impact of the negative attributes of the base stock. Base stocks are of two main types, petroleum and synthetic. Crude oil, in its purified form, is the petroleum base stock. Petroleum has been in use since the earliest development and application of lubricants to the moving parts of an engine. On the other hand, synthetic base stocks are made in the laboratory. Specific chemicals that correspond to different functions are used to meet performance requirements. Synthetic base stocks are thus very much use-specific. Although they came to be known in the 1900s, they became prominent in the automobile industry in the 1970s. Further information on oil composition can be found in our article, “What’s in Engine Oils?”

So, if additives are essentially in oil from the outset, why is there so much controversy in fortifying existing oil with additional additives? For one, oil companies are likely considering how profits would be affected by selling longer-lasting oils and realizing it’s not a good business decision. Second, some argue that additional additives would upset the carefully selected blend of existing additives.

In reality, selecting the appropriate constituents for the additives and their blending is very expensive. The end product would be costlier if the oil companies invested substantially to create better oils. Again, we return to the fact that oils only need to comply with the regulatory performance criteria in a given country. There is no general need for an oil company to spend money over-engineering an additive pack. Instead, this effort is saved for their more exclusive customers, like high-profile motor racing teams.

The car manufacturers create another blockage. They refuse to honor the warranty obligations if oils with additives are used in their manufactured engines. It’s profit that’s uppermost in everybody’s mind. When a car manufacturer makes an engine, they expect it to have a certain lifespan, on average. Their business is certainly compromised if they run longer than expected thanks to excellent engine oils charged with appropriate additives. So naturally, they would discard the idea of using such products that give engines a longer life than is needed.

Furthermore, unscrupulous individuals in the marketplace insist on selling additives that claim ultimate protection or unrealistic gains in miles per gallon. This is unfortunate as it has somehow resulted in the unreasonable deduction by some misinformed people – usually self-claimed “experts” that frequent the Internet forums – that if additives were any good, manufacturers would include them in their oil. The answer is they do, but usually in small (lower cost) quantities that leave much room for improvement.

From all this heat, one thing emerges: additives have a positive role in enhancing engine oil quality. And only intensive research by credible companies with limited vested interests can improve engine oil quality and find more cost-effective ways to improve engine performance and increase engine life.

Our advice is to do your research before considering adding an additive to your engine oil. Check the ethical standing of the manufacturer and search the Internet for product reviews. We also welcome you to contact us directly if you require a recommendation for your particular vehicle or application. Sometimes, and depending on your requirements, your chosen oil may not need fortifying.

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