Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/112497
toolkit: fuel additives: myth or bust? An expert���s take on engine tune-up products T hey���ve been around since vehicle engines were more prone to smoking, leaking and sludge buildup. But do fuel and oil additives live up to the claims that they boost performance? Despite the dizzying array of quasi-scientific come-ons, my advice is that motorists ���tread lightly��� down their auto supply store���s additives aisle, says Mubasher Faruki, chief instructor for BCIT���s Automotive Diploma and Advanced Studies Department. Certainly, the options are tempting. Should you choose an octane booster ���made with jet fuel��� or a fuel-injector cleaner with a container shaped like a laboratory flask? And can you really just pop the top of a can and pour a tune-up into your engine? Manufacturers of after-market additives say you can, and that���s just one of their promises. But such claims are almost impossible to prove, notes Faruki. Take one of the biggest segments of the additives market: engine-oil treatments. ���Nobody I know of has done a study saying, ���These are the added benefits of such products.��� In fact, I don���t know if any scientific research or data can prove such a thing. What I do know is that oil manufacturers are putting a tremendous amount of research and development into their own products, including an extensive array of additives to stop foaming, suspend particles, extend the life of the product ��� and on and on.��� So what���s important, says Faruki, is not whether after-market additives are worth the expenditure. But that vehicle manufacturers have such confidence in the claims made by big oil companies that they���ve extended the recommended interval time their customers adhere to between oil changes. ���And if auto manufacturers support what the oil companies are saying, I���m with them,��� says Faruki. ���Because they���re not going to lead a consumer into doing something detrimental for their vehicle. If using additives was a benefit, manufacturers would recommend them.��� ���Paul Sinkewicz istock p35_Toolkit.indd 35 Engines & Tonics But what about all those ���What if��� questions? BCIT���s chief automotive instructor, Mubasher Faruki, weighs in. So, Do Additives Do Anything? An engine ���tune-up��� product may contain harsh detergents to clean deposits, but the only reason those deposits exist is because the vehicle is not being maintained properly, says Faruki. That said, examples of additives that could be necessary in B.C.���s northern winters are diesel fuel additives or gas-line antifreeze. The latter, for example, is useful when fuel has been stored for a long period and suffered water condensation, as gas-line antifreeze helps break down the water in the fuel. Though for the average driver, whose vehicle tank won���t experience an accumulation of moisture, chances are an additive is not needed, says Faruki. When Do Vehicle Manufacturers Recommend Against Additives? When they���re being used on a prolonged basis, unless absolutely necessary. Why? Some of the chemicals in fuel and engine additives can be harmful to a vehicle���s emission-control components. A vehicle���s catalytic converter and oxygen sensors are just two examples. In other words, additives need to be used with a full understanding of their purpose to ensure the correct additive is used for the right reason. For instance, an octane fuel-booster is sometimes useful. Unfortunately, uneducated consumers may think they���re adding more explosive power to their tank, when in reality the additive is decreasing the volatility of the fuel to prevent a condition known as pre-ignition (when the heat of compression in a high-performance engine ignites the fuel before the spark can). An octane booster solves this issue, but is unnecessary for most vehicles. So again, says Faruki, follow the recommendations in your owner���s manual. And, if an automaker does advise premium gasoline, the need for the higher octane for optimum ignition is probably the reason. The Bottom Line The more we understand the research and development now invested in modern vehicles, the clearer it becomes that most additives, unless they���re for a very speci���c purpose, are not useful. ���But if you���re still tempted,��� says Faruki, ������rst, ensure that you follow the recommended maintenance schedule in your owner���s manual. Then go to a mechanic you trust, and ask.��� ���P.S. WESTWORLD >> W I N T E R 2 0 1 2 35 12-10-26 8:05 AM