'Fuel Catalysts'

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Fri 27 Jun 2003 21:21
'Fuel Catalysts' - Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up)
Why am I still getting flyers for these products. Everyone knows they dont work yet the claim is there in black and white ' allows the safe use of unleaded fuel in four star engines' together with 'tested, trusted and recommended' and 'is sold and recommended by more of the uk motor trade than any other product. How are they getting away with it?
Andrew
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Sat 28 Jun 2003 00:20
'Fuel Catalysts' - Dizzy {P}
Andrew,

Some time back I had a lot of discussion with the Advertising Standards Authority on this. The problem is that conclusive evidence exists that these so-called catalysts don't work but no-one having this evidence was free to *publically* provide it (a long story involving agreements and obligations of confidentiality - can't go into great detail). The ASA need publishable and irrefutable proof that an advertisement is misleading before they can ban it. I can tell you that the ASA was very unhappy that they had to leave things be.

My 1972 Triumph 2500 should be a prime candidate for valve seat recession as it has no inserts in its iron head. I drive it quite hard (harder than I do my BMW 5-Series!) and have put nothing in the tank but unleaded for the past 10,000 miles, neither have I modified the head or changed from the original timing (10 degrees BTDC). There is no measurable recession whatsoever (i.e. the valve clearances remain constant) and, perhaps surprisingly, no pinking despite my best efforts!

What I *don't* do is run at over 3000 rpm for significant periods as this is when combustion products weld themselves to the rotating valves and machine away the seats in the head. When I restored the car in 1996/8, I converted from auto to manual+O/D mainly to help keep the engine speed down - 3000 rpm in O/D Top = about 80 mph. There was also probably some helpful 'lead memory' as the engine had been run on leaded fuel for a long time.
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Sat 28 Jun 2003 21:16
'Fuel Catalysts' - philcook
About five years ago I had a Rover 216 that run on leaded fuel I put a Broquet catalyst in the tank and run it on unleaded fuel with no problem. The broquet catalyst is the one that is advertised in the C.S.M.A. magazine.
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Sun 29 Jun 2003 10:06
'Fuel Catalysts' - David Lacey
I just think you were lucky there, Phil!
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Sun 29 Jun 2003 10:56
'Fuel Catalysts' - Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up)
Is it still advertised by the CSMA?
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Sun 29 Jun 2003 11:51
'Fuel Catalysts' - harry m
it usually is but not in this months issue,i will see if i can find out from csma there address. harry m
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Sun 29 Jun 2003 12:16
\'Fuel Catalysts\' - Dynamic Dave

www.broquet.co.uk/index.htm
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Sun 29 Jun 2003 23:35
'Fuel Catalysts' - v8man
Any one who knows the slightest thing about internal combustion engines will know that these catalysts are rubbish! They prey on the motorist who cannot afford or doesn't want to afford a proper head conversion on their engine.
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Mon 30 Jun 2003 00:02
'Fuel Catalysts' - Dizzy {P}
About five years ago I had a Rover 216 that run on leaded fuel I put a Broquet catalyst in the tank and run it on unleaded fuel with no problem. The broquet catalyst is the one that is advertised in the C.S.M.A. magazine.


The CSMA don't have a clue so far as these things are concerned. As I mentioned earlier, keeping engine speeds below 3000 rpm (or up to 3500 rpm with some engines) is a vital factor when running a 'leaded petrol' engine on unleaded. As a highly respected classical motoring expert said to me only last week, when discussing this very subject: "How many CSMA members drive at the sort of speeds that take the engine over 3000 rpm?"

The Broquet catalyst was first seen during WWII when it was claimed (possibly correctly) to enable lower grade Russian fuel to be used in the Spitfire's Merlin engines. It must be especially magical if it can also, in effect, add to unleaded fuel the lubricity and pinking-reducing properties of tetra-ethyl lead.

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Mon 30 Jun 2003 00:18
'Fuel Catalysts' - Dizzy {P}
I've just taken a look at the Broquet website. It's an extremely clever bit of marketing ... I almost fell for it myself (joke!).

Apparently the device was produced for the Hurricane engines, not Spitfire. Everything else I have said stands without question!

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