fuel cats

[poplar]

I was at the motorshow yesterday and saw a stand selling a 'fuel cat'

quote:

inline octane booster - 95 to 99 RON
lasts 100,000 miles
suitable for any size engine
no more epxensive super unleaded
simple to install

cost £65-£75

Whats the opinions on these? worth it?

[Scott]

Without reseaching it id say it sounds rediculous.

I thought the higher the ron, the more energy (calorific) the fuel had per specific mass. I doubt a 'filter' would add 100k miles worth of 3ron fuel to your exisitng engine? Maybe it jsut released something that makes it more compatible with older engines, but without actually increasing the ron value (but is quoted as doing so to fool people).

Dont think the t16t's can make any extra use of the extra octane rating without remapping?

[mach1rob]

Sounds like the catalysts you could put in the tank to allow unleaded to be used in classic cars etc. Practical Classics mag did a long term test, proved it didn't work Personally, I'd not bother

[poplar]

They were selling them too! a steel gauze bag with a few bits of 'sumgiing' TM...in it. I asked him about them too...based on owning a former classis (triumph dolly)...his answer was half baked as the leyland head/valves cope just as well with leaded as unleaded..which he disagreed with.

This one I guess could work similarly, just increasing the octane rating like some of those booster additives do. Though over 100K seems a little suss.

[Scott]

I dont even think nuclear power could contain that amount of power in such a small 'filter' style package....

I failed quite miserable at that part of physics, so ill accept a bashing!!

The way to look at things, you dont get something for nothing, and a fool and his money are soon parted.

[Funkster]

higher RON fuel does not contain any more energy, it is simply less volatile and is a higher percentage of tri-methyl-pentane and less of the less branchy or shorter chains.

that said, the aforementioned product is a load of sage & onion paxo, 100% of fact.

:o)
--
Olly

[Leo]

I was at the Motor Show on sunday. Didn't see the Fuel Cat, but did see a gizmo which goes around the king HT lead and lengthens the spark duration. So instead of getting 1 spark each time the dissy goes to a plug, you get 5.

The guy had it on demonstration, you could clearly see it working. £25 at the show and £35 iirc if you bought it normally. 60 day trial too. Claiming BHP increases, better MPG, the usual.

Can't even remember what it was called now, I took a leaflet thing though so can dig it out if anyone's curios.

Personally I take most of these things with a pinch of salt.

[poplar]

It was the same stall Leo. Can't remember the name either but IRC it was something like Spark King I'm not sure if it gave 5 full sparks or split the original spark 5 ways...