I remember the earliar Shell product fom the 1980's. Believe they marketed it as Shell with ICA - Ignition control additive.
Lateral thinking suggests that Shell Optimax is a product evolved from ICA but without its downside. However Shell with its world class labs and years of expertise, got it wrong the first time. Pleased to hear via the Forum that the product appears to work well in terms of increased engine efficiency. ICA also worked well.
Does anybody remember what damage was caused to cylinder heads by ICA and the process that caused it? I seem to remember that Vauxhalls were given a hard time by the product.
Any idea's as to its likely mode of action?
Regards
Julian
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Sorry . I mean't to say "Any ideas as to the likely mode of action of both of the products!
Regards,
Julian.
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With optimax, all i noticed was a larger credit card bill!
Noe back to Shell Unleaded. I like shell, you can earn airmiles with their petrol.
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Julian
As I recall the 'old' Shell problem related to the fact that the additive was added to the fuel at delivery. This was necessary, as Shell petrol doesn't necesarily come out of Shell refineries.
Apparently, the dosing levels were sometimes wrong, and a result of overdosing was gum build up on the valve stems, followed by valves sticking and then burning out.
Vauxhalls had problems because they were one of the engines which had fairly tight valve/guide clearances. The Police had particular problems, as they were running Vauxhalls and always using the same garages for filling up. They were also one of the lucky ones, as they could prove the effect was down to the petrol, as they'd used nothing else.
Regards
JS
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As has been said before, it probably came from the NEAREST refinery, not necessarily from a Shell one. So the benefits are likely to be what one EXPECTS, rather than REAL.
Or am I just an old cynic ?
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John,
Thankyou, facinating. I had never imagined that a petroleum company would complete the manfacture of its product on retail sites.
I assume that the current Optimax product is formulated at the refinery with all the necessary QA controls, so I wonder how they get round the problem of manfacture at other refineries. The 99 ron value would explain some of the products improvements declared by Steve Shepard and other contributors, but I suspect this will only be seen with more sophisticated 4V per cyl engines and advanced ECU systems.
For me the memory of the ICA product lingers. Car manufacturers work in isolation for the most part from petroleum manufacturers and vice versa, and I suspect all the practical research will have been undertaken by Shell. I am interested but hesitant to use the product in my MB.
How were public claims resolved re damaged engines from the ICA product? Did Shell ever admit liability?
Regards,
Julian
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Julian
Thanks. It's pretty clear that the problem was acknowledged, as the formulation was withdrawn rather speedily. I believe a number of claims were paid, but it was dependent upon being able to prove substantial use of the product. I have no idea of the extent of recompense though.
regards
John
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Makes you wonder with all these aftermarket petrol additive thingies, like injector cleaners. Most just say :"add contents to petrol tank" and give absolutely no clue as to proper (sic) concentrations...
Do they work, or is it the placebo effect ...
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