Cataclean

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Thu 20 Apr 2006 18:34
Cataclean - touristboy
Anyone used this and is it worth purchasing?

Car feels a bit sluggish and listening to the benefits of pouring a bottle of this in it sounds like it would improve my car for not much investment.

worth a punt?
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 18:39
Cataclean - Roly93
This is quite an expensive product and marketed in a very suspicious way by some smooth talking on-screen sales guys ! I'd say don't waste your money and just go on a nice motorway thrash instead.
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 18:43
Cataclean - touristboy
Yes the cheesy sales guys are raw comedy!

I regularly do motorway jaunts and as such there should not really be a build up of anything that should decrease the performance and the feel of the car.

However it may benefit the car to put that, or another fuel treatment in there and hence it would be £20ish well spent?

Suppose just want any 'real life' examples before I will part with cash!!! Led to believe it is more beneficial the older the car and mine is 10 years old.
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 19:04
Cataclean - type's'
Do you use Supermarket Petrol or are you using a good fuel such as Shell Optimax or BP Ultimate - a few tank fulls of this may sort it at no extra costs (almost)
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 20:19
Cataclean - Dynamic Dave
Do you use Supermarket Petrol or are you using a good fuel such as ....


As has been mentioned many times before in this forum, supermarket fuel is not of a poor, or inferior quality to that of branded fuels. It comes from the same refineries as branded fuels, and has to meet the same standards.
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 20:25
Cataclean - Armitage Shanks {p}
Yes DD, but we are told that it has varying mixes of additives put in, at the point of delivery to the garage, which make Fuel A technically different, and maybe superior, to Fuel B.
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 21:29
Cataclean - type's'
Thank You AS - my thoughts exactly - in fact I got my information from the FAQ's on this site.
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 22:30
Cataclean - Dynamic Dave
The fact that different brands of petrol have different additives in doesn't make one far more superior to another. As I previously stated, all petrol has to meet a standard (can't remember the BS number). If it wasn't any good, they wouldn't be allowed to sell it.

Whenever this debate crops up, I point toward this previous posting, which was from a retired tanker driver:-

www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=67...5
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 23:14
Cataclean - AndyT
The fact that different brands of petrol have different additives in
doesn't make one far more superior to another. As I previously
stated, all petrol has to meet a standard (can't remember the
BS number). If it wasn't any good, they wouldn't be allowed
to sell it.
Whenever this debate crops up, I point toward this previous posting,
which was from a retired tanker driver:-
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=67...5


Don't you remember a good few years back, when Shell launched a new unleaded type of petrol (can't remember the product name)?

The number of (mainly Ford?) cars that were caused to coke up, and the fuel had to be with-drawn/re-hashed...So obiously a case of different (albiet bad cocktail of) additives.

Btw, that post from 'retired tanker driver' was 4 years ago, and his car then was 17 years old, so would probably have run on cat pee as a fuel!

Todays cars can be a lot more fussy about what fuel they like to drink. :o)
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Fri 21 Apr 2006 00:49
Cataclean - Civic8
This product in my view,is one that needs looking into as to how many have actually used it,and found it works,against those that have found it makes no difference at all.

I know of this as friends have tried it,but feelings are mixed as to wether its done any good or nothing really noticed of benefit to anyone,though most have said it is helpfull in regard to passing MOT test.

I have no idea myself as I dont use any additives in my car apart from whats put into my fuel at Tesco`s (main filling station for me)But gather when you buy the stuff you get oil additive with it without any ptfe involved,I really dont like any ideas of using these additives due to problems they may cause in future.

But this one I am unsure of as I have not found so far any ill effects in the years its been going,would suggest if you actually use it you do so at own risk and make sure the warranty they provide covers any problems in this country
--
Steve
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Fri 21 Apr 2006 01:45
Cataclean - Dynamic Dave
Don't you remember a good few years back, when Shell launched
a new unleaded type of petrol (can't remember the product name)?
The number of (mainly Ford?) cars that were caused to coke up....


Is this the same fuel that caused problems with prematurely burning out Vauxhall valves and valve guides?

Called Formula shell, IIRC.
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Fri 21 Apr 2006 01:47
Cataclean - Dynamic Dave
Called Formula shell, IIRC.


Yes Dave it was.

www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=8911

;o)
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Tue 22 May 2007 20:25
Cataclean - Mikeym1
Hello Touristboy,

I had the same problem with my passat turbo. I put this stuff in thinking I bet it doesn't
make a difference (always the pessimist) (-:
After a few miles there was definite improvement. More responsive, less gear changing and
smoother acceleration. Nothing else had been changed. I don't think there was any fuel improvement. It claims as well as cleaning the cat it also cleans the Lambda sensor which is where I think this is the improvement.

So for someone who has used it I would happily recommend it.

Hope this helps.

Mike.
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Tue 22 May 2007 21:30
Cataclean - nortones2
The problem with DD's possition on fuel is that it fails to recognise that EN 228 (petrol) and EN 590 (diesel) are minimum standards, which do not require additives to achieve combustion chamber cleaning. It may be that there will be changes, but at present fuels are not required to remove deposits under EN standards. From www.atc-europe.org/info_/public/doc52.pdf (the Technical Committee of Petroleum Additive Manufacturers in Europe) "European automotive fuel quality is defined by the European Standards EN228 (gasoline) and EN 590
(automotive diesel). These standards have traditionally not included most performance? features provided
by additives, but have included such important qualities as octane number (gasoline), cetane number and cold
filter plugging point (diesel) which may be influenced by additives. In contrast, the relatively recent World
Wide Fuels Charter (3) comprises specifications, produced by the worldwide automotive industry, which
include several performance? features which are measured in engine tests and require the use of fuel additives to give passing performance."

So, it is highly likely that supermarket fuels do not possess the package od additives BP, Shell and others provide. There have been tests of cleaning ability which have been cited here before.
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Tue 22 May 2007 22:30
Cataclean - martint123
There was a review of this product in this months "car mechanics".
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Wed 23 May 2007 09:23
Cataclean - Cliff Pope
Unscrew the oxygen sensor, fit a bit of narrow rubber pipe on the end of a vacuum cleaner, and waggle it around inside to suck out any soot.
You can do a better job with the exhaust pipe disconnected. You can also carefully clean the sensor, outside as well. Some need to breathe.
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Wed 23 May 2007 12:40
Cataclean - Ford Dagenham
Hello

Not wishing to give away any location names but as before i have said this.

My Grandson works for morrisons.

On the delivery note left by the tanker driver It states -

Esso Urdington or Texaco.

They are branded fuels.

He said they used to have conoco but now they have Esso or Texaco.
--
(iam not a mechanic)
Martin Winters
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Thu 24 May 2007 11:05
Cataclean - MVP
To say all fuels are the same because they meet government standards is like saying all bread is the same as it is all allowed to be sold.

A tank of Optimax/Tesco 99 ron in the Subaru makes a lot of difference...
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Sat 21 Feb 2009 08:49
Cataclean - Sprice
A tank of Optimax/Tesco 99 ron in the Subaru makes a lot of difference...



Well they would considering they are higher Octane and Subaru are engineered for these higher octane petrols in the first place over 95 RON. As for fuel additives, the only ones I notice make a difference are those by Forté.

Edited by Sprice on 21/02/2009 at 08:53

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Sat 21 Feb 2009 08:30
Cataclean - Rocketcars
I purchased Cataclean and put it into my wife Audi A4. We did not see any difference at first so after month put some more in, the car then started to become sluggish. Did some research on the web and came across this so BEWARE the British advertising standards authority tested the product www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_415...m
Also typed in the guy name who is a director of Cataclean [name removed] and he seems to have ties to [name removed] who did a fuel additive scam in NZ and Australia ? Wasted my money on a Scam ? the British Advertising Boards findings on Cataclean

The ASA considered that the claims of Cataclean were misleading.

3. Upheld
The expert considered that using a vehicle with a known and apparently unquantified problem was bad practice. The results showed that Cataclean had no beneficial effect on emissions. The expert noted the evidence did not repeat the decreases in emissions that were demonstrated in the infomercial. We considered that the claims were misleading.

5. Upheld
The expert advised that catalyst efficiency was established by analysing the exhaust gases entering and exiting the catalyst. He noted the submitted tests did not use that method. The expert advised that the product was extremely unlikely to survive the combustion process and reach the exhaust catalyst. We considered that the claim was misleading.


Action
We concluded that the infomercial breached rules 5.1 (Misleading advertising), 5.2.1 (Evidence), 5.4.4 (Testimonials) and 5.2.6 (Environmental claims) of the CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Standards Code and it must not be advertised again without adequate substantiation for each claim it made.

Thanks for this post, very relevant. I've made a few minor edits, hope you don't mind. Anyone interested should read the full ASA adjudication in the above link. smokie

Edited by smokie on 21/02/2009 at 09:00

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Sat 21 Feb 2009 09:45
Cataclean - b308
Thats the key point:
The expert considered that using a vehicle with a known and apparently
unquantified problem


Why would the "sluggishness" neccessarily be caused by the cat, it could be any number of things on a modern car...




Now where's my inline fuel magnet gone.....
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Thu 11 Jun 2009 19:42
Cataclean - Long Automotive
I am amazed by this post for the mere fact that it is factually inacurate!...all the way around!! I have been selling and using this product for over 3 years and I have over 175 independent and multi locations purchasing and re-selling Cataclean. First the poster states that he used it in an A4 not once but 2 times....does hitting the elevator button 2 times make it work any better or faster? If anyone were to read the bottle it says to use every 3 months. The chemicals used in making Cataclean as per the MSDS sheet are derivitives of petrol manufacturing so how is it that it all of a sudden became sluggish? it is chemically impossible!

What is most interesting is the insult to everyone's inteligence in that why would the poster search the directors name unless there was a personal vendetta and a desire to slander. I did my own research and even contacted the investigative reporter that wrote the story in Australia. He stated that there was no association with Cataclean or with the director in the events that surrounded the scam in Australia.....dont believe me, contact him yourself...his name is Gerald Reyes and he authored a book about the scam called Firepower...you wont find the directors name or Cataclean tied anywhere to the events in Australia.

Lastly, the poster cites an ASA ruleing. Did it ever occur to anyone that it was not Cataclean, the product or the directors that the ruleing was against but the customer who purchased the product and re-sold it? I know of no claims directly made by Cataclean or it's directors to have ever been challenged by any Government anywhere...and I ought to know this as a distributor/customer. If I said that the Honest John blog would give a free pint to anyone that posts...how is Honest John responsible for that.

I respect the Honest John site and I truly enjoy the information that I get from it. For this reason, I wanted an opportunity to share information that would normally not come out and respond to a post that is factually innacurate.

Thank You Honest John!

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Thu 11 Jun 2009 20:44
Cataclean - oilrag
tinyurl.com/nwl8ex

Link to ASA ruling

Edited by Pugugly on 13/06/2009 at 10:42

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Thu 11 Jun 2009 21:12
Cataclean - bell boy
ive always wacked brake fluid down the gulp hole to clean the system out
wouldnt do it these days though
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Thu 11 Jun 2009 21:19
Cataclean - oilrag
Cataclean, Prolong, 2T - Millers
went to...

(better not)
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Thu 11 Jun 2009 21:17
Cataclean - Armitage Shanks {p}
If Cataclean was the product complained about I can't see why it matters from where it was sourced. ASA didn't think the claims were true (Oilrag's link) and that is an end to it I would have thought
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Thu 11 Jun 2009 21:45
Cataclean - oilrag
Claude Bond slithered down plughole
as Uncle Arthur rubbed his mole
it makes new metal lad you`ll see
better a biscuit dipped in tea?

In goes the paste - to rings and bore
the wear ridge gone -unlike before
till piston does second lap
its in the sump now - what a sap

The spark plugs full of a wet sludge
and Arthurs motor will not budge
Another squirt of another potion?
Cataclean, Prolong or sun lotion?

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Fri 24 Jul 2009 16:58
Cataclean - Long Automotive
Simple.....if you are a manufacturer of a product and sell it to a distributor and the distributor makes claims about that product without your consent...then how in the world can the manufacturer be responsible for the claims? look at the documents!!! for the ASA rueling...they list the sellers name and the sellers name is not Cataclean
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Fri 19 Jun 2009 15:26
Cataclean - vinnyt
Hi!

I started using Cataclean in my car a year ago in response to the check engine light being on and within one day, the light has gone....and stayed out. I have a trip computer and started keeping track of fuel consumption (down 25%)-- so my savings is going well beyond the cash I saved not having to fix the check engine light problem. I now use Cataclean in my wife's and son's cars and am a true convert. Four times a year, so it doesn't cost much. It is worth more than a punt!
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Fri 19 Jun 2009 15:33
Cataclean - oldnotbold
" I have a trip computer and started keeping track of fuel consumption (down 25%)-- so my savings is going well"

I find it hard to believe that you can improve fuel consumption by 25% by using a fuel additive.
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Fri 19 Jun 2009 15:37
Cataclean - Number_Cruncher
>>I started using Cataclean in my car a year ago

Welcome to the forum!

Edited by Number_Cruncher on 19/06/2009 at 15:37

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Fri 19 Jun 2009 15:50
Cataclean - oldnotbold
It's also hard to understand how a product that has been combusted in the cylinder can then pass through the cat and have a cleaning effect. The quantities of active "agent" present after dilution and combustion will be very small, unless the product has some (probably miraculous) effect on the exhaust gases which enables the gases to clean the cat. If this were the case then quite a fair percentage would pass though the cat without reacting, and then into the atmosphere, where it would be potentially noxious.

Perhaps someone can post up peer-reviewed research showing how Cataclean works, and why it is not environmentally damaging.

Edited by oldnotbold on 19/06/2009 at 15:50

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Fri 19 Jun 2009 17:45
Cataclean - Andy P
Just read Cataclean's hype:

"CATACLEAN's unique patented formula dissolves these carbon deposits from all interior surfaces of the honeycomb brick, allowing the catalytic converter to do its job at optimum efficiency. This could represent a reduction in emissions of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons of 60%."

Now I've been a chemist for a while now, and I can't think of a solvent for carbon, so how something like this can make it through the combustion process and remove carbon deposits is quite and achievement.

"When CATACLEAN is added to the fuel tank it mixes with the fuel and passes into the fuel system where it immediately starts to work, cleaning the injectors and the valves before passing into the combustion chambers where it rapidly and thoroughly dissolves resin, gum, carbon and similar deposits resulting in improved fuel combustion. It then continues, in vapour form, into the exhaust system where the unique patented formula cleans the lambda probe and the catalytic converter, removing carbon deposits from all interior surfaces."

So it contains something than doesn't burn in the cylinder and passes as a vapour into the exhaust where it can dissolve carbon deposits. I dread to think what this does to people's lungs....
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Fri 19 Jun 2009 18:00
Cataclean - oldnotbold
AP - my thoughts entirely - it's a long time since I did an A-level in Chemistry, and the organic side was always a struggle, but I do remember enough to be highly cynical about snake oils.
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Fri 24 Jul 2009 17:07
Cataclean - Long Automotive
As a chemist, you are way off base with your analogy...read the patents!
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Mon 28 Oct 2013 13:15
Cataclean - LMurthwaite
It's also hard to understand how a product that has been combusted in the cylinder can then pass through the cat and have a cleaning effect. The quantities of active "agent" present after dilution and combustion will be very small, unless the product has some (probably miraculous) effect on the exhaust gases which enables the gases to clean the cat. If this were the case then quite a fair percentage would pass though the cat without reacting, and then into the atmosphere, where it would be potentially noxious. Perhaps someone can post up peer-reviewed research showing how Cataclean works, and why it is not environmentally damaging.

Is this not what all fuel companies themselves claim to be able to do with their fuel? If Shell can claim to clean engines (or make them run cleaner) then why can't Cataclean?

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Sat 20 Jun 2009 07:52
Cataclean - L'escargot
Anyone used this and is it worth purchasing?


What does your car's Owners Guide say? Mine specifically warns against using fuel additives.
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Sat 20 Jun 2009 11:08
Cataclean - dervdave
>> Anyone used this and is it worth purchasing?
What does your car's Owners Guide say? Mine specifically warns against using fuel additives.



Yeah as a self confessed additive addict I`ve used many bottles of Cataclean (bought from a shopping channel)
The best I can say for it was that nothing appeared to be damaged by its use.
All Owners handbooks advise against additives and yet the main dealer uses them in my Jaguar every service.
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Sat 20 Jun 2009 11:10
Cataclean - Alby Back
I tend to put diesel in my diesel cars and petrol in my petrol ones. Seems to work.
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Sat 20 Jun 2009 13:15
Cataclean - Mookfish
I tend to put diesel in my diesel cars and petrol in my petrol ones.
Seems to work.

Best attitude to take I think, over the years I have tried various fuel and oil additives, and the only effect I have ever seen is less money in my pocket and a empty can dripping sticky goop all over the place.

I did use stopslip i think its called on a failing autobox as a last ditch atempt, worked for about 5 mins before it started slipping again.
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Sat 20 Jun 2009 13:36
Cataclean - Number_Cruncher
>>yet the main dealer uses them in my Jaguar every service.

Not because they've done any scientific testing, or know any more than the factory, it's purely becuase they can make a good margin on the product, and can easily sell them to the guillible.

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Sat 20 Jun 2009 16:44
Cataclean - dervdave
>>yet the main dealer uses them in my Jaguar every service.
Not because they've done any scientific testing or know any more than the factory it's
purely becuase they can make a good margin on the product and can easily sell
them to the guillible.


The I point was that the dealer still put additives in my car even though the handbook said not to and it was still under warranty.
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Sat 20 Jun 2009 14:43
Cataclean - ianhadden
Take your car for a good hard drive, get the revs right up and keep them there for a while, more fun and cheaper.
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Sat 20 Jun 2009 15:01
Cataclean - Fullchat
Am I right to be sceptical of any resounding claim of support of a product on a one and only post ???
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Sat 20 Jun 2009 16:17
Cataclean - jc2
Your dealer will add(hopefully ask beforehand) both oil and fuel additives with every service;he'll put in a little splash of each from a large container and charge a fortune for that.Just say "NO".He'll also wash and valet your car(at £100/hour).He'll also tell you the additives are recommended by the manufacturer of the car-they're not.

Edited by jc2 on 20/06/2009 at 16:20

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Tue 21 Mar 2017 01:37
Cataclean - Ciaran Taxi

I Tried it today and like Everything elseand all they clame to be, it changed nothing nor made any difference to my car. Waste of money

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Tue 21 Mar 2017 12:37
Cataclean - alan1302

I Tried it today and like Everything elseand all they clame to be, it changed nothing nor made any difference to my car. Waste of money

What test did you beforehand and then after to check?

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Tue 21 Mar 2017 12:53
Cataclean - Gibbo_Wirral

I know a lfew garages that havedozens of bottles of the stuff on the shelves and they use it at MOT time.

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Tue 21 Mar 2017 13:04
Cataclean - Terry W

Without independent testing by an organisation of real repute - eg consumers association - I regard all these additives and similar gizmos as no more than fantasy snake oil solutions to a problem that possibly does not even exist.

Car manufacturers are very aware of simple commercial pressures to improves their vehicles - sometimes even resorting to fraud to improve emissions. Mr Man in a Shed is unlikely to come up with solutions to fuelling or other issues which multi £bn businesses have somehow missed.

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Thu 19 Jul 2018 17:56
Cataclean - WilliamRead

I had never heard of Cataclean until yesterday when I saw the full page advertisement in "Auto Express" The company's website contains no links to any independent tests in the USA, UK or anywhere else that have verifiedl its claims in the 20+ years it has been on sale. A full independent test by any well respected consumer organisation or motoring magazine that found the claims to be justified would be on the company's website within days... but no such endorsement exists.

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Thu 19 Jul 2018 23:59
Cataclean - Big John

One year my 17 year old Octavia just scraped thorugh the emissions test. The following year I used Cataclean and the emissions were way under - I've used it ever since.

I used to think snake oil - but to rme now it's snake oil that works

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Fri 20 Jul 2018 09:17
Cataclean - Leif

One year my 17 year old Octavia just scraped thorugh the emissions test. The following year I used Cataclean and the emissions were way under - I've used it ever since.

I used to think snake oil - but to rme now it's snake oil that works

The only real test would be to have done the MOT before adding Cataclean, and then after. Otherwise you simply don't know if the Cataclean actually did anything. It could be that some change in your engine independent of the magic beans was the cause of improved emissions. Not saying it doesn't work, just that you need proper tests to verify or otherwise.

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Fri 20 Jul 2018 11:15
Cataclean - skidpan

My 113,000 mile Golf failed its MOT on emmisions. Local garage said they could do nothing, take it to VW. So off to VW who put it on their machine and it passed with no issues. The only cost was the MOT but since I never paid for the one at the local garage nothing was lost.

One week later I was pulled into a roadside emmision test. Again the car passed with figures close to the original specs.

So just because the garage says its failed or close does not mean there is anything wrong with it. Could be their equipment is out of calibration, could be they are trying to sell you some extra services, Cataclean anyone?

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Fri 20 Jul 2018 11:19
Cataclean - John F

Automotive quackery.

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Fri 20 Jul 2018 13:38
Cataclean - Gibbo_Wirral

A good video from 5th gear showing the benefits of additives - 6HP restored after Redex.

youtu.be/03nL8Z0dRkI

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Fri 20 Jul 2018 13:45
Cataclean - Snakey

I'm pretty sceptical about these sort of additives and very rarely use them. However a few years ago my wifes Mini was borderline on the emissions test of the MOT and I was warned the cat might need replacing for the next year. So I ran a bottle through a full tank of petrol about 3 weeks before the next MOT and the emissions dropped considerably from the previous year, I can't remember the exact figures but it was a very noticeable amount.

So I was pleased, and for the £20 or so it cost it seemed to sort the probem!

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