Fitch fuel catalyst, are these things for real??

[AKDrifter]

Has anybody out there heard of or used the Fitch fuel catalyst in any of their engines. Their claim is that it makes the fuel burn mors complete. The ones I'm using in my snowmachine I have yet to come to a conclusion on. They do make them for diesel engines also.



One of our biggest issues in this part of Alaska is fresh fuel. Just because you just filled up at the pump does not mean it's fresh, we get the bottom of the barrel fuel off the barge(some say it's the worst fuel you would want to put in anything.



These Fitch things have been around for 3 years now and they do have a website. www.fitchfuelcatalyst.com or 1-888-881-2774. Are there any fuel guru folks out there who know if these things are for real? Fitch's tests say they are for real.

 

[BV]

Fitch

Didn't OMC (Johnson/Evinrude outoboards) have a fuel injection system they called Fitch Injection ? Never heard of Fitch Catalyst

 

[DaveN]

I'm skeptical

Personally it sounds like snake oil to me. Every time I turn around there is some sort of "new" product that's guaranteed to work... ... . until I see hard data, I'm reluctant to even consider all these new products.





Example: Split fire spark plugs (or the number of varaints from this) - they claim that two sparks are better than one.....



Here's my take.







I took an IC engines class when I was in Engineering school (a few years back), and we asked the professor (who had been working on developmental engines since the fifties) about these new plugs, because everyone thought they were the new thing. He basically said that they were a gimmick, without saying that (to cover his hiney).



You have a certain amount of voltage and spark energy per spark. So if you split it into two sparks, what do you gain? The only purpose of the spark is to ignite the air/fuel mixture. Once it's ignited, the spark is useless. Flame speed is determined by the air fuel mixture, chamber swirl, chamber configuration, and other parameters, not spark size... . So as long as your el cheapo spark plugs are firing every time, I see no advantage.

 

[AKDrifter]

I guess my real question here is what happens to fuel ( both gasoline and diesel ) over time that degrades its' ability to burn fully or properly? I've read some interesting reports from Sled Tech mag. ( a good reliable sorce for information about sleds ), and they do a lot of independent testing of aftermarket goodies and such. Their reports were that NO gumming of carborators were found after dropping these "wonder balls" in a variety of power tools.



Is it possible for fuel to regain its' freshness?



I'm doing my own test with gasoline in mason jars to see if there is a difference in color and smell ( I just like the smell ) over time. If the gas changes even slightly in color or smell, could their be some claim to these things ?



One again www.fichtfuelcatalyst.com , somebody check out this website and see if there full of just "wonder balls".

 

[jray]

I believe J. C. Whitney use to sell the Fitch Fuel system. Can't say that it works never tried it. I have My doubts though. If it works as stated why don't the Big Three offer it from the factory. Snake Oil.



I do think that the split fire plugs have a marginal advantage over standard sparkplugs in that they expose more of the spark to the open chamber or top side of the piston. Racers have been indexing sparkplugs for years so as to direct the spark to the top of he piston. More H. P











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2003 SLT QC FWD HO/48RE on order

 

[Ron Bissett]

They got the Balls all right will it work no . They are like the seeasucker suit company there motto is see a sucker sell them a suit . Its all B. S . just wish full thinking . Watch the guys on TV as was on last night was showing the BS People wan't to be taken and no amount of talking will stop them from getting taken by the hype . LOL Ron in Louisville Metro? in KY

 

[HEMI®Dart]

I was searching the web trying to get more info. It seems to work well in a small gasoline engine like a motorcycle. Lots of Motorcycle shops sell it.

 

[AKDrifter]

Not to change my thread topic, but what does happen to gasoline and diesel fuel when it sits?



If gas looses some octane level, what does that mean? Is there a way to replentish the fuels ability to burn well?



I guess I' m concerned in this neck of the woods because of the poor quality fuel we recieve. I also run snowmachine tours and own lots of sleds, so gas is a major concern.