Fuel Catalyst

[LMangold]

I ordered this and will install it Thursday. Everything I've reviewed looks like it will help with soot in our EGR systems, and maybe a little better MPGs. The EPA has registered the product and it has been tested by many agencies. What the heck, it can't be any different than treating the exhaust with a catalyst. BTW, 8 lug had a very positive write-up on this.



Fitch Fuel Catalyst: Automotive - Main Page

 

[barbwire]

I ordered this and will install it Thursday. Everything I've reviewed looks like it will help with soot in our EGR systems, and maybe a little better MPGs. The EPA has registered the product and it has been tested by many agencies. What the heck, it can't be any different than treating the exhaust with a catalyst. BTW, 8 lug had a very positive write-up on this.



Fitch Fuel Catalyst: Automotive - Main Page

Hey, you will keep us posted, right? I read a little on this a few weeks ago. I am hoping it's a boon for us.

 

[DieselLady]

Please let us know if you see real results. Not to be too pessimistic, but personally I think it is Snake Oil.

 

[DPellegrin]

LMangold- I looked at the website and it said: "That refined fuel... has substantially lost its potency, freshness has begun to degrade back to it's original crude oil state". You gotta be kidding me!!



Also, test results do not make sense if you want to say anything about engine thermal efficiency (fuel economy).



Regards,

 

[ADugan]

There was an article in Diesel Power about the Fitch a couple of issues back. The jist of the article was that the testers didn't know how it worked, but their test truck got an additional 1. 5 MPG's with no ill effects. The test truck was a Dodge Ram Cummins. I can't remember if it was a 12 or 24 valve. I'm curious, is anyone using the RCI Fuel Purifier? My new 08 will be here in 2 weeks and I've been looking at both the Fitch and RCI.





http://www.rcipurifier.co

 

[ADugan]

Sorry, try this link.



RCI Technologies

 

[DPellegrin]

I'm sorry all these things are "perpetual motion machines" A few years ago Chevron Research in CA. had a on-going program to test fuel additives, oil additives, fuel economy and emission reduction devices. They tested a couple of hundred these products not one had any kind of positive effect on either fuel economy or emission reduction. In fact, a few actually degraded fuel economy, but the vast majority had no affect at all. It seems to me that if one of these things had any positive benefit, Dodge, Ford, GM, Cummins CAT, Detroit Diesel would be breaking down their door to have exclusive use of it! It's smoke and mirrors.



BTW just because it's EPA registered doesn't mean EPA says it works.



Respectfully,

 

[LMangold]

I didn't get it installed, I threw a code! Go figure. Anyway, the EGR valve is toast, so after that comes in and is replaced, I'll install and post my findings. It can't hurt, the exhaust catalyst works.

 

[Mundgyver]

Hmmmm, I'm not so sure about these devices. What I have read is that they supposidly shorten the fuel molocule strings making them more efficient to burn, at leat that is what I have read. I have never seen one of these devices in action.



One way to increase fuel economy that I do know that works is to heat the fuel up to 185* in its liquid state and then inject it into the cylinder. You gain about 30% efficiency improvement. This method has been used on heavy duty machinery with very good results.



The problem for us, is that by heating the fuel up before injection, we kill the injection pump on our trucks because the injection pump uses the fuel as a cooling agent.



This will be in interesting thread to watch for awhile.

 

[MCummings]

Mundgyver,



That wouldn't be to hard to do at all on a common rail. Just make the high pressure line that runs into the rail longer, so that it can run through some engine coolant.



At idle, it might be hotter than 185 (maybe 200), but cruising it would be pretty good. Adding an additional foot of high pressure line would not affect performance much at all, and if you were pushing over 450hp, you won't want hot fuel anyway. .



My $. 02



Merrick

 

[LMangold]

I'll post the updates when I finally get everything installed... after my new EGR valve.

 

[Mundgyver]

I had explored the idea a few years ago of heating up the fuel. Bosh would not give me a very straight answer as to why I could not do this. It took awhile before I found out that the heat would kill the VP.



Since then I have toy'd around with the idea of heating the injector lines after the VP. My problem is how to heat all six of them. I would need to build a manifold to run them through.



The idea of heating the common rail with an extended double walled input is very do-able. I think I would use the engine oil vice the coolant. The oil will run about 10 degrees hotter than the coolant and you would not have to worry about corrosion and a possible breach of coolant into your fuel system.



Just an idea