Does anyone know anything about this product? It’s a gasoline additive. I’ve always thought that they are all rip offs. But my mechanic, who I trust, is recommending I try a dose to see if it might clear a check engine code - something about the catalytic converter. Of course I’ve done some Google searches and have found many favorable comments, but also found some suggesting that the stuff might CAUSE CEL problems.
Of course some of the favorable comments might have been provided by shills. And the ones suggesting that the stuff might cause CEL problems were all circumstantial.
Any opinions, or better yet experiences, here?
Thanks, Bob
There is no additive I know of, oil, fuel, or otherwise, that will clear a check engine code. The code indicates a problem. It might be the cat, or it might be O2 sensors, but either way an additive won’t work.
They don’t work for anything else, either. Save your money.
I don’t think it’s going to hurt anything…except your wallet. I also don’t think it’s going to solve the problem either.
Is this the stuff that had a plastic chip in the can (like a poker chip)?
You would save the chip and every so often the Distributor would come by the shop and pay you (under $1.00) for every chip.
It was a incentive to get mechanics to use the product.
It couldn’t stand on it’s own value.
Evryone here is going to tell you the same thing. Additives do not clear CEL lights. Only repairing the defective part(s) will.
If the CEL light was truely indicating a bad cat converter, it’ll likely be either the converetr itself or possibly the downstream oxygen sensor. A tech can put it on a scope, look at the traces from the sensors, and tell what’s happening.
Oldschool is correct; BG products do, or did, come with redeemable poker chips in the cans.
The BG rep convinces the service managers (most are mechanically clueless) that their products are beneficial and will help the car owners. The service managers then order the products to be installed when maintenance services are performed and the serv. managers often honestly believe the products are doing the car owners a world of good.
If one wanted to try a treatment in hopes of killing a CEL then try a 6 dollar can of SeaFoam from Wal Mart and feed it through an intake vacuum line. It will accomplish the same thing for far less money.
(If you do this the engine will smoke quite a bit after this is done but will clear out soon. No reason to panic over the smoke; it’s normal.)
Many thanks to all the responders. You’ve saved me $20.00.
Bob