ASA ruling on performance pellets

[John Mason]

A lot of reading there Nick just to confirm what I thought all along. CODSWALLOP.

John Mason.

[Duncan Grimmond]

Anyone remember the 1968/9 "Petrol made from water using pennyworth of easily available chemicals" snake-oil scam?
It must have been true as it was validated by an "AA Patrolman" and a motoring correspondent in the Sun...

There was also a "Spark Improver" which was a red or black insert you fitted to the lead from the coil to the distributor... basically a break in the line inside a plastic moulding which caused the spark to jump and in theory intensify itself....

STP anyone?

[John Mason]

Yes Duncan as a young driver with my first car. Bought one fitted it. What a disappointment. If there was any improvement in performance it was so small it was unnoticeable.

John Mason.

[John Cornforth]

Hi

There have been several versions of the "spark improver" over the years, including the roadside fix of wiring a coat button (remember them) in series with the main HT lead to create a spark gap.

There is a grain of truth in their use, in that if you have a worn out engine with oil/carbon fouled plugs the spark gap helps prevent the HT energy prematurely leaking away into the resistance of the plug. Instead there is a momentary delay until the coil has built up enough voltage to spark over properly.

I have a feeling that some spark plugs were made with a built-in extra series gap within the insulator, but at the moment I can't find a reference.

[Mike Costigan]

When I bought my first Ruby (from the first owner) it was well-worn out - it used oil at about the same rate as petrol (and not from leaks!). It oiled the plugs regularly, but the button technique solved that problem, and cleaning out the valve chest cover improved the oil consumption - slightly!

   

[Erich]

My technique for improved performance has always been to select a taller gear. It always seems to make the car go faster. At least that's my impression.

Erich in Mukilteo

[Tony Griffiths]

Another go-faster trick is, of course, to advance the ignition so far that the rumbling, grumbling and grinding from the engine gives a very impression imitation of greater power. I too have used the button trick and, for a while, it does extend the engine's life nearer to the terminal bore-wear point.

[Tony Press]

My first 1929 Saloon was very original and the engine was untouched in 1956, so it was burning oil at some rate leaving a good plume of smoke. I heard if this spark trick so added a short Meccano strip at the plug and connected the plug lead with a spark gap. This worked well until an overhaul. 

It looked like a fireworks display under the bonnet in the evening ! 

[Speedex750]

Hi all,

My experience with these pellets is quite different. They were originally advertised in the nineties to allow unleaded petrol to be used in '4 star' engines. We ran Austin Metro's then, being hard pressed with a young family and unleaded being appreciably cheaper this seemed a great wheeze to save money on my daily 50 mile round trip to work. They worked for me. I had no measurable valve recession and the cars ran perfectly on the unleaded. On moving up to a Montego as the boys grew the pellet assembly was fished out and transplanted - same positive result. I will add that while much of the driving was fairly mundane I wasn't adverse to opening it up now and again so the exhaust valves and seats did get a good blast of heat.

I would agree that no real performance improvement was noticed but that wasn't the point then. The pellets are now in my 10:1 compression AH3000 allied with Castrol Valvemaster to protect the seats - again no recession.

The world doesn't move on unless you're prepared to believe in something different and try it.

Dave