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Chevron Techron MSDS
javascript:openDataSheet("MSDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=283264&docFormat=PDF")
BG 44K MSDS
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCAQFjAA&url=http://www.petrotech.co.il/PetroTech//userdata/SendFile.asp?DBID=1&LNGID=2&GID=470&ei=fe-wVIyZJofasASL8YGgAg&usg=AFQjCNH3aB-jSB6oiEym9_Si-J0_WrnSbw&sig2=v0lUB7xVdSFwP73X4AXbYA&bvm=bv.83339334,d.cWc
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1937868
https://cglapps.chevron.com/msdspds/MSDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=283264&docFormat=PDF
I've used Techron Fuel System cleaner in my cars since BMW started recommending it (Steve Overbeck
talked a lot about it on his Cincy radio car repair show on 550 AM.)
When I'd put it in, within 10-20 miles I'd feel the difference in acceleration. This was in the 80s and 90s.
But now when I use it, I notice little change in my 3800s in the leSabres. I had. I attribute that to improved
gasolines in general and engine/injector designs that minimize the need to cleaning.
I listen to a Detroit 760 car talk on Saturday mornings and they push the BG44 like it's the
greatest thing since sliced bread. They recommend using it something like every 30K miles--
I may be off on that. Of course it has to be done by a shop unless one buys the contraption
needed to connect and inject the stuff at home. I conclude they like BG44 because the
shops get the money. With Techron they can't figure out how to charge the customer for
the customer putting it in himself. :grin
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Having said all that, I'm sure that neither one actually work and you should NEVER use them; take your car to a "professional technician" instead.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Cleaning the induction systems on DI engines using special systems might indeed be legitimate in that you really have to do it at some point (on some cars...yes VW, you can stand up) BUT this brings up the question of the basic design of these systems. I've seen levels of crud in the induction system that damn near boggle the mind. This just isn't right. This isn't good engineering.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Maybe I'm missing something?
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
The most common mode of operation, homogenous has the injection pulse occur while the intake valve is open and air is entering the cylinder. This would be similar to how regular fuel injection works today and everyone uses that.
Variable valve timing has now been around for a while, but GDI takes advantage of that strategy to an extreme. Since no fuel is injected into the intake manifold, the engineers can vary the cam timing so that even more cylinder scavenging can take place. Conventional fuel injection would have fuel as well as air being drawn all the way into the exhaust during such extreme scavenging. GDI can simply delay the injection pulse until after the exhaust valve is closed. Most everyone uses this one.
There is another mode, less commonly used called stratified lean that varies the cam timing which allows the cylinder to trap some exhaust gasses. Then with a tumble flap closed in the intake the incoming air is directed across half of the intake valves which traps that incoming air in the middle of the exhaust gasses in the cylinder. Then during compression, just before the spark occurs the fuel is injected right into that fresh air, surrounded by the exhaust gasses. This strategy makes the GDI engine efficiency start to rival the diesel engines but it does so at a cost. The trapping of the exhaust gasses also causes reversion where some of the exhaust gasses travel back into the intake manifold where they can cook any residue from the PCV system operation. This is one of the reasons that the carbon deposits grow on the intake valves. It's a combination of carbon from the exhaust reversion, blow by gasses, microscopic oil droplets etc.
This doesn't mean that the system isn't any good. It simply means they demand more service than what a lot of consumers are used to. All of this technology is one of the reasons for the oil specs that exceed API and ILSAC and what make the articles that tried to discredit the dexos specification inaccurate.
BTW, even Hyundai/Kia requires a fuel additive with every oil change if Top Tier fuel isn't being used on their GDI engines.
Not to mention that many of us are "below" average.
Filled up today and didn't even wash the windows, much less check the oil. The tires "looked" fine.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Any advice on keeping my 3 * 2.0 4 cylinders running well?
Top tier fuel is a must and use the injection cleaner in the tank with each oil change. Use the Chevron Techron mentioned earlier. Remember BG's 44K IS Techron repackaged at about four times the price. Expect your 30,000 mile services to include an induction cleaning service.
You will likely see a lot of consumers suffer turbo failures, its going to be the same old story. It takes time for them to cool off when you come off the highway so don't just scream into a parking lot and shut it right down. At the least let it idle for a minute or two so that the oil will keep flowing through it and cooling it. Or if you can maybe make sure that the last two to three minutes of your travel try to stay out of boost and that will help cool everything a little quicker.
I don't know if Ford will offer a package for the Escape, but Ford Racing offers emission legal kits that significantly up the power(and preserve the factory warranty) in the Ecoboost motors in the Mustang, Focus ST and Fiesta ST. The kit adds 90 lb-ft of torque at 2,800 rpm in the Focus ST. That's a huge boost; the tune I'm running in my MS3 only averages a 48 lb-ft gain from 3,000-5,000 rpm- but at least it does do away with the ridiculous 155 mph speed limiter.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
On the first car, fate intervened. I had cat efficiency codes for a couple of years on that one, and they were triggering the CEL more frequently toward the end, so I did a bunch of various research on the subject and finally decided that all of my vehicle's symptoms made it likely that the the best course of action was to replace the oxygen sensors first. I decided to do that once spring rolled around (working outside on the snow pack tends to mean only immediately necessary repairs occur during the winter!). But, at 220,000 miles, psycho driver ran me off the road and destroyed the car, so no worries about the cat at that point!
On the second car, my Escort, it started to throw efficiency codes at about 150,000 miles. I replaced the oxygen sensors as a maintenance item. There were two outcomes: Better fuel economy and I didn't have any more codes thrown for the remaining 12,000-ish miles I owned it. But, I also had some other things going on as well, so I did more work than that at that time. In addition, I replaced plugs, wires, the coil pack (I think it was cracked based on occasional misfires, but I couldn't actually *see* the crack), and engine/tranny mounts, so it was quite an improvement overall. I cannot be certain what part the oxygen sensors played in all that.
I find that my Fiesta, with it's 1.6L DI engine, runs like crap on basic 87 octane fuel after only 2-3 tanks. I fill up exclusively at Chevron now (since August '14), and haven't had any issues with it since. Prior to that, it would hesitate terribly during acceleration and my normal fuel system cleaner would "cure" the problem for only a short while. At ~$9/bottle, that was a heck of a lot more expensive (and less consistent) than using the Chevron fuel at an increased cost of approximately $0.15 per gallon.
I've had no problems with warranty coverage from BMW or Mazda. Now, I wouldn't expect any manufacturer to cover a grenaded engine due to a missed shift or to pay for brake pads and rotors- but it is ludicrous for a manufacturer to offer a "Track Package" or to brag how fast their car laps the Nürburgring while simultaneously using the warranty to tacitly admit the car really isn't all that capable...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
As an aside, one of the guys that works there has a right hand drive BRIGHT yellow Toyota Altezza- what we know as a Lexus IS. Way cool. Almost all the guys there are car enthusiasts; one guy has a tweaked GTI, another is a Mazda fan who always wants to know if I've made any new modifications to my MS3, and one guy has a Jeep XJ set up for serious rock crawling.
It's really a first-rate operation(part of a locally owned chain) and they have been and will continue to be my default choice for tires and suspension work. Could I get tires a few dollars cheaper somewhere else? Maybe, but I'd rather stick with a shop that does very high quality work and doesn't forget about you after the sale...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
That's the way businesses used to be and they earned our allegiance.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Since, on a DI engine, you don't have fuel passing over the valves to keep them clean, the buildup that forms can be quite extreme. From what I've read, at least for BMW and VW, you can start to see the effects right around 50k miles. The BMW dealer performed it on mine at about 48k to battle a recurring CEL/limp mode.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
BTW Toyota came out with what is possibly a brilliant solution, although a little pricey. They use both port injectors as well as direct injectors and the system switches between the two and even sometimes uses a combination of injection events with both sets of injectors to dispense the fuel charge.
The last we heard, both Ford and GM were talking about licensing this strategy for future versions of their GDI engines, and it is expected that other manufacturers are likely to follow suit depending on whether the trade off for other potential issues caused by the increased complexity is worth it or not.
Induction cleaning on the horizon... noted!
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
But, I am also not convinced that it won't start hesitating again even with the fuel I feed it now. After all, I did have it for about 20,000 miles before it started getting finicky in the first place. For that first 20K, I gave it the "usual" routine of an injector cleaner to the fuel tank every 4K. After a while, though, it just decided that such service was not enough. I noticed that it did clear up for a short while when I did my last bottle, but then started giving me issues only a few tanks later. I gave the Chevron fuel a try, and it was noticeably better on that first tank (and gone after a couple more).
So, while better now, I'm not sure it is able to fully address potential buildup issues.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
http://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/12834/gmc/suburban/gmc-yukon-xl-normal-oil-usage#latest
Most people don't know enough about the subject to understand the difference and the jokes can lead to them continuing to fail to service their vehicles correctly.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
As far as dealers not following the manufacture's specs there is nothing new about that. There is a downside to pricing pressure especially when a lack of education is playing a role in purchasing decisions at any (every?) point in the purchasing chain. That's why articles like this one http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/do-i-have-to-use-the-manufacturers-oil.html worked to mislead not only consumers but shop owners and technicians too.
When you re-read that article you will see Valvoline quoted as not providing a dexos licensed product, today they have an entire line of products that are approved and licensed to meet the specs. http://www.centerforqa.com/gm/dexos1-brands
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
And, it's not necessarily the fuel, either. I run the same fuel (prior to the Fiesta's Chevron switch) in my Forester (EJ25, which is *not* DI), and all my other cars for that matter, and have never had performance issues with them up to and exceeding 200,000 miles (Forester currently has 80K).