FUELCAT History - Extracts from article provided by the manufacturers...

Henry Broquet's Catalyst - born in Desperate Times
Henry Broquet's fuel catalyst is not just another short-lived magic gadget that claims to work unexplained wonders with car engines. It was developed, tried and proved in the hardest arena possible - the Russian front in 1942.

Rolls-Royce motors meet Lada Fuel!
When Britain sent Hurricane fighters to Russia in 1941, their Merlin XX engines needed the special 100 octane petrol developed for the RAF. Although a supply was shipped there to startwith, the Russians themselves were unable to produce any more. Their fuel was not only lower grade but very variable in quality. Henry Broquet, a British technician, collaborated with them and came up with the tin alloy catalyst, a workable answer that enabled the Merlins to run on lower grade petrol satisfactorily. Why was the grade of fuel so critical? After all, car engines can be detuned to run on cooking petrol by retarding their ignition or fitting thicker head gaskets. You simply could not do that with a thoroughbred Rolls-Royce aero-engine.

Power
The power output of a piston engine depends upon firstly the revolutions per minute (rpm) and secondly the pressure developed in the cylinders.  Friction and mechanical stress limit the rpm, but fuel is one of the main factors limiting the attainable power. This is mainly due to the problem of detonation. If the fuel/air mixture is compressed too much, it may not burn evenly but explode suddenly. This gives a very high peak pressure and a sharp blow on the piston instead of a steady push. The energy from the fuel does no useful work but is wasted as heat. Severe or prolonged detonation can blow holes in pistons, burn out exhaust valves and even knock off cylinder heads. Car drivers can hear the characteristic pinking sound caused by the shock waves hitting the cylinder walls.

Octane Rating
Petrol's resistance to detonation is given by its Octane Rating. This is the percentage of iso-octane (full chemical name 2,2,4 trimethyl pentane)contained in a mixture of iso-octane with normal heptane that reproduces the same knock characteristics as the petrol when tested under standard conditions. One of the ways to increase octane rating is to dope the fuel with tetra-ethyl lead. What this does is to steady the rate of combustion and inhibit the sudden temperature rise ahead of the flame front that triggers the explosive ignition. A drawback is that lead deposits tend to build upon the spark plugs so ethylene dibromide is often added, to combine with the lead and take some of it out in the exhaust.

Pre-ignition and Plug Fouling
Another problem with mediocre fuel is that it may have poorly combustible components that have not been refined out, and they leave unburned deposits on the cylinder head and valves. These impair cooling and may get so hot that they act like diesel glow-plugs, igniting the mixture before the spark plugs fire, too early before top dead centre. The effect of this pre-ignition is similar to detonation and equally damaging to the engine. Characteristically a hot engine will "run-on" after the ignition is cut, as though it was a diesel. (Inefficient pre-war side-valve engines used to need decarbonising every ten thousand miles or so because they built up these unburned deposits.)

Lead is Dead, Long Live Tin!
Big European and American oil companies saw no need to take up this development. They had invested a lot in tetra-ethyl lead and had no incentive to try something completely different. But lead is to be banned from petrol by the year 2000. Millions of motorists and boat owners with engines designed for 4-Star are going to have problems. True, they can buy expensive "super unleaded" instead, which is supposed to equal 4-Star.  However, this has all sorts of other detonation suppressing additives instead of the lead. Some of these additives themselves are not very nice. Furthermore, they still leave the problem that some designs also rely on the lead to protect valve seats from erosion and stop valves from sticking.
Henry Broquet's well-proven tin catalyst is a better answer than tetra-ethyl lead anyway, improving the fuel before it goes into the engine so that combustion is more efficient. This reduces deposits on the cylinder head and valves, and also the amount of waste heat going into the exhaust. As a result exhaust valves and their seats are cooler and do not need a protective coating of lead. Finally, more efficient combustion means less exhaust emissions.
If anyone needs proof that it works, they need look no farther than those hard-pressed Merlins in Russia!

Product Information

Fuelcat is a combination of metals, processed to produce a catalyst, formed into 22mm domes and shaped to assist fuel flow. Tin - known to have a catalytic effect with fossil fuels - is the main ingredient. The Catalyst can be used on any petrol or diesel engine. For the catalyst to work, the domes must be touching a ferrous metal environment, so the domes are supplied in a mild steel gauze sock, approx 15cm long, which is then placed in the tank. The gauze sock must reach the bottom of the tank.

Fuelcat is also available in a container, which fits in the fuel line. This consists of the tin alloy domes plus a system of magnets.   The fuel flows over the domes then through the magnetic field - altering the fuel structure further to improve fuel/air bonding and thus combustion. The catalyst conditions the fuel, aiding complete and efficient combustion, reduces the burn temperature and changes the shape and speed of the burn.

It's not known precisely how the Fuelcat works - but it certainly does seem to. (we were initially sceptical, but now have them successfully on classic and current cars and a motorbike). People using Fuelcat report better fuel consumption (8-16%), reduced pinking (and diesel knock), increased power output and lower emissions. Plus, safe use of unleaded petrol in engines designed for leaded. Because the catalyst reduces pinking and improves combustion, you can also use cheaper lower grade unleaded petrol in leaded or unleaded engines without retarding ignition timing or power loss. 

Garages confirm these results and have reported using Fuelcat to help customers through emission tests and even blind tests where Fuelcat has been fitted to regular customers' vehicles without telling them or tuning the engines - and the drivers reported the engine had been tuned to perfection.

Both types are easy to fit - either just push into the fuel tank or, for inline canister fit as you would a fuel filter, which can be done quickly and easily and comes with fittings and instructions. A single insertion of Fuelcat is effective for up to 400,000 klms in petrol and a little less in diesel. It can pay for itself quickly through lower fuel consumption and being able to use cheaper fuel, as well as saving on unnecessary fuel additives. 

There have been concerns about lead replacement fuel (LRP) not providing the same level of valve protection as the leaded fuel it replaced and over the emissions produced by the additives in it. Avoidance of potential LRP related engine damage is a major advantage of Fuelcat.

Because engines and the conditions in which they're used vary so much, so may the results achieved from Fuelcat. Because of the fears that have been expressed about LRP, potential engine damage arising from it's prior use may need checking. Using Fuelcat can clear engine carbon build up, so the oil should be checked and changed after 1500 miles

FAQ'S



What is a Catalyst?   A catalyst is something that produces a change without itself being consumed.

What is a Fuel Cat?   Fuel Cat is a manufactured tin alloy product placed either in the fuel tank or fuel line of any petrol or diesel engine.

Can it enable engines designed for leaded petrol to run on unleaded petrol?  Yes, we have received many testimonials from Garages, Classic Car owners and clubs.

Will Fuel Cat alone prevent valve seat recession?  Since 1991, thousands of satisfied customers have converted their car or bike to run on unleaded petrol with no detrimental effect.

Will it help motorbikes?   Fuelcat have many written testimonials from motorbike owners who have been using Fuel Cat since 1991. The Royal Signals White Helmets display team use a Fuel Cat on all their specially built motorbikes.

Can it be used on anything else? Fuelcat can be installed on any vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine.

Can Fuelcat be used with a catalytic converter exhaust system? Yes, the reduced carbon emissions actually prolong the life of catalytics.
Does Fuel Cat come with any guarantee? Fuelcat is made to BS EN ISO 9002, by an ISO9001 registered Company who; warrant with the purchaser that the use of Fuelcat in auto or marine engines is wholly beneficial and cannot in any way prove harmful to an engine or it's fuel system.

The above history, product information and FAQ's have been adapted from FUELCAT promotional literature.

FUELCAT PRICES

Back to top

Back to FUELCAT main page

Back to Main Page