BG44K - Snake Oil?

[fat controller]

Whilst getting my air-con re-gassed yesterday, there were a load of leaflets/magazines lying around in the waiting area which I had a thumb through out of boredom; anyway, I came across one that was advertising a product called BG44K which is apparently a fuel additive for both petrol and diesel cars that proclaims to get rid of deposits and crud in the engine thus improving MPG, performance and making the engine quieter.

Now, I have no problems with my engine, but if there is something I can give it (other than good oil, changed regularly) that will help it along a bit.......

However, I am also aware that many of these things are nothing more than snake oil.

I did use Millers EcoMax in my Passat (still have most of a bottle left in the shed) and it made a definite difference to it in terms of performance and MPG - the intermittent 'BKP misfire/hesitation' that seemed to be a characteristic of the engine was also a lot less prevalent when using the Millers. However, the engine in the A4 is clearly in a different class to the old PD 2.0 unit, and I haven't felt the need to use it in the A4.

So, ladies and gents - your thoughts please?

[Doctle Odd]

I had a look on their site. If you were to use it in say a 1999 A4 tdi with 14 years of crap on the intake manifold where would it go? Would you want it going into your cylinders? Like Mr C I'm wary of snake oil type products. I know how much carb cleaner it takes to half clean a manifold and I'd never allow that much of it into an engine let alone the stuff it removes.

[turpal]

I bet it was at kwick fit you came across it because I did too today lol Suppose to be good but expensive,millers one is cheaper and last longer,good product too.

[Doctle Odd]

1/2 pint of petrol to 1/2 a tank of diesel!

[vwcabriolet1971]

Sounds too good to true - remember all the claims made by SLICK ? Have any long term independant tests been carried out e.g. RAC or AA ?

[mikeybutch]

Used it once in my 2.5tdi no diff

[fat controller]

It was Kwik Fit yes - it was lying on a table along with mags and stuff, so I couldn't be sure if it was something that had fell out of a magazine or something that they were selling; so in short, there is no proof that it works?

Whilst on the subject, how does additives like these affect DPF's?

[zollaf]

a dpf catches soot particles. any crud that falls out of a manifold will pass through the engine and out the exhaust where the dpf will trap it. so, if you use it and then the car regens straight away or you have problems and need a new dpf, then the stuff has worked well. if there is no difference then the crud is still in the engine and it is indeed snake oil.