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Car Care & Valeting

Impact of Maintenance Products

With products ranging from Radiator Flush and Petrol Treatment to Engine Degreaser and White Grease, the Add-It range satisfies the maintenance needs of modern motor mechanics and car enthusiasts. The aerosol range caters for the majority of day to day maintenance requirements, while the range of ‘under-the-bonnet’ additives keeps combustion and cooling systems in top condition.

As engine technology evolves, so too must these seemingly simple, yet important, products. All of the formulas produced by the Add-It team are developed by highly trained chemists who ensure that the range is kept up to date with the latest developments in automotive engine technology and is relevant to the current car park. The range is split into four colour-coded groups: 1) Cleaners (blue caps), 2) Greases (black caps), 3) Additives & Leak Treatments (red caps) and 4) Lubricants (green caps). Here are some of the highlights.

1) Cleaners

A clean engine, one that is free of sludge, rust and particulate build-up, operates much more efficiently than one that is blocked up with deposits. Of course, keeping an internal combustion engine clean is not easy as the very act of combustion creates a number of by-products which can clog the engine. Using a Carb Cleaner to remove deposits will restore the efficiency of the induction system by eliminating rough idling, stalling and improving fuel economy. Add-It’s Carb Cleaner removes oil, grease, varnish and gum deposits from the metallic components utilised in carburettors and fuel injection systems. The formula is a powerful blend of specially selected solvents that can be used on all carburettor types and works as an effective degreaser for all metallic parts, including carburettor bodies, air control valves, throttle bodies and air intake butterfly valves.

One of the most important factors when changing oil is to remove all of the dirt, sludge and particulates that have formed and hardened inside the engine before the new oil is added to the system. Using a product such as Add-It Engine Flush offers extra protection because it thins the oil prior to removal, allowing it to drain away more quickly, taking all of the dirt and sludge with it. Simply adding the Flush to the system and running the engine for 10 minutes will eliminate these contaminants from the system.

Mechanical parts must also be kept clean if they are to operate at optimum efficiency. The powerful spray action of Add-It’s Brake Cleaner makes it a favourite with professionals, allowing them to clean brake and clutch parts without the need for dismantling. Based on a fast evaporating, highly refined hydrocarbon solvent, it removes surface contaminants such as oil, grease, and dust – it also acts as a dust suppressant, preventing dust from escaping into the working environment.

2) Greases

Some brake pad manufacturers produce their pads with harder linings which tend to last longer and stop quicker under heavy use. However, the pad material tends to produce squeal when the brakes are applied – caused by vibration between the pads, disc and caliper. While this is perfectly normal, it can be irritating. Add-It Copper Grease is a three-phase lubricant and anti-seize compound that stops and prevents brake squeal when applied to the moving parts on the reverse of the pads and calipers. Its special formulation contains mineral oil, graphite and copper, making it effective in three different temperature bands. At ambient temperatures the mineral oil prevents seizure; between temperatures of 80°C and 275°C the graphite acts as the key lubricant; above temperatures of 275°C the copper takes over, protecting the part from heat and preventing seizure.

When used as an assembly lubricant Add-It Copper Grease offers outstanding overall metal protection against heat (it remains effective at temperatures of 1,100+°C), rust, seizure and corrosion to make future dismantling much easier, thus saving time and effort. It can also be used on exhaust manifolds, steering and suspension equipment and all threaded metal fastenings, functioning as a high performance lubricant and anti-seize protection compound.

3) Additives & Leak Treatments

Over time carbon deposits and soot, build-up in the engine, therefore engine performance declines.  This is known in the trade as ‘coking’, and is particularly acute in the induction system where carbon deposits build-up on fuel injectors and inlet valves, disturbing the spray pattern of the injectors and causing problems with starting and running. Engine additives remove these deposits, helping to improve the performance and prolong the life of the engine. The image to the left shows exhaust valves before and after treatment with Add-It petrol treatment.

Add-It Diesel Fuel Treatment contains a unique blend of detergents and additives that clean the engine of carbon deposits, restore injector spray patterns, and best of all, allow the engine to achieve more miles to the gallon – by up to 7%. Once the engine has been treated its cold starting also improves. Tests run by Add-It show a noticeable improvement in engine performance following the addition of Add-It Diesel Fuel Treatment. The graph below shows how an engine’s performance declines over time as carbon deposits and soot build up in the engine. The graph also shows a noticeable improvement in performance as the additive clears particulates and soot.

4) Lubricants

The products referred to above each have unique properties, formulated to perform under specific circumstances; therefore they are not interchangeable. Sometimes, however, a multi-purpose product is all that is required and Add-It’s Multi-Lube can be used to lubricate, clean and displace moisture – it is also silicone free, making it perfect for use in body shops. A clever chemical formulation allows the product to penetrate deep into the working of components to free seized parts, yet it also remains active on the surface of the part, coating it in a thin film which prevents corrosion and extends the working life of parts. PTFE is a key ingredient of this and a number of other Add-It maintenance products (including Clear Grease and White Grease) due to its combination of high friction, temperature, chemical and electrical resistance.

 

 

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