In all of my time working in the auto repair industry, I’ve always been skeptical about fuel additive/engine cleaner types of products. The claims made by their manufacturers made them sound as if you’ll double your fuel economy just by pouring a $7 bottle of cleaner in the fuel tank once in a while. This defied logic, and never sat well with me.
My experience in this industry has convinced me that not only do the claims they make not hold true, using these products can actually do more harm than good.
So when Joe, our sales rep from BG made his monthly visit for stock replenishment, he seemed surprised by the unusually low number of cans of the “44K” fuel system cleaner that we had been selling. He went on to tell me that 44K is one of BG’s best moving products in three territories.
I explained to Joe that while I believe in the quality of BG Products as a whole, I was apprehensive about advising our clients to invest $25.94 in a product with which I had very little experience. Furthermore, my lack of confidence in similar products bolstered my reluctance.
Then Joe and I got to talking about 44K.
44K is not a new product. It’s been on the market for some time. 44K is only available through certain repair facilities, Jamestown Automotive being one of them. BG products are professional grade meant to be installed by professional technicians.
I explained to Joe that my past experience with similar products has made me a little gun-shy about 44K. Joe agreed with me 100%, then he explained to me what makes BG 44K different from the rest.
Most fuel cleaner additives are alcohol based, allowing them to become diluted to the point of ineffectiveness. The alcohol may provide a temporary ‘boost’, but the long term benefits are virtually non-existent. The alcohol element can also in some cases clean carbon buildup from the valves and pistons like they’re advertised to do, but it can clean them so fast that the debris can actually plug catalytic converters and foul fuel injectors, causing drivability issues that weren’t there before.
BG 44K, Joe explained, does not function in this manner. instead of cleaning the system all at once, 44K gradually cleans the fuel system a little at a time over the course of a couple hundred miles. Cleaning the system gradually prevents the problems that are common with other products. Furthermore, 44K is 100% ALCOHOL FREE. This means that instead of being diluted by the fuel like other alcohol based additives, 44K is able to clean the fuel system from the sending unit all the way to the fuel rail and fuel injectors like it is designed to do.
As an adviser, my personal guideline with products and services is that if I wouldn’t buy it for my own vehicle, I certainly won’t recommend that our valued clients do so. On that principle, I decided to give it a shot and see what all the excitement is about.
One afternoon, after filling up the gas tank on my ‘95 Buick LeSabre, I bought a can of 44K and added it to a full tank.
For the first couple of days, I didn’t notice any difference as far as performance was concerned. Then, on the third day, after having driven over 100 miles since adding 44K to my tank of fuel, I happened to glance down at the fuel gauge on my dashboard. It still read that I had 3/4 tank of fuel remaining! Typically, I’d get roughly 20 miles per gallon, so one full tank of gasoline would allow me to drive about 360 miles or so. I ended up driving 396 miles on that tank of gas before refilling, a 10% increase in fuel economy.
Some quick math showed that the 44K essentially added 1.8 gallons worth of fuel for every fill-up. At $4.00/gallon, I stood to save $7.20 every trip to the pump. The $26 I spent for the can of 44K would show a profit after only 4 tankfuls. And this doesn’t even account for the additional benefits of a more efficient, smoother running engine.
Although I didn’t see the power boost I was hoping for, I am completely satisfied with the results. ANYTHING that can save a little money on gas is worth the investment, and BG 44K has definitely made a believer out of me.
In fact, we are so confident that adding 44K to your fuel tank will yield positive results, that we’re extending a no-risk guarantee to you: Give 44K a shot. Let us add a can to your fuel system and drive your vehicle 250 miles. If you aren’t satisfied with the results, let us know and we’ll credit your purchase price to your next order, no questions asked!!
Have a story to share about your 44K experience? Feel free to leave a comment – we’d love to hear from you!!
October 7, 2009 at 10:39 pm
I love the stuff, BG-44K works. Alot of people are aprehensive because it cost more than the cheap stuff, but it works. I drove to Utah from Colorado in the mountains, uphill my car drove like it was new. I told a freind of mine if he didn’t believe me, I would pay for his BG-44k, if it doesn’t work he doesn’t have to pay me back. He never took me up on my offer cause he bought the cheap stuff. Now he is working on his Trailblazer over the weekend cause the cheap stuff clogged his fuel injectors.