THE TORONTO STAR....
Saturday, April 15, 2000

WHEELS SECTION

We're going to put engine cleaning system to the test
Maker claims better performance and fuel economy, fewer emissions

CAR GUY - TOM HNATIW

Kevin Stover is the public relations man for Terralogix, a Canadian company based Stanstead, Quebec, on the border with Vermont, 90 minutes from Montreal.

Its No. 1 product is TerraClean.

I first heard from Kevin's company shortly after I did a piece on my old racing buddy, Burke Dew, and the system he represents, called MotoVac (Ontarians' anxiety over Drive Clean may be unjustified: Engine cleaning looks like one quick way to pass the test, Wheels, March 20, 1999).

I liked the MotoVac system very much. It made a significant difference in the performance of all three test vehicles we used. Since then, Kevin Stover has been all over me demanding equal time for TerraClean.

Kevin, please take my number off your speed dial now, if you don't mind.

Both TerraClean and MotoVac are essentially heavy-duty engine-cleaning systems.

"But the similarity ends there," says Geoff Spidle, sales manager for Terralogix. "TerraClean is a gasoline-based product that uses electrolysis to decarbonize the engine."

Here's what Geoff means by that: The fluid that is injected into your engine through the TerraClean process is essentially distilled gasoline, or pure gasoline devoid of any additives, shellacs or varnishes.

Spidle tells me that the upshot of all of this is that the TerraClean fluid is introduced to the combustion chamber as a vapour - not a spray. This ensures a complete burn of the TerraClean fluid.

The machine used in the process is connected in line with the vehicle's fuel-injection system. Before the product is introduced to the engine, the machine adds a negative charge to the fluid.

Geoff says that carbon particles in your engine are positively charged. Since all matter prefers to be in a neutral state, the carbon is said to bond with the TerraClean one molecule at a time.

Because the product is gasoline based, it's safe on plastic and rubber parts.

Did you know that some of the newest GM products actually have plastic injector tips?

As the fluid is burned, it removes carbon buildup. Spidle claims that a benefit to the process is that since the carbon is addressed more or less in its smallest state, there's no danger that dislodged particles will do damage as they exit the engine through the exhaust system.

TerraClean also claims to leave a coating on the metal it contacts to help prevent more carbon from building up.

"Now let's be absolutely clear about one thing," says Spidle. "If you have a hole in your piston, if you need a valve job or all your rings are shot, the process won't fix that. It's not a miracle in a can.

"What it will do is improve engine performance, improve fuel efficiency (up to 14 per cent) and significantly reduce emissions."

That's good news in light of the Drive Clean program, not to mention the inexplicable jump in gas prices lately.

But let's put those claims to the test.

Last weekend, one of our budget racers hit the track for the first time this year at the Horizon Club Performance Driving School (an outstanding program, by the way).

The little VW Rabbit's engine is as delivered from the factory. It has more than 140,000 km accumulated over 17 years.

It ran fine last weekend, so we know it is mechanically sound.

We'll run it through the TerraClean system and let you know how it worked out. The performance of that little car has been logged meticulously, lap by lap to the thousandth of a second. If there's an improvement, we'll know.

While we're at it, we'll try it out on a SHO Ford with a 100-and-a-half on the clock and on a little Honda with about 100,000 km.

TerraClean has many independent endorsements from Class A mechanics across Canada. You can reach the company toll free and they'll arrange for you to see those endorsements as well as give you a choice of shops near you which you can choose from.

The number is 1-888-70TERRA; call Monday to Friday during business hours. If you feel the need to get in touch today, try 416-815-1300. Spidle will most likely pick up the line.

Tom Hnatiw is host of Dream Car Garage and Classic Car Resorations on Speedvision, and The Car Guys on Rogers Cable 10.

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