Tin-antimony alloy keeps engines permanently clean - that's why the motor manufacturers don't use it

In 1942, the American motor industry discovered the tin-antimony pellets - used in the fuel tanks of British and Russian fighter aircraft* during WW2 - caused petrol and diesel fuels to self-clean as they combusted. Eliminating carbon deposits and keeping any engine running like new. They were worried. This would put a huge dent in profits from spares, repairs and could even slow new car sales. But for the fuel additive companies, with dispenser cans at every fuel pump, the little pellets spelt complete disaster. So they started a smear campaign. And motoring's biggest lie was born.

Along with stories of exploding engines and snake oil slurs, the plausible sounding slogan, 'if they were that good the manufacturers would fit them' was circulated through the motor trade. It wasn't long before motorists were repeating the propaganda circulated to fool them! Over the last 80-years, motoring's biggest lie has been repeated so many times, especially in the UK, many have come to believe it. With misleading press, deceptive reviews and straw man tests, repeatedly used to suppress the truth.

In widespread commercial use for the last 60-years

Tin-antimony alloy was first used commercially in South Africa during the 1960s, in Anglo American Mining's underground vehicles and machinery, to keep emissions permanently low. It was then used in SAF Marine's container ships to cut black smoke, prevent fuel wastage and extend service intervals. Over the next 30-years, as independent tests repeatedly confirmed the alloy's unique ability, its use steadily increased. 

Following the results of the Philadelphia Coca Cola Company's fleet trials in 1998, the US military conducted 14-months testing at Camp Pendleton and the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center. In 2003, the Senate Committee on Armed Services announced the results to Congress with the recommendation that Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, take immediate steps for the application of fuel catalyst technology.** As a result, tin-antimony catalysts are used worldwide by the owners of every imaginable make, model, type and age of petrol and diesel vehicle.

Carbon deposits affect all petrol and diesel vehicles

The main reason we don't notice deposits building up in modern vehicles, is because the ECU hides the symptoms by gradually retarding the ignition timing to prevent overheating, pinking and knock. But retarding the timing reduces combustion efficiency, performance and fuel economy, resulting in the fuel-heavy soot deposits that block EGR valves and DPF filters. Removing carbon deposits reduces the engines operating temperature, restores combustion efficiency and allows the ECU to progressively re-advance the ignition timing.

The motor industry's Worldwide Fuel Charter clearly states, even the use of high-quality fuel leads to deposit formation in all petrol and diesel engines. Causing reduced power, poor fuel economy and increased engine-out emissions. Which is the why carbon deposits are the root cause of the excess traffic pollution that ruins the air quality for hundreds of millions of people in towns and cities worldwide.

The proven effectiveness of tin-antimony alloy  

For the last 60-years, the effectiveness of tin-antimony catalysts has been easily observed using before & after emissions results - the same way liquid fuel additives are tested. But whilst a single, proprietary test in a static engine has always been sufficient for the fuel additive companies, special interests insist the same standard doesn't apply to an alloy! Especially one that makes liquid fuel additives obsolete! However, in addition to Department for Transport approved emissions results, FTC has also been independently tested by world-leaders Emissions Analytics Ltd. 

The significant improvements reported by FTC customers, are only ever the result of carbon deposit removal. Tin-antimony catalysts, like liquid fuel detergents, obviously can't produce results in a new or clean engine. In a new vehicle (or one with a clean engine) fuel catalysts stop deposits from forming. Which simply means performance, economy and emissions, all remain virtually the same as a brand-new engine. 

The origin of tin-antimony pellets

Tin-antimony pellets were originally developed by Russian scientists in 1941, for use in the fuel tanks of Hurricane and Yak fighter planes operating out of Murmansk on the Russian front during WW2. Low temperature waxing in the local aviation fuel, was causing crystalline deposits to clog carburettors, leading to engines cutting out and mid-air stalling. The planes were restricted to 16,000 ft until a solution could be found. When tin-antimony pellets were added to the fuel tanks, the planes were able to operate over and above their usual ceiling of 20,000 ft with exactly the same fuel.

* The WW2 campaign, code named 'Operation Benedict' is recorded in Hurricanes Over Murmansk by John Golley  ISBN 1840372982 and in Force Benedict by Hurricane fighter Eric Carter  ISBN 1444785141 - who details the wartime use of the pellets and their subsequent post-war development. Pages 129-131, 256-257

** 107^th Congress  2^nd Session  House of Representatives  Report 107-436  Pages 292-293