Category Archives: Porsche
Conklin Fuel Mate Plus & Catalytic Converters
When my friend wanted me to use his Conklin products in my Porsche Cayenne I was wary but I did look at the Conklin products. I dared not touch their lubricants and especially their gear grease and transmission fluid, but I thought I had found a gasoline treatment that might help my engine run cleaner. I certainly did but at a price.
Their 4-Power G Gasoline Fuel System Cleaner also seemed innocuous enough, so I tried them both. Now, my car requires premium fuel but getting that is not a problem. And my car does not have readily replaceable fuel filters. Couple that with the fact I drive it rather sedately so that when I do have to hit the gas and make an emergency move it gets rather embarrassing to see that cloud of crap dumped out the back of my car as the spark plugs clean off their deposits!
Conklin’s 4-Power G does not seem to be the problem but Conklin’s Fuel Mate Plus appears to have caused so much damage in my car that when it came time to return it, I did just that (no refund). Certainly, I owned the case and had half of it left. I could have given it away or even resold it, but neither route seemed right.
Fuel Mate Plus had already cost me in repairs and was on the verge of costing me thousands in replacing my catalytic converters but I think I stopped using it in time. I really am not sure and only time will tell. But since I stopped using Fuel Mate Plus my check engine light has not come on. I am hoping that I stopped in time to save the catalytic converter.
Last fall with only 28,000 miles on a new set of ignition coils, three of them went out at once! Now, one or two I understand but three means there is something seriously wrong. I replaced my plugs at the same time and those were in good shape. But plugs are relatively cheap whereas each ignition coil is $80. I suspect the ignition coils went bad working to compensate for the thrown off timing caused by using Fuel Mate Plus.
I never did notice a verifiable increase in mileage across the time I used half a case of Fuel Mate Plus. I even tried using less than the amount recommended and that actually seemed beneficial. My engine makes slightly less power when using Fuel Mate Plus.
Conklin claims that Fuel Mate Plus is safe for catalytic converters and they even claimed in email that it would make catalytic converters last longer! Really?
When Fuel Mate Plus first came out the packaging said it was safe for catalytic converters but it no longer says that.
When my check engine light came on I was using Shell V-Power. Shell was about the last company to put ethanol in their premium and once Shell did that my car stopped liking Shell. It appears that Shell uses a much higher carbon content in their particular ethanol because I notice more soot on my exhaust pipes using Shell V-Power. Even Costco burns cleaner than Shell V-Power.
Point of Information: My Turbo seems to like Quick Trip better and it burns cleaner. I was on the road and Shell was all that was available when I needed fuel.
Point of Information: I have been using ethanol free 91 octane lately and my car really likes it. Country Mark 91PLUS is the best gas I can find in Fort Wayne. If anyone knows of a better gas in the area, such as an ethanol free 93 octane, please let me know.
Conklin says that Fuel Mate Plus “lengthens” the burn time thereby giving more mpg, but as far as I can tell what Fuel Mate Plus really does is “retard” the timing and reduces power. My V8 runs better without Fuel Mate Plus. I think that Fuel Mate Plus by retarding the timing is also putting more pressure on my car’s catalytic converters. I suspect Conklin Fuel Mate Plus does this on other car’s catalytic converters.
Certainly, there are many variables. For one we have an EPA that lies to us about catalytic converters and fuel. We have auto manufacturers who are happily making money replacing parts. No one appears truthful.
What is the cost on my Porsche? First, my diagnosis and computer reset cost me almost $155 after PCA discounts. Without the discounts their labor approaches $180 an hour!
Second, Porsche of Albuquerque was insistent the catalytic converter on the passenger side would require replacing. The cost of the part was almost $2,000 and the estimate was five hours labor. Now, that’s for just one side. Double that for both catalytic converters. For comparison, the cost of the entire catalytic system on my Toyota Avalon was $300 including labor.
There really are a lot of variables but the fact is even when I am running the standard 91 octane with ethanol my engine light remains off. Whether or not it will stay that way I do not know but I am going to find out. I am not using Conklin.
No more additives for me. I can’t wait until America can have real gasoline again, ethanol free. That 50 cents more per gallon for engine destroying corn syrup is going to our totally corrupt politicians! Pull the plug on corn and drain the swamp.
O’Daniel Automotive Group and Porsche of Fort Wayne
Right now I am not very happy with my auto insurance company, USAA. They are no better than any other insurance company but USAA was once one of the best. Not any more. But I want to get back on track.
Porsche of Fort Wayne gave me good service a few years back but that did not last long. My problems started with their body shop. O’Daniel Motor Sales Body Shop does shoddy workmanship and does NOT stand behind their work. They have only a 90 day warranty policy!
Let’s start with their first mistake. I told them explicitly not to install the front plate on my new front end for my Porsche Cayenne Turbo. One would think they would listen to me since I am the owner of the car and the replacement cost on one of these cars optioned similarly to mine exceeded $160,000 four years ago. But, no, they did not do as I instructed.
Moreover, they used the broken front license plate mount! O’Daniel drilled into the new front end and ruined its aesthetics! You might think this makes no difference but it does. For one, the increased air flow allows me to tow up hills at approximately 5 mph faster than with the air obstructed. It allows the transmission to stay cooler.
O’Daniel ultimately wanted $900 more from me to repair the damage they had done. But, we are just getting started.
In short, their body shop really sucks. They botched up their paint job by splattering something on the front end and onto my hood which was not involved in the accident. There was some sort of acid or liquid which resulted in a spray droplet pattern that resulted in losing the paint and the clear coat in those contaminated areas.
There is more to this and I will detail it soon. Just do not buy a car from them and don’t bother with their auto body shop. Certainly, do not take your Porsche there for service and never expect that you are going to buy and own a Porsche in Fort Wayne and be able to get it serviced properly.
I am bringing this to the attention of Porsche Cars of North America, the Porsche Club of America and to the Porsche family members themselves. #PCA, #PCNA
Overall, I would have to say that Porsche is no longer a brand that is worth buying in America. Certainly, Porsche, especially the new ones, are not very road worthy. Nor are the new Porsche cars reliable.
There are a few, a very few good dealerships across North America and you can’t drive a Porsche freely and in security across America. From the lack of spare tires to the variability in technical expertise, I’d say Porsche has done themselves in!
The new cars are three times more complex than my own original version Cayenne. New Porsches are nothing more than time bombs . . . waiting to go off.
To my fellow PCA members in Alaska, I assure you there is no reliable service anywhere. When you get a good technician or a great dealership, stick with them and do not go too far away. Because your Porsche will strand you.
Avoid O’Daniel Auto Group
For quite some time I have been meaning to warn the public about Porsche of Fort Wayne and O’Daniel Motor Group in general. It is best to avoid them at all of their locations and in all of their services.
Forget about owning a Porsche and getting service in Fort Wayne and their auto body shop is staffed with crooks! I will be getting into all of the details but first allow me to say:
Porsche no longer makes reliable roadworthy vehicles. The Porsche warranty, whether it is factory CPO or Porsche dealership service is worthless.
Porsche does NOT stand behind their warranty service policies and the new Porsches are nothing less than time bombs waiting to go off. I will have a lot to say, but Porsche of Fort Wayne can not be trusted and their service is sloppy, shoddy and incompetent. Porsche of Fort Wayne can not even give a decent alignment.
Never buy a Porsche from O’Daniel. IN fact, it would serve you better not to buy a new Porsche at all. Why? They are overly complicated. Dealership technicians differ on their diagnoses and recommendations and parts and repairs are always through the roof.
My car? A first version Cayenne Turbo. I have 216,000 miles, a lot of experience and have been to many Porsche dealerships across the nation. I am going to report upon it all, in detail.
I estimate the cost to run to be between $2-$3 per mile.
#PCA #PCNA #PORSCHEAG