May 2019

A dditives are chemical tools according to LIQUI MOLY’s Head of Research and Development David Kaiser. He explains the technical and financial opportunities. “Additives are chemical tools that resolve many issues more quickly, simply and more cost-effectively than mechanical methods. They should form part of every professional’s toolbox. “For instance, the engine in a vehicle is no longer running smoothly. Troubleshooting has shown that the reason is the air intake. As a result of the exhaust gas recirculation, deposits have developed which impair the air flow within the engine to a great extent. “Usually the intake system would have to be removed and laboriously cleaned by hand. LIQUI MOLY makes things significantly easier: the Throttle Valve Cleaner for petrol engines or the Diesel Intake System Cleaner are directly sprayed into the intake system while the engine is running. The cleaning substances remove even the toughest dirt. The intake system is clean in no time and the engine once again runs smoothly. “Another example would be an older diesel vehicle that is having issues with excessively high emission values during the MOT test. In many cases this is caused by encrustations on the injectors, preventing the fuel from being finely atomised within the combustion chamber. Consequently, it does not burn properly and an increasing amount of deposits develop. Diesel Smoke Stop by LIQUI MOLY removes said encrustations and also improves combustion, resulting in significantly better emission values. “ David continues: “One last example would be oil changes in vehicles with high mileage. Over time considerable deposits have developed within the oil circuit. This is frequently ignored in garages or attempts are made to tackle the issue with significantly shorter oil change intervals. Engine oil may also contain cleaning substances, albeit only small quantities. Any cleaning effect would ultimately take several hundred miles. Engine Flush by LIQUI MOLY is a faster and more efficient solution. This is a highly effective cleaning additive for the oil circuit. It is added to the oil shortly before the oil change and the engine is run at idling speed for around ten minutes. During this time, these active agents dissolve dirt and keep them in suspension. The dirt is then drained together with the old oil. The new oil can then be added to a clean engine where it can develop its full performance. David adds: “These three examples illustrate how additives can provide technical solutions for everyday issues in the garage. As their use requires little time, they can be easily integrated into operative processes. And because they are not costly, the garage can look forward to appealing margins – both as part of application and in additive sales to customers.” Improvements With the continued increase of customers reporting emissions issues and looking for a quick fix, garages are keen to find solutions which offer real improvements as well as a simple up-sell opportunity. Ben Kendrick, Sales and Marketing Manager at European Exhaust and Catalyst, comments: “Looking around the shelves of warehouses and garages, there’s a plethora of confusing one-solution products presently on offer, potentially confusing technicians and consumers over what could be the ultimate fix, and taking up valuable selling space. Two solutions to this issue and gaining rapid popularity come from European Exhaust and Catalyst, with the recent launch of their 6-in-1 DPF Solution and 6-in-1 Petrol Solution, each 54 AFTERMARKET MAY 2019 ADDITIVES AND CLEANERS www.aftermarketonline.net Above: Engine Flush GET MORE WITH ADDITIVES AND CLEANERS Additives and cleaners provide a host of benefits to both you and your customers. By using and offering them, you can support your customers and gain an additional revenue stream too