Jay Leno's head mechanic George Swift has been using Archoil for 8 years. Find out why...
Guest article by Tim Stegenga originally published on premiumdieselfuel.com
Hi, my name is Tim Stegenga. Eight years ago, I introduced George Swift, the head mechanic at Jay Leno's Garage, to Archoil fuel additives. Today, Archoil products are a staple at Jay Leno's Garage. If you own a diesel vehicle, the following story is one you will really want to know...
I was tired of fuel additives that over-promised
I'm a diesel guy and have owned many trucks over the years. What many diesel owners soon learn is that diesel fuel is not keeping up with the evolution of engines and lacks sufficient crucial additives - cetane, detergents and lubricity. This means that diesels, new and old, suffer negative effects on power, ride, wear and overall performance.
I had tried various cetane and detergent products to address poor fuel quality but they never got my trucks performing in a way that it felt like they were designed to. I learned that the problem was deposits building up in post-combustion components and a friend recommended Archoil's fuel treatment because it cleaned the turbo, DPF and EGR. He told me that his regens had reduced and he had his power back.
I reluctantly tried it and was immediately impressed. I was so enthusiastic about the results I saw that I became an Archoil dealer and shared my positive experiences with people I knew who owned farm equipment, fleets, tug boats and so on. Each one felt the benefits of Archoil products.
George Swift is head mechanic at Jay Leno's Garage and has over 45 years of automotive experience
How I met George
One day, I shared my story with a friend who restores fire trucks. He came back to me and said, "You have to give this to my brother, George. He's the head mechanic at Jay Leno's Garage."
So I did exactly that. That's how I met George Swift eight years ago. Jay Leno trusts George to work on and oversee his massive collection of classic cars, bikes, steam engines, race cars and diesel vehicles, estimated to be worth up to $100 million. I explained how easy it was to add these powerful products and let the results do the talking. Eight years later, George is religiously using Archoil products and has a ton of stories to tell about how they lower maintenance costs, restore power, eliminate smoke, provide a more enjoyable drive and bring better fuel economy.
George tells me the story of a smoky, noisy, rough-riding 1987 Foretravel 3208 turbo engine which he assumed he'd have to rebuild but when it came to a 7,000 mile round trip, he used Archoil's fuel treatment and the difference was impressive and immediate. The smoke was gone, his performance was "like new" and there was a big reduction in noise for a smoother ride. His wife asked, "What did you do to the Pusher? It feels like a different vehicle." George lauged and said, "Now that is proof beyond doubt how good Archoil is."
Jay Leno's Garage
George had clearly been talking about these products to Jay and pretty soon I found myself being interviewed by the man himself on an episode of Jay Leno's Garage.
George and the team at Big Dog Garage had been using Archoil's variety of formulations in a mix of Jay's classic and rare vehicles - including a 1961 Detroit Diesel Flex Bus, their Formula Atlantic race car and a 1936 Knucklehead Harley Davidson - with great success.
Over the last decade, Archoil's products (which include fuel and oil treatments suitable for diesel and gasoline engines) have become more and more popular with thousands of customers who wouldn't risk returning to inferior alternatives. In fact, there are now over 8,000 Archoil ratings and reviews on Amazon and it is no surprise to me that they average 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Chris (pictured) is Archoil's Tech and a hardcore diesel man. Chris oversees the testing, tears apart engines and documents the results. Before working for Archoil, Chris considered most additives to be 'snake oil'.
Since seeing and experiencing the results, he is a believer in the products. He now explains the benefits of the products to customers over the phone every day.
I asked Chis to put together some information and pictures from the testing he has carried out so I could share it with you and you can make up your own mind. For those of you who have been disappointed by fuel additives in the past, I am excited to share the science behind it all..
Unlike other fuel additives, Archoil's diesel treatments (AR6400-D and AR6500) contain chemistry which survives the combustion chamber and utilizes heat from the combustion to clean out deposits from the turbo, DPF and EGR.
Archoil's diesel treatments clear the turbo of soot and carbon, reducing turbo lag and boosting throttle response. This reduces excess heat and wear, helping to avoid premature failure of the turbo.
Archoil's diesel treatments clear heavy carbon deposits from the DPF which will reduce regen frequency, restore performance and avoid engine damage by preventing a clogged DPF.
AR6400-D rapidly removes IDIDs and carbon build-up from injector tips to restore performance and correct spray patterns, ensure a more complete combustion and reduce further carbon build-up and lower emissions
Lack of lubrication, which is an extremely common problem with diesel at the gas station, can lead to excessive wear, premature failure and costly repairs. In wear scar testing (ASTM D6079), base diesel fuel produced an out-of-spec scar width of 614.5 microns. The same fuel treated with AR6500 Diesel Treatment produced a scar width of 347.5 microns - a 43% increase in lubricity. Improving lubricity extends component life and prevents premature failure.
Average MPG results were taken from controlled highway driving in a 2011 F-350 6.7L. AR6400-D increased the baseline fuel economy by 7%. Use of AR6500 Diesel Treatment after AR6400-D increased MPG by a further 11.1%. Overall, this represents a 19% increase in fuel economy as a result of using Archoil’s diesel treatments (the Diesel Fuel System Kit).
