Terra cleaning…or cleaning terror??

[BigGreenThing]

Have just been looking for local(ish) Volvo independents have in Sussex.

Came across a (non-Sussex) Indy that offered de-carbonising TerraClean services too.

This new(ish) technology apparently:

“ cleans the inside of your vehicle’s fuel system. By removing carbon we can improve engine performance, reduce emissions, and reduce costs by increasing component lifespan”.

Seems like a marketing dream, or maybe I’m just cynical.

Has anybody tried this TerraClean process? Did it work? Or is it an expensive overrated service…and you can obtain the same level of cleansing through fuel cleaning additives or premium fuels with cleaning agents in them?

[Bob Meadows]

Save your money:~
Regular servicing & oil changes done properly are all your engine craves!

[Familyman 90]

Any vehicle that responds significantly to such threatment hasn't been either maintained or driven dilligently.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by BigGreenThing

Have just been looking for local(ish) Volvo independents have in Sussex.

Came across a (non-Sussex) Indy that offered de-carbonising TerraClean services too.

This new(ish) technology apparently:

“ cleans the inside of your vehicle’s fuel system. By removing carbon we can improve engine performance, reduce emissions, and reduce costs by increasing component lifespan”.

Seems like a marketing dream, or maybe I’m just cynical.

Has anybody tried this TerraClean process? Did it work? Or is it an expensive overrated service…and you can obtain the same level of cleansing through fuel cleaning additives or premium fuels with cleaning agents in them?

I had a hydrogen clean done on my car, which uses no chemicals (Terra Clean does).

I noticed an increase in throttle response & the car generally felt more lively.

I can’t comment on Terra Clean, but hydrogen cleaning definitely worked.

Oh, my car is well looked after. It has full Volvo history up until 2018. 2019 a Volvo Specialist serviced it & I’ve done servicing myself since because I have VIDA software to calculate the oil level etc.

[grubby mits]

Save your money. If it was any good it would be offered by main dealers. There may be a psychological effect - remember those fuel saving devices from the '70s? Their only effect was to subconsciously lighten the pressure exerted by your right foot!

GM

[BigGreenThing]

Originally Posted by Bob Meadows

Save your money:~
Regular servicing & oil changes done properly are all your engine craves!

That's precisely what I was thinking!

[BigGreenThing]

Originally Posted by Familyman 90

Any vehicle that responds significantly to such threatment hasn't been either maintained or driven dilligently.

I totally agree with that.

When you look at the various cars (Volvo or otherwise) that have cleared 300k miles and still going strong..or at least still going OK...I'd wager that 99% (made up stat!) have never been anywhere near such cleaning...

[Peter2400]

Why would be carbon in the fuel system?

[Tannaton]

Well....

There's lots of reasons to make sure you maintain your car as per the schedule and using quality parts.... but.... how would skipping a service impact carbon build up?

But actually if you strip the head off a modern turbo diesel engine that's done say 200k, and been healthy, there is very little carbon on the piston and combustion chamber - they always look like a 5,000 mile petrol car. The damaging build ups are in the intake tract from EGR and no fuel replacement/additive can deal with that.

But.... I'm an advocate of Liqui Moly Diesel Purge which does a similar job to Terraclean. I can't explain technically the difference it makes, but on a 150k mile D5 after treatment you do notice it is often smoother, livelier and sometimes slightly more economically. I've previously done it on 3 of my own cars, 2 D5's and 1 2.0D. I do not normally post recommending a course of action without being able to explain the technical reason behind it but I would say give it a go - it wont make it any worse - but if you can find someone who will do it a more effective process would be to clean the inlet tract of deposits.

Just to be clear though they only cleaners that could ever work are those where you cut the fuel supply and run the engine on them neat. In tank additives are hopeless. If they were any good they would dissolve the crud in the bottom of the tank and the fuel filter and then pass that through the injectors - not what you want...

[BigGreenThing]

Thanks Tannaton! A really useful reply, and much appreciated.

I’m definitely an advocate of regular maintenance as per schedules, but aware that normal “wear and tear” occurs both internally and externally over time and mileage (bit like us humans! &#128514. Additionally, I’m also a acutely aware of the need to avoid short journeys (I use my other half’s car for that), nor to drive the car too infrequently.

I guess I was just curious seeing that a Volvo Indy was using this cleaning process. I’ve not thought/investigated a great deal, as my 2.0 diesel runs fine and seems pretty responsive and economy is pretty much where it should be. So I don’t feel the need to quite yet.

I may come back to the idea after the mileage clicks on a bit. 👍🙂