Daily Telegraph: Honest John's Agony column extra: “fill up with Shell Optimax” (ShellNews.net)

(Filed: 11/09/2004)

Queue bawl

Could you throw any light on a problem I have with my 22,500-mile Honda Civic 1·6 SE, which was purchased new in March 2001? Nine months ago, in the final year of its warranty, it began to cut out when I stopped at junctions or in traffic queues. The revs would fall before the engine faltered and then stopped. Alan Day Honda of Portsmouth has been excellent and has changed the ECU twice, but this didn't cure things. A replacement throttle body eventually did the trick, but recently the problem started to recur. Have you any suggestions that might cast some light on the cause?

B.U., via e-mail

ANSWER: Supermarket petrol is the cause. It is gumming up the throttle body because its detergent content is inadequate for the car and the way you drive it. Add some fuel-system cleaner to the tank, fill up with Shell Optimax and then stick with high-detergent fuel brands. They might cost more, but the payoff is better economy. You won't have any more problems of this nature, either.

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