Fuelstar!
Fuelstar is the "invention" of a Mr Ian Cornelius. He and his advertising make the following claims:
It guarantees to improve fuel efficiency by 10% or more.
It guarantees to improve power output by 5% or more.
It reduces exhaust emissions by an unspecified amount.
The guarantee consists of a money-back guarantee for the life of the product, which is 500,000 km – far in excess of what most cars ever achieve.
Mr Cornelius claims that his invention - a can of tin pellets, through which the engine’s petrol or diesel fuel passes before entering the carburettor - creates these positive effects by an unknown and indescribable (even by Dr Sprott) chemical catalytic process.
The Fuelstar website gives the impression that the devices have been tested scientifically and that that testing backs up the claims. Unfortunately, the testing which is shown on the Fuelstar website consists of pseudoscience – things which purport to be scientific in basis, but in reality are nothing of the sort.
Important note: Testing under controlled conditions has actually taken place at three universities - Auckland, Monash in Melbourne and Queensland at Brisbane. Of those tests, only the Monash one is in the public domain and I display a copy of it here. None of them found any benefit by fitting the device and indeed none of them found any evidence at all that the device works in any way.
Mr Cornelius has advised me that the tests at Brisbane were arranged to test output to check the possibility of the system emitting harmful compounds. Mr Cornelius cheerfully advises that no output at all was discovered.
On to
Fuelstar's own "test" results as displayed on their own website:
This report from the Thai government. Note the one month delay
between testing. No mention of any work which may have been carried out
in the meantime. As the lead tester himself points out, further tests
would be necessary before any conclusions could be made, but Mr
Cornelius conveniently neglects to emphasise that rather important
point. As far as an objective scientific test goes, it isn't. The actual
scientist involved agrees and notes that his only conclusion was that
the exhaust fumes were cleaner than one month earlier.
This one's even better!
"Scientific testing"??? It's not even in English! Not to mention being
written on Fuelstar letterhead... There's independence for you!
This one looks more promising.
Coming from a crowd called "California Environmental Engineering", it
seems to have the hallmarks of a reasonably competent test. Alas, even a
slightly in-depth look at the test shows a very sloppy example of
testing. Servicing was carried out when Fuelstar was attached. All
changes and improvements must be made before the test starts. To run the
vehicle without Fuelstar, then do maintenance, then put the Fuelstar in
and expect it not to show improved performance is absurd and as far from
actual science as it's possible to be.
Mr Cornelius and Dr Sprott claim that it is impossible to test the gadget in a laboratory. Accordingly I arranged for a test to take place at Pukekohe Racetrack. Mr Cornelius acknowledged by telephone on 7 November 2007 that he was comfortable with the idea of racetrack testing, with protocols to be arranged.
(27/11/07 He has now changed his mind - see here for ongoing correspondence on that matter)
Accordingly, I am working with Mr Cornelius to arrange those protocols which he and his technical advisor (a motor mechanic) are satisfied with.
18/12/2009 Note that over two years later, Cornelius and Sprott have made no attempt to have this scam actually tested, although I will give Ian some comedic credit for suggesting I give him $200,000 so he can arrange testing of it.
Nice work, Ian!
May 2008 In the ensuing period, I have been dealing with Jim Sprott rather than Ian Cornelius as if I can get Jim to agree to a test protocol, we would be able to proceed. Despite my offer of various tests in a variety of on- and off-road testing, neither Jim nor the company will agree to have the device independently tested. I reiterate that I have offered to pay for this testing and have nominated Auckland Uniservices to do the testing, a completely independent and reputable organisation with an international reputation.
If true, the claims about Fuelstar would be an international success story dwarfing that of Rakon, Navman and Fisher & Paykel. New Zealand would be the toast of the planet, feted as the place which enabled fossil fuels to be used for 10% longer. Jim Sprott agrees that if the product can be proven, it would be a worthy recipient of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry.
There have already been truly scientific tests performed on Fuelstar, none of which have shown any noticeable difference in performance, output or economy. Mr Cornelius has managed to hide behind the banner of “the tests weren’t carried out properly” when each of these tests has failed. In the words of his own website:
A statement like that is pure bullshit. It is akin to what psychics, homeopaths and various varieties of "new-age" charlatans state. It is saying, "We're right and all physics and chemistry known to date is wrong"
Unfortunately for Mr Cornelius, the universe doesn't work that way.
Fuelstar now has the opportunity of showing the world that they aren't lying.
Until that test is performed: do not accept what Fuelstar's website is telling you - ask a scientist. Find consulting analysts, engineers, industrial chemists, take them for a drink down the pub and get them to have a look at these pages. Then ask their honest, trained, scientific opinion if they have any question that the device will not work and will never work. I guarantee they will answer a resounding "no".
My offer to Fuelstar still stands - pick one of the following:
A test at Pukekohe Racetrack
A test in the back roads between Paeroa and Te Aroha (often used for on-road testing)
Muriwai Beach for off-road or tractor test
Dynamometer testing at Auckland Uniservices
All fitting of devices would be carried out by Fuelstar staff.
As of May 2008, this offer has still not been taken up.
My correspondence with Jim Sprott is here.
Copyright © 2008 Immortality Ltd
Other bits of pseudoscience pretending to save you fuel: