Enhanced Bardahl B/1 Engine Treatment offer more comprehensive engine protection

It is known that the biggest contributor to engine wear-and-tear is the starting process, especially if the engine had cooled down. The simple reason for this is that once the engine stops running, engine oil gradually flows back to the reservoir. The lubrication system gets the oil circulating again once the engine is started, but during those initial minutes before the oil could be delivered to the moving parts, the engine is running without effective lubrication.

The holy grail of lubrication engineering, therefore, is to maximize engine protection during the start-up phase. Some lubricants claim to offer physical properties that enable them to adhere more strongly to metal surfaces and keep a layer of lubrication on the engine’s moving parts at all times. Other companies develop treatment additives for consumers to mix with their regular engine oils with the similar objective of delivering added protection.

Bardahl’s B/1 Engine Treatment is an example of such an additive. The product itself is old, the company that makes it in the US was founded in 1939, and its products have been available in Malaysia since the mid-1960s, half a century ago. Currently, the Bardahl franchise in Malaysia is under the custody of Cycar Parts and Accessories Sdn Bhd, a company that was spawned off the spare parts business of Cycle & Carriage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, who were responsible for originally introducing Bardahl in Malaysia.

Since separating itself from the Cycle & Carriage family following a management buyout, Cycar grew its spare parts business to offer a wide-ranging variety of affordably-priced OEM aftermarket replacement parts. As its portfolio strengthens, Cycar now seeks to re-inject new focus to boost Bardahl’s market presence, starting off with the ongoing B/1 Activation customer engagement exercise which we reported last week.

To prove its effectiveness as an engine protection solution, Cycar (then in its Cycle & Carriage Malaysia days) did a 1,330km no-oil run that saw two Proton Wiras completely drained of engine oil and driven from Johor Bahru to Bukit Kayu Hitam for an overnight stop before doubling back to the Klang Valley. One of the two Wiras was driven by our very own YS Khong in his pre-Autoworld days.

Recalling memories of the event, which took place in 1999, YS testified that the cars were driven gently without hard acceleration at average speeds between 80 and 100kph and air-conditioned switched on. Upon completion of the run, engines of the two participating vehicles were taken apart and no problems were discovered. It should be warned, however, that the success of this event should not suggest that Bardahl be a substitute for proper engine oil, but merely a demonstration that in the event your car runs out of engine oil, adequate protection remains for you to drive it to a workshop without problems.

Then known as Bardahl B/1 with Polar Attraction Formula, the equivalent product today goes by the name of B/1 with PolarPlus Formula and Fullerenes, highlighting the development and enhancements made to the additive in the 15 years since that no-oil run back in 1999. The new PolarPlus Triple Formula is a key ingredient in the B/1 make-up for its polar molecules ensure that the engine oil clings to the engine surface over extended periods, thus providing that crucial enhanced protection, especially during start-up.

Three components of the PolarPlus formula are the lubricating film which forms the first layer of protection, followed by the polar formula which is the second layer of protection, and Fullerene molecules completing the puzzle as the third layer. Bardahl describes the Fullerene molecules as ‘molecular ball bearings’ that enable the metallic surfaces in contact to glide over one another. Polar molecules of the formula, meanwhile, act on the molecules of the engine oil thus enabling them to bond more effectively to the engine surface.

The Bardahl B/1 formula is sold in small cans of 350 ml to be added to your engine at each oil change. Recommended retail price by Cycar is RM23 per can, but actual price may vary between dealers. Alternatively, buyers can also go for Cycar’s very own range of C60 lubricants consisting of mineral, semi-synthetic, fully synthetic, and diesel engine oils that come pre-mixed with Bardahl’s formula.

KON

Pictures: Official Bardahl release.