Getting the lead out

[Will Owen <nashwill@xxxxxxxxx>]

In v.7 #396, Fred Di matteo said: "When are all of you asking
questions about leaded fuel going to smarten
up? No engine ever needs leaded fuel anymore because octane ratings
are high enough for all but race cars. Just forget that lead does
anything for the engine!  But ruin the cat con."

It's a damned brave gearhead who picks an argument with Fred on
technical matters, but I have in front of me an article in the latest
issue (Feb. '99) of "Classic & Sports Car" on how "The Federation of
British Historic Vehicle Clubs has begun testing lead substitutes in
preparation for the ban on the sale of leaded fuel in the UK at the
end of 1999, which could affect up to 2.3 million vehicles." It goes
on to say, "The Federation has engaged leading independent automotive
research outfit MIRA to test-run an engine, using various additives,
while keeping a close eye on valve seat recession, the main problem
with using unleaded fuel in an engine not designed for it." The engine
is the latest version of the ancient Austin/BMC/BL/Rover A-series,
using a new head for each test cycle. A base test with straight
unleaded fuel showed 1-1.2mm of recession after the 70-hour cycle,
while the same test on 4-star leaded showed virtually no recession.

Now, it might very well be that Alfa engines are not particularly
prone to this problem; the C&SC article takes pains to point out that
the A-series engine was picked because it's notoriously susceptible to
it. Still, the British government is taking measures to make a limited
supply of leaded fuel available to historic car clubs, which in the UK
can apparently mean anything with wheels over twenty years old, so the
problem must be much more common than Fred seems to be implying.

Will Owen





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