Leaded Petrol

I've just finally got round to filling Bertie up with Leaded Petrol £1.12 a litre

Only driven the 3 miles home as the weather was closing in. Initial impressions are after about 1/2 mile the engine seemed to loose a slight metallic sound and became smoother. Not had time to put me foot down to much yet. Can't wait for the next dry spell.


Nick

Originally Posted by alfatastic

I've just finally got round to filling Bertie up with Leaded Petrol £1.12 a litre

Only driven the 3 miles home as the weather was closing in. Initial impressions are after about 1/2 mile the engine seemed to loose a slight metallic sound and became smoother. Not had time to put me foot down to much yet. Can't wait for the next dry spell.


Nick

Aint cheap is it, it needs to be a good bit better than super-unleaded to be worth it.
I am really not sure if it made any differance in mine.

Originally Posted by alfatastic

I've just finally got round to filling Bertie up with Leaded Petrol £1.12 a litre

Only driven the 3 miles home as the weather was closing in. Initial impressions are after about 1/2 mile the engine seemed to loose a slight metallic sound and became smoother. Not had time to put me foot down to much yet. Can't wait for the next dry spell.


Nick

Did you hesitate saying "fill er oop guv" at that price. Damn sure I wouldn't know where to get Leaded in leafy London. You didn't go down
the engine conversion route then? Must admit if I owned that car I'd be
driving it everyday

I'm currently using a squirt of additive on each tank - costs £5 for a bottle that does 10 tankfulls.

The alfa specialist I've started using recommends zinc bricks placed in the fuel tank. They are, he says, good for 250,000 miles.

Anyone have a view?

Not heard of zinc bricks but many of these non-liquid "additives" are just a con..however, yours might be a genuine for all I know

Do you have a website for them?

wrinx

Hi all - I thought that 105 series engines are OK on unleaded but need RON 97+ octane. I haven’t jet tried leaded juice on my 1750, it's only 95 here in DK but unleaded 98 is available at a limited number of filling stations.
My head have the mark of being from an Alfetta which seems not to be regarded OK for unleaded by all. Does anybody have expience on this?

I'm it the process of having the head gasket changed on my 105 at present and the Mechanic has said it needs no new valves etc , though the exhaust ones were a little coked up. Previous owner had been using LRP, I've used that, leaded and Optimax (high octaine unleaded) all with out the octain boast in the last 2.5 years. Probably me but it did feel a little smoother on leaded petrol.

Originally Posted by elp

My head have the mark of being from an Alfetta which seems not to be regarded OK for unleaded by all. Does anybody have expience on this?

Why? I thought all Alfa engines could run unleaded, perhaps with the ignition retarded a degree or two

My 1953 Matta runs fine on unleaded....no need to change the valve seats as its and alloy head.

wrinx

I've read that the Alfetta engine of the 80's isn't advisable for unleaded and I think it was to do with the valves or valve seats, perhaps they stopped using the sodium cooled valves as they didn't sell to the American market anymore?

Rick mentioned to me that his valves are showing evidence of burning which his engine builder reckons would have been prevented by lead. I am still using Super unleaded, but ocasionally use the the full fat version as a compromise. I am being more cautious about stting they catagorically don't need lead after Ricks experiance.
I have a bottle of Millers addative in my map pocket for emergancies if I can't find super or 4 star.

Originally Posted by alfatastic

I've read that the Alfetta engine of the 80's isn't advisable for unleaded and I think it was to do with the valves or valve seats, perhaps they stopped using the sodium cooled valves as they didn't sell to the American market anymore?

Valve seats were the problem. Cast iron used.
Sodium filled valves were standard.

My family runs two classics: a 1966 Mustang and my 1973 Alfa. All we get is unleaded here, and we don't use additives. The Mustang has been running flawlessly for over 15 years on high grade unleaded. My spider has been running fine on unleaded since I've had it on the road.

Usually I put in high grade, although when the pump price creeps up, I sometimes cheapen up and opt for mid-grade or regular grade. From a driving standpoint I can't tell the difference when the lower grade stuff is in the tank.
Personally I'm happy with this, but as always, do what you think is best for your own car.
--Toronto

Hi all - I'll go at check my valve clearance; if the seats are "eaten" by unleaded the clearance will close up.
I've read that it unadvisable to switch between LRP and additives, as ingredients are not compatible, either always LRP or the same brand additive.
Wrinx - retarding the ignition is only advised if you run a lower octane rating than originally recommended.

...but isn't unleaded a lower rating than leaded? I remember running my old Opel Manta on unleaded years ago. It needed to be retarded a touch as it pinked like mad.

wrinx

Well wrinx, you confessed to have had an Opel, oh boy, oh boy. Opels are for elderly gentlemen in Trilbies and smoking Cigarillos while navigating the Opel along the lane (to the Pub).
Leaded petrol is in fact not leaded but a lead substitute (sodium) is added. The RON octane rating has nothing to do whether this is present or not as another additive (MTBE) is boosting the rating of unleaded. But MBTE does not have the valve and seat preserving qualities of lead replacement fuel.
But modern petrol, whether it’s LRP, unleaded, high low octane, is different than the petrol present when our classics were new, it burns more rapidly than the good ol’ stuff which in some cases leads to pinking and the ignition has to be retarded to prevent this.
Those who produces and market lead replacement additives to be used with ordinary unleaded claim their products prevent this by using manganese instead of sodium.
Which model (916 or 105/115) is the Spider you run?

Originally Posted by elp

Leaded petrol is in fact not leaded but a lead substitute (sodium) is added.

Elp, in the UK we have LRP and leaded petrol (sold by a very few petrol stations at a price far more expensive than LRP and high octane unleaded) are you saying that this is not leaded petrol either?

Originally Posted by wrinx

...but isn't unleaded a lower rating than leaded? I remember running my old Opel Manta on unleaded years ago. It needed to be retarded a touch as it pinked like mad.

wrinx

This kind of Manta, wrinx ?

Originally Posted by alfatastic

Elp, in the UK we have LRP and leaded petrol (sold by a very few petrol stations at a price far more expensive than LRP and high octane unleaded) are you saying that this is not leaded petrol either?

Hi, I don't know, but if the pump is labeled "Leaded Petrol" it must be.
Here in Denmark as in most Continental Countries leaded petrol is banned but 95 octane LRP is videly available at about 1 P more than 95 unleaded. 98 unleaded is available at a very limited number of fillings stations at 3 P more than 95.
For the last 1½ year we have had a petrol price war on and suddenly you see reductions of 15 p/litre posted. It's is then nice to have a octane booster i the boot so you can take advantage of the reduction even then the station doesn't stock 98 octane.