Just to add my 2p worth to this issue -
I've used various brands of lead substitutes for years, intermittantly
in my Alpine, but regularly in my cast-iron headed vehicles. Up until now, I'd
never had a problem. However, the 1575 mile (mostly 60-70mph motorway) trip to
the Sunbeam Invasion in Ohio proved to be too much for some of the exhaust
seats in my 1961 Humber Super Snipe.
The trip there went fine, but upon hitting the local roads, the car
wasn't running quite right. A quick point filing and regap did wonders. The
trip home was also uneventful, barring the loss of a hubcap on the interstate,
but the day after I arrived home, when I drove the car to work, it wasn't
happy at all. I did a thorough ignition overhaul - replacing cap, rotor,
points, condenser, and still she missed.
I had checked the plugs in Ohio, so now it was time to pull them again
to check compression. 150 , 50 , 135 , 130 , 0 , 150, from front to back. I
repeat my quick check of the valve clearance, reaching into the oil filler to
check #1 exhaust, which feels fine. As panic starts to set in, I pull the
rocker cover. Thank heavens, no clearance on #2 exhaust! Time for a valve
adjust, then!
All said and done, all valves adjusted, both 2 and 5 were VERY tight
on the exhausts. Cylinder 2 tests at 155 after the adjustment, great! Now
cylinder 5 ..... zero. Panic starts to set in again. Visions of pulling that
massive cast-iron beast out of the engine bay whirling in my head, I grab the
rocker arm and - there's no clearance again!
I backed the adjusting screw well off, laid a screwdriver against the
valve retainer, and gave it a few sharp raps with my hand. Set the clearance
again, and praise the Brothers Rootes, the compression tester bounced right up
to 150 after another spin of the starter. All cylinders now read either 150 or
155, and the old girl is purring like a kitten again. Or is that like a snipe?
- but doesn't a snipe whistle? Or is that just for snipe hunts........
Jon Arzt
Omaha, NE USA
----- Original Message -----
From: JMazour@aol.com
To: G2Mctee@aol.com ; hillman@can-inc.com
Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 11:33 AM
Subject: Re: "Hillman - " lead additives...usa
I live in Iowa (midwest part of USA) and have been using the STP brand of
lead additive in my 1959 Sunbeam Rapier's rebuilt motor, and I have not
experienced any fuel related problems in the last 10 years. During this
time
I have driven some 5,000 miles, including highway trips to neighboring
states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska and Missouri.
James Mazour/Sunbeam Rapier Registry
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