Thanks, Robert.
>From yours and the other inputs I received, I have made one firm decision
and one probable decision: I will stop using lead additive immediately
(Compression is good, and I only do about 500 miles a year on the TR-3.) I
PROBABLY will put in silicone brake fluid. If not -- it'll be the Castrol
LMA, which I've used before.
Sumner
----------
> From: Robert M. Lang <LANG@ISIS.mit.edu>
> To: sweisman@gis.net
> Cc: triumphs@autox.team.net
> Subject: Question NO. 2,745
> Date: Tuesday, April 21, 1998 1:40 PM
>
> Hi,
>
> First off, these are not dumb questions...
>
> Two answers:
>
> 1. lead in the fuel. My direct experience is that the additives don't
> really do anything. My indirect experience is that the stuff can lead to
> other problems in the fuel system - I recall one TR250 guy (Hi Steve!)
who
> was adding CD-2 to his car... had to take all three Webers apart to clean
> out the "gunk" after a year or so. Another data point is related to how
> much you drive the car. If you fall into the classics-drive-em-on-Sunday
> crowd, it'll take a really long time to damage the engine from running
> unleaded. If the compression is still okay on your car, you're probably
in
> "good shape" for years down the road. If you start loosing compression
> _and_ you take the head off _and_ you have valve recession, then putting
in
> hardened seats is okay. But, as I like to say, it'll take a long time to
> cost justify spending hundreds of $$$ for machine work if things are okay
> to start with.
>
> I've got 100,000 miles on my engine in my TR6 - no valve recession yet,
and
> I've run unleaded only for the last 50,000 miles. And some folks on this
> list can back me up on this, I represent the upper end of stress testing
on
> any car.
>
> 2. Use DOT 4 fluid. It is a good idea to flush the system every few years
> anyway, so buy a few cans and change your fluid by doing a "flush". FWIW,
> I've not seen Girling Red, for a long, long time.
>
> Some say DOT3 fluid will damage your seals. I have no direct experience,
I
> only use DOT4. The brand that I use is Castrol LMA. It seems to work
fine.
> You can get it at better auto parts places or by mail order from the Big
> Three. I usually pick up a can or two when I go to events where TRF is
> there... I have a shelf full of the stuff.
>
> Later,
> rml
> TR6's
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