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RE: unleaded gas

To: Tony Rhodes <ARhodes@compuserve.com>
Subject: RE: unleaded gas
From: erl@unix.mail.virginia.edu
Date: Fri, 12 May 2000 11:06:56 -0400 (EDT)
Cc: Jim Hill <Jim_Hill@chsra.wisc.edu>, Triumph List <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Mmdf-warning: Parse error in original version of preceding line at mail.virginia.edu

"Valve recession" has nothing to do with leaded vs. unleaded gas.  It is
the consequence of DIRT.  The old Triumphs used chicken wire airfilters
that were garuanteed to catch anything larger than a june bug!  As the
original owner's manual said, "Every 5000 mi, wash airfilters in gasoline,
then soak with new oil.  Every 1000 to 2000 mi, drip fresh oil on the
filters." BTW, they used no fuel filters either.  

The greatest advance in engine endurance in the last 40 years has been
quality of filters.  If you are going to use your cars on a daily basis, I
strongly recommend that you buy the airfilters that were specified for the
SU's on Volvos.  They are about $7 each, and should be a straight bolt up.
Save the chicken wire for use in shows, once you are there.  Also, put a
fuel filter in the line. Would be best before the fuel pump, bu there are
some potential problems with this, i.e. pumps will not pull a vacuum, but
will push air forward. Could be a problem with the old "vapor lock"
situation.

Cheers.

On Fri, 12 May 2000, Tony Rhodes wrote:

> 
> >In any event the available "substitutes" may or may not supply either the
> >octane boost or the valve lubrication of lead. Some of those additives have
> >been demonstrated to be worthless for any purpose. 
> >
> >Mixing race gasoline with pump gasoline is a dangerous and expensive
> >business, and also appears to be illegal - it certainly wouldn't be of much
> >help on an extended trip. 
> >
> >Jim Hill
> 
> 
> Jim I agree with the lead substitute.  I have never seen any independent 
>corroboration of the
> claims made by the substitute manufacturer.
> 
> However, valve recession is like the Y2K bug imho.  A real issue in a few 
>cases.  The
> good news is that the fix later is no more expensive than the preventive 
>maintenance
> (unless you let the valve burn REALLY badly).
> 
> I somewhat disagree about the your statement about the racing fuel.  The _act_
> of mixing the fuel in your tank.  (e.g.  add 6 gallons of racing fuel to a 
>half tank of pump
> fuel) is not particularly unsafe.  No worse than filling your lawnmower.  The 
>_storage_
> of large amounts of gasoline is more of an issue.
> 
> Many years ago (many = beyond the statute of limitations) I knew the 
>proprietor of a
> small airfield.  I used to drive up to the field and fill up with 100 octane 
>low lead aviation gas.
> My TR4A loved that stuff.  It used to diesel like mad on most pump gas, but 
>the avgas
> was perfect.  
> 
> I used to keep 15 gallons of the avgas with my lawnmower stuff.  
> I never blew up.  Nowadays I just keep 5 gallons of stuff for the mowers.
> 
> -Tony
> 

James A. Ruffner


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