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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Unleaded... Lead Replacement

Newbie.. picking up my 1970 1275 Mk111 3rd August.

Am i right in thinking i will need lead replacement if so what is best, ive see the like "lead pelets in a cage" which you just put in the tank or is a liquid better?

Advice greatly received :-)
C Presswell

I used Millers VSP (IIRC); you need to stay with one set of chemistry for it to be effective.

Avoid the 'magic' solutions involving lead pellets, magnets, ...

A
Anthony Cutler

Please don't waste money on "pellets inna cage".

Just waste it down the pub instead.

In fact neither option will help you when driving.

Dollops of lead sitting around in the petrol tank will NOT miraculously turn into tetra-ethyl lead, in suitable quantities to magically transform u/l into the elixir of life for old engines.

I have mostly used unleaded but my Metro head may be unleaded treated anyway, but the old head was perfectly OK with u/l before I changed it, there is a school of thought round these parts, that a head that ran with leaded petrol for a while will have had its valve seat faces lead coated enough to run for ages.

A drop or three of your "supplement of choice" seems a good insurance, every three tankfuls.
bill sdgpm

I'll second that

and agree with
>>A drop or three of your "supplement of choice" seems a good insurance, every three tankfuls.<<
if you really want to or wait until running without leaded petrol become a real problem for you which unless you're going to do a lot of track days or drive everywhere like a lunatic will be a long time, then have the head done, probably cheaper in the long run

look in Archive for loads on this often asked subject and the intrawebthingy for reams upon reams of information, views, opinions and loads of balls - in the tanks

your car was originally designed to run on at least 97 octane so will possible need resetting to regularly run on 95
Nigel Atkins

I must admit to using Castrol Valvemaster, not so much for it's lead replacement properties but the increase in octane rating.

95 RON unleaded seems a bit on the low side for an engine with a relatively high compression ratio/

Dave
D MATTHEWS

or you can use the monney you would buy lead replacement from to make a small saving and by the time the seats wore through you will have plenty of money to have hardend seats fitted!

Realy using unleaded will not increase wear that dramaticly with our hard cast iron heads.
So you can just as well do without.
Onno Könemann

Why waste money on lead replacement, tetra boost (tetraboost.com) is tetra ethyl lead: the real thing. By the way I am very content with BP ultima (RON 98) and 28 degrees total advance and don’t need no lead no more.

Flip
Flip Brühl 948 frog 59

Before converting to an unleaded (metro) head my logic was to just run unleaded fuel with no additives. Timing needed retarding just a tad ( maybe about 2 degrees) Other than that it ran fine with no problems. In time it may cause some valve recession, but probably not significant for at least 20K or 30K of normal use. When this does happen it is time to get the head renovated for unleaded use, but otherwise, why spend money before you need to?

Guy
Guy Weller

Onno, Guy and I say the same about save your money for if/when you need it

I don't know about Castrol octane boast but some other brands were tested a few years ago, on modern cars I think, and the conclusion, I think, was that they did nothing and these where brands on the shop shelves (not shady web sites)

I believe, might be wrong, that V-Power and Tesco 99 (now called Tesco Momentum99) are 99 RON but there was some arguement that the (previous?) Tesco 99 wasn't really 99 - (??? don't ask me)

I was very happy with Tesco 99, V-Power (Shell something before that and Shell Formula before that)

But BP (before it was called Ultimate) make the exhaust sound louder and rougher
Nigel Atkins

Castrol Valvemaster Plus

Just about the only thing we would put through any of our engines.

We also ONLY run on Shell/Topaz or BP 98RON Super Unleaded to aid the kick missing from the 4-Star.

Tesco fuels are hit and miss, as are other large chain store stations. We also run high powered road cars which never fail to let you know when you have got sh*t fuel.
PeterJMoore

Another comment - unless you have a particularly high compression ratio head it isn't really a matter of the effect that lead had on the octane rating - modern forecourt fuels in the UK are fine for an A series on that account.

The relevant aspect is the valve stem lubrication (and cooling?) provided. And you can go a long way before any deterioration becomes significant. What sort of annual mileage do you plan on doing?

Guy
Guy Weller

When I was touring Ireland a good few years ago I noticed that the Texaco Super(?) was 98 when other brands were 97

Intersting to hear you find Tesco hit and miss I wonder if that's more to done with fuel station tank maintenance

Have you never had trouble with Shell or BP?

If I remember correctly Shell used to be 98 too

Nigel Atkins

Our Shell is now Topaz :(

Tesco have also been on the news a lot over the last two years after having ruined peoples engines with sh*t fuel. As far as possible we will refrain from supermarket fuels and quiet countryside stations

This si due to simple fact that fuel station owners are tight gits and simply water down petrol with strained (used) paint thinners and their diesel with pretty much anything thick, gloopy and oil based.

This makes it a nightmare when doing 3 day rallies over the whole of Ireland when 90% of the time decent fuel is hard to come by. Both the midgets and the road cars are different beasts on anything but the best fuels, infact they are just divas looking for attention.

We are currently testing a new product called Magic Bullet, we shall let you all know how it fairs.
PeterJMoore

We had some Tesco fuel problems over here three/four years back but I think a lot of motorist just jumped on the blame bandwagon (as if they would! I take it back what am I saying)

You took my point that it's not just the large stations that cause problems

I think we've had that Magic Bullet over here too but I might be wrong
Nigel Atkins

Yes you do have Magic Bullet.

So far so good. Has given a dramatic increase in fuel economy in Wills 2.5 STi Impreza and our 225 Audi TT. as well as the Midgets.

Will try and get the exact mileage increases for anyone interested
PeterJMoore

Hi,
I have a 1978 Midget 1500 and have owned it for about 5yrs and was advised by several MG owners to use 'Redline' and have done so without any ill effects whatsoever. The car I mean!!!!!!!!!!!
Bill.
W Wood

This thread was discussed between 02/08/2010 and 18/08/2010

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