Unleaded additive - what's your favourite?

About time I got myself a decent supply of unleaded additive for the Rover (2000TC). Is Castrol Valvemaster Plus still the tipple of choice? Where do you buy it? Another 2000TC owning colleague wants to split a bulk purchase so we're looking to save a few quid. The only local supplier is Halfrauds, who charge over 14quid per 250ml.

BTW, these Rovers benefit from the octane boost, hence the "Plus".

(I'm away tomorrow, so please excuse any delayed thanks)

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke
Loading thread data ...

Not seen Castrol Valvemaster plus for some time now.

Reply to
Conor

I have always used Redline in my Triumph, which worked very well - at least as good as leaded petrol. But my recent attempts at getting in touch with Delta Oils, the UK stockists, have failed, so getting a new supply has been unsuccessful. It is American in origin

formatting link
Have you considered using a real lead additive?
formatting link
is the only supplier as far as I know, and it gives an octane boost as well as adding lead. Nasty stuff though - buy disposable gloves to handle it! Jim

Reply to
Jim Warren

Speaking of real lead additive, a mate, uses a string of lead weights,

1" diameter, in his tank, (like fishing sinkers) he says it works but I'm skeptical.

I use a product called "Flash Lube" in the MG which has modified valve inserts and another car, '82 Honda Accord, Nulon, which is still standard, original one owner, 190,000km, not sure if this has unleaded valve seats. Both seem to work OK as neither have had any problems although both cars don't do that much mileage nowdays. The MG has to be run on a Premium grade of fuel, too much tuning earlier in its life.

I bought a 5ltr bottles of each, which stay with the cars.

formatting link
formatting link

Reply to
Rob

formatting link

Reply to
Rob

I started off with Millers VSP mainly for the octane boost (the E was designed for 5*) but now use Optimax or the other one - forget the name - without any additives. Doesn't pink at all on standard ignition timing, and after about 20k miles there is no sign of valve seat recession.

Geof

Reply to
Geoff Mackenzie

My Herald did 85,000 miles on unleaded with (a) no conversion and (b) no problems. I'd had the valve seats recut, too.

Ian

Reply to
The Real Doctor

It's got an aluminium head so has steel valve seat inserts, though - and those are of a far better quality than cast iron. Or rather most cast iron. Don't know of any ally head engine that won't be ok on unleaded - octane rating excepted.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

My brother had lots of problems with a Marina 1300 before fitting a converted cylinder head. Perhaps Triumph used better quality cast iron?

It did get very hard use though - it was an estate and he also towed a trailer, taking stuff to autojumbles.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

It was the great John Kipping who recommended not converting. His theory was that some, or many, or most Herald had good quality heads which didn't need inserts, and since the cost of conversion is the same whether or not you have a bit of recession, you might as well try unleaded and see what happens..

Ian

Reply to
The Real Doctor

Done that, got the knackered head to show for it. As Dave suggests, Triumphs do seem to be a lot more robust than others when it comes to unleaded. My Vitesse didn't suffer over 15,000 miles without an additive. I'm absolutely convinced that the Rover 2000TC is an exception to the rule of aluminium heads all having hard enough inserts to cope. I swapped engines after the last one suffered severe recession and a burnt valve and don't want the same to happen again.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

Thanks Geoff, good point, I do use Optimax to avoid pinking so could get away with a straight additive without the additional octane booster.

Cost wise, Millers VSP looks a lot dearer than Valvemaster Plus. Around half the price per 250ml, but only treats 40l of fuel against Valvemaster's 250l.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

Wow, all the more proof that Triumphs are exceptional!

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

Thanks Jim, I like the look of that. But if I'm doing my sums right, it costs over twice as much per litre treated as Valvemaster Plus bought from the most expensive supplier - Halfords.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

So would I be! I got into an argument with a bloke in a Capri once, who insisted that his car had been "converted" to run on unleaded, by fitting a "catalyst".

To be honest, I'd prefer something that's been tested and approved by the FBHVC. According to their website, there's not much choice left:

Millers VSP-Plus Red Line Lead Substitute Castrol Valvemaster, Castrol Valvemaster Plus Tetraboost

Worryingly, two more are marked as no longer available, I hope this isn't a trend.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

It seems that you can buy it direct:

formatting link
Lead Substitute - Lead Substitute 355ml £12.55 + VAT. + carriage, presumably. Any idea how much fuel 355ml treats? It doesn't say on their website.

Reply to
Willy Eckerslyke

I found a new supplier for Redline

formatting link
If substitutes are disappearing off the market, maybe I should stock up. It is not as dear as it looks - the bottle pictured is supposed to be enough to treat 100 gallons of unleaded.

It doesn't give an octane boost though - so it might be necessary to add it to Optimax or V+ if you have a high compression ratio.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Warren

Price is relative, as it depends on the miles you do, and what it saves you.

I put Tetraboost in my PI because that car uses the lead content to lubricate the fuel pump, and I am told that the other substitutes don't do that job nearly as well because they are not real lead, and sooner or later the pump bearings fail. The unleaded conversion for a PI includes a new fuel pump (Bosch rather than the current Lucas), but the cost of that pump will give me 9 years motoring at Tetraboost prices at the mileage I do in that car.

The other thing to bear in mind its that I seem to get a few more miles per gallon out of the lead additive than I did using Redline which I used for a tankful while I was waiting for the Tetraboost to be delivered.

How your arithmetic works out is up to you, but I confess I only put the Tetraboost in the PI - everything else gets Redline.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Warren

formatting link

I have answered this somewhere else in the thread - one bottle is supposed to treat 100 gallons.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Warren

Gosh, forgot it was an ali head ;) Mind you, it didn't feel like it when I was rocking it on the studs and it finally squared up and slipped down, unfortunately with my thumb playing the part of head gasket....

More seriously, there was a vast amount of correspondence in the JDC and JEC magazines at the time unleaded was phased out. There was a sort of consensus that post 1966 cars would be OK, pre 1966 were at risk, although might get away with it as long as the car was driven gently and not at high speeds for prolonged periods. Er - what are E-Types for? Anyway, as mine is 1966 that was not hugely helpful. Therefore I speak only of my particular car and my driving history in it, and would not wish to draw a general conclusion from it.

Geoff MacK

Reply to
Geoff Mackenzie

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.