Hi I was wondering if anyone can help me with a problem... i have a 1988 ford escort but it's running on LRP and I need to change it to ULP soon as jersey is stopping selling LRP very shortly. but I am unsure whether I can transfer it directly to unleaded or have to use additives... can someone help me on this matter? Many Thanx ed
I thought all petrol cars from about 1987 were made to happily accept unleaded as standard. If not, then it should be a simple case of a slightly timing retardation.
To be honest, it's not really an issue.
Even running a car with non-hardened seats, it'll take tens of thousands of miles for the seats to wear away to such an extent you need a rebuilt head.
The OP lives on Jersey, so the car will rot away before valve seat errosion is going to cause an issue.
CVH engines post 1986 (AFAIK) were capable of running unleaded. As SteveH says, even with the older, softer seats, the engine will outlast the chassis anyway.
Many thanx I had presumed this was the case but always good to check many thanx
Sadly retarding the timing is not trivial on modern engines with electronic ignition systems. Happily it's not necessary either - a 1998 car will happily run on ULP unless there is something wrong with it (or it's a diesel!)
Tony
The message from "Tony Brett" contains these words:
But he's got a 1988 car!
As a general rule a proper 88 CVH will run on unleaded quite happily. However, this was the official change over year when Ford went from the Lean burn back to the Hemi head on the 1.4
If your engine has the Bosch dizzy with black cap and the manual choke weber DMTL carb, and the timing is set as per the slam panel sticker at 6 deg BTDC (from top of my head) and its not pinking on UL, then carry on as it is.
In practice the best way is make sure it's properly set up with regard to plugs, leads, no vacuum leaks, proper running temp, clean carb barrels and no PCV slime blocking the idle correctors, correct idle speed and CO etc, then pop some UL in it, and wind the dizzy forwards til it just starts to pink around 2500rpm, then back it off slightly.
You'll probably find it'll be fine at about 8deg btdc, and feel much less sluggish [1] than at 6deg.
Tim.. [1] in so far as a CVH can feel un-sluggish.
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