Unleaded fuel

[Rex]

Fair enough twolitre, I take your point. So what tyres do you recommend I run on my BSA 350....?

[twolitre]

Can't really helpyou here Rex. I DO NOT really have the experience to advise on tyres. But I am quite satisfied with the Dunlop KS2s on my Triumphs.
JIm.

[Rex]

It's OK Jim, it was a tongue-in-cheek reply continuing the thread about ever-lasting contentious threads....

[johnnyboy-wonder57]

I guess we need someone who works in the fuel industry is impartial & has historic vehicles to put fuel conundrum  to bed, however, I can't see why members get pissed off by posts from other members, nothing personal, but,  if you, (the members who get stressed), do not like the topic then try not to read it if it winds some of you up so much & therefore not  then it does not contribute to your personal stress levels, otherwise some folks will think they cannot post  certain new topics without being criticised!
Secondly, I am going to see what I can find out about unleaded & the materials used in cylinder heads, valve guides and valves; I think I am right in saying unleaded burns hotter than leaded fuel  in Australia I believe, they have issued advice model by model & of course it depends what materials different firms used in the first place, the more run of the mill models, had different valve materials to a Goldstar, Velocette also used higher spec' materials  in some if not all models!


Having looked @ metals under high magnification to see effects I do know the naked eye is not up to the job of assessing  metal fatigue as accurately as we should like it to be.


Cheers


JBW

[R]

I ran a Ford on LPG for some miles - late-ish model, suitable for unleaded. Without the drip that is recommended. Compression faded away on several cylinders noticeably, and so did the performance. Hydraulic lifters, so automatic lash control. Never got around to fitting the spare head, to see if the performance came back. Or having a look.

But fitting seats for motorcycles on unleaded does seem like an exercise in futility, engines/valves were originally made for unleaded (pre 1930s) and anything with an alloy head will have hardened seats anyway. And only prolonged high-speed running is supposed to cause problems, who rides like that ??  (Perhaps a C10 on the M1 ?!!).

[R]

Its perhaps also worth pointing out that folks like the AA have done tests on old engines, and according to them, valve seats have what is termed a "lead memory".

That is, if it has been run on leaded in the past, the seats will retain some lead content, and will run happy for tens of thousands of miles on unleaded without being affected.  Provided the valves/seats aren't reground or lapped in the meantime....

[twolitre]

............ I can't see why members get pissed off by posts from other members, nothing personal, but,  if you, (the members who get stressed), do not like the topic then try not to read it if it winds some of you up so much & therefore not  then it does not contribute to your personal stress levels, otherwise some folks will think they cannot post  certain new topics without being criticised!
JBW

You obviously do not visit very many road vehicle related Forums or you would realise that this topic has been wrung to death at every opportunity in every Forum. Mostly by people who know only what they have read - written mostly by scare-mongers.
Let me just say "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"
Jim.

[johnnyboy-wonder57]

Jim,
No, I don't read or contribute to many forums....used to do 2,000 plus miles a month on a BMW K75 & 30,000 plus miles a year in an E28 BMW, sadly through fuel costs & changes in employment can't afford to do those kinds of mileages any more & not required to do so.
Bikes have been maintained @ home, cars a mixture of home & garages when I could find one I could trust!
Engine stuff round friends who were lucky enough to race in Classic racing & sprint competitions, plus my own rebuilds, still got the same philosophy always willing to learn, including reading books
 to catch up on an era I sadly missed, only came up for a provisional licence in 1974, the Golden years of the British Industry, well past its sell by date by then! .. But, from 17 to 29 years old, British bikes only, most people  rode Japanese by then, guess I should have built up my bike collection when hardly anyone wanted British stuff.... we live & Learn!


Cheers

JBW

[johnnyboy-wonder57]

Guys,
If anyone is still curious, (you naughty people), here's an informative article....used by NOC
http://www.nortonownersclub.org/support/technical-support-general/leaded-unleaded


Cheers

JBW