18 replies to this topic

[starrider]

ok, i've never heard of this one and just want to make sure i'm not being had. the guy i bought the clubman from claims there is a device in the fuel line that adds lead to the petrol so i don't have to add the lead additive. he claims it's good for a long long time. the engine is an mg metro 1275. just want to make sure he's not playing the stupid american trick.

[m1n1]

i've heard of them, they were in all the classic car mags when lead was being phased out. suffice to say if your car does have one and it is running well, then it must be working now lead's been gone for years..

[Bounce]

Ive also heard a rumor that if you put one of these in an unleaded fuel line that supplies an unleaded engine it provides more power.



Sounds stupid to me.

[miniboo]

from what i heard it is a load of rubbish

[Dog]

Yep its called, getting the mrs to add the additive

[miniboo]

use castrol valvemaster

[starrider]

use castrol valvemaster

so what your saying is play it safe and add the valvemaster?

[Dan]

I don't know what they're saying but what I'm saying is that these things categorcially don't work. It's the same as the lump of lead thing that you were supposed to drop in the tank. Unless it has a tank you fill with additive that it doses automatically into the fuel it's doing nothing. Check the valve heights all look the same when closed as there may be some valve recession starting. The lead memory should be just about wearing out by now.

[Owain]

i face the same problem. I have a 1275 metro engine and need to use Castrol Valvemaster. But there are 2 kinds (one is normal and one has an octane boost - also more expensive). You also have the choice of Premium unleaded (about 95 RON) or Super unleaded (about 97 RON). Different combinations of the different additives and different unleadeds will not work. You have to set the timing of your Mini up to suit the combination you're going to use. Mine is set for Premium unleaded and the cheapy valvemaster (purely to save money).

[Guess-Works.com]

these 'lead balls, block whatever' are pap, and are just adding weight to your car...

Use an additive..

Edited by GuessWorks, 25 April 2006 - 08:30 AM.

[minipip]

my car has one of these inline converters and mine is fine its a leadded engine and i have been using a unleadded since i got it and the guy b4 said he had been using unleadded too. now on the jetta my tappets were tickcing sommin cronick wen i forget to add the additive, but drake has been fine i will get a piccy of my enigen bay to show you all where mine is.

[Jammy]

my car has one of these inline converters and mine is fine its a leadded engine and i have been using a unleadded since i got it and the guy b4 said he had been using unleadded too. now on the jetta my tappets were tickcing sommin cronick wen i forget to add the additive, but drake has been fine i will get a piccy of my enigen bay to show you all where mine is.

Well from what I could work out of what you have said it sounds like you have an inline lead additive thing. I'd listen to Dan and GW when they say they do not work! You maybe getting away with using unleaded at the moment (if you have a cylinder head with leaded valve seats), but thats only because the leaded petrol that was used before leaves a desposit that the unleaded petrol has to eat through before it starts damaging your engine. If I was you I'd be finding out whether you have an unleaded cylinder head or not, and if you don't, start using an additive like the Castrol stuff, or similar.

[Bungle]

the only reason these things seem to work is because there is some lead left on the valves from when leaded fuel was avable

[cooper_shaz]

Undoubtedly thee devices have a benefit over using unleaded with no addatives.

But do they actually provide the correct amount of lead to do the job. ??
Anyones guess

As the guys above say,
Just add valve master when you fill up, it is about £5 a bottle and it last ages you should get about 2500 miles of driving to a bottle... so why take the risk for the sake of just over 1p of addative for each litre of fuel.

If nothing else you can then be certain that the valve seats are not wearing away..

Your choice at the end of the day...

[Steamo]

When leaded petrol was banned they actually used the A-series engine to test the additives as it is so prone to valve seat recesion.

Not one of the inline or drop in the tank types worked at all!!!

Use a good additive its so cheap and easy I'd be very expensive if the valve seats recesed as you may not even be able to use it as an exchange on a recon head - then you will have to pay a hefty surcharge on top.

Also for information - I've read that the lead memory will last for 10% of the overall engine mileage (provided the valve seats have not been touched).

i.e. If you have a 60,000 mile car you have around 6,000 miles before the damage begins. (Don't bank on this though because if for example the car had the head replaced/valves lapped in etc at 50,000 then you will only have a lead memory of 1,000 miles.)

I defiately wouldn't chance it though.