17 replies to this topic

[hitchinbloke]

hi..

 

i have just bought a 1980 auatin mini. i was told i had to put lead replacement inside with tbe petrol to make this work.

 

why is this??

 

is there a way i can change it so i dont have to do this....

 

 

ian

[Alex_B]

Because when your mini was made, it was designed to run on leaded 4 star petrol. Now that has been removed you must use a lead replacement or fit hardened valve seats into the head.

The lead acted as a lubricant and without it you may see valve seat recession occuring.

[hitchinbloke]

so an expensive fix???

 

bugger

[Gadgets]

yes an precission engineering job or buy a used head thats been converted to run on unleaded petrol?

[Dan]

A relatively inexpensive fix that can be done during an engine overhaul quite easily, but you may not have to do it for a while. The lead replacement is phenomenally cheap, especially if bought in bulk on ebay. You need to add very little to the tank, and don't even need to add it every time you refuel. People will tell you about lead memory. When cars have been run on leaded fuel for many years the lead leaves traces on the valve seats that is referred to as lead memory, this can serve as enough lead for many years of use but it has now been so long since leaded was readily available than lead memory will probably be gone. So don't rely on that, get a bottle of additive (Castrol Valvemaster+ Is the best) or even a crate of it and just add it every third tank of fuel or so, then when the engine is worn and needs a rebuild get the head done at the same time. It's nothing major.

[hitchinbloke]

its just the engine has only done 43000 miles from new. its a 1980 engine...so worried as to not kill it

[Gadgets]

It's not a conversion job that you can do yourself though, its a precission engineering job or you could buy a used head that has already been converted?, generally someone in a local Mini club would be able to help you remove your head if you are unsure. that is a fairly easy job to do and I suggest buying a Haynes manual if you dont already own one.  In the meantime just add some additive! "Simples"

[hitchinbloke]

cool. i will keep going the simples way

[robminibcy]

Castrol valvemaster is readily available from fuel stations Halfords ect and wil Las ages. When I first got my 79 mini I used it. Running it without the lead wont kill it anyway, it will just cause accelerated wear of the exhaust seats. It will take 10s of thousands of miles to cause major issues however. I've not put any in my car for 2 years now as the engine is already fairly worn and will be getting rebuilt.

[Cooperman]

If you are in Hitchin, C & F Motors at Henlow Camp are able to fit unleaded valve seats, or any other engine machining you might need.

Until you decide to take the head off just add Castrol Valvemaster to your petrol and you'll have no problems. Halfords sell it.

[CityEPete]

My Morris is leaded, been on castrol valve master for nearly 5 years with no problems, dont worry about it

[grck1]

Do halfords still sell castrol valvemaster, i know they did but last time i went to my local store they had no lrp type products at all, nothing.

did ask the bod on the till but i might aswell have been talking martian.

 

ended up ordering it off ebay in the end, got fed up ringing local motor factors and been told no lol

Edited by grck1, 15 October 2014 - 10:31 PM.

[Dan]

Castrol valvemaster is readily available from fuel stations Halfords ect and wil Las ages. When I first got my 79 mini I used it. Running it without the lead wont kill it anyway, it will just cause accelerated wear of the exhaust seats. It will take 10s of thousands of miles to cause major issues however. I've not put any in my car for 2 years now as the engine is already fairly worn and will be getting rebuilt.

I had an engine suffer valve seat recession that went from new seats to undriveable in about 8000 miles. It is real, it does happen and if there is no lead memory it happens very fast indeed. Unleaded petrol strips lead memory from the seats and as I said above it's been a long time since real leaded was commonly available. Lead memory is essentially a thing of the past for the vast majority of these cars. Use additive.

[Guess-Works.com]

I've seen valve seats go in weeks...

[CityEPete]

Do halfords still sell castrol valvemaster, i know they did but last time i went to my local store they had no lrp type products at all, nothing.
did ask the bod on the till but i might aswell have been talking martian.
 
ended up ordering it off ebay in the end, got fed up ringing local motor factors and been told no lol

I got a bottle of the wynns version, its not very clear that its for leaded cars on the bottle but what else could lead additive be used for? I normally buy a couple of bottles of castrol valvemaster plus at the nec classic car show, lasts me ages.