Guys and Gals,
I have just got off the phone from the NRMA Technical Advice service.
Here we go,
1. Ethanol of 10% on sale at garages and upwards must display the content of Ethanol.
2. ALL levels and ALL brands of fuel have a percentage of Ethanol in them, however the content is minimal, maxed out at app 2%.
3. ALL carburettor cars should avoid Ethanol fuels, that checking should be done on floats and fuel pumps to ensure the floats and diaphragm in the fuel pumps are resistant to Ethanol, (good luck).
4. The advice I received was that 2% Ethanol should not effect a car with carburettor's.
5. ALL cars with carburettors should use a VSR additive to save the valves.

Looking at the above, we have no choice, we have to suck it and see, IF the advice is correct?????

It seems the only conclusion that I have come to is, who knows what goes into our fuels except the Chemists that work for the various Fuel Companies, WE ARE THEIR MERCY!
In saying that the "Old Car Movement" is now very large and getting larger every day, somewhere there should be a way of getting down to the truth of this issue.
Personally I only use the 98 octane in my GT, the brand has been Shell and Caltex, I will try BP simply to see IF there is a difference in the performance in my car.
I also feel it depends on each individual Garage and how they maintain their tanks and equipment which will determine the quality of the fuels we buy!

This weekend coming I will be going to the Orange Classic Car Show, I will keep you updated.

I will also say, points 1 to 5 are not my opinion, they are the views of the NRMA Technical Advice Dept.
Over to you and the mine field of information on fuels.
Regards,
Dave M.

Valve saver on all carby'd cars....?
Sorry, that's utter BS, and they should know better.

Only cars with cast iron heads need valve saver. All alloy headed cars are fine, carb or injected.
Reason is that iron heads needed the lead in old Super fuel to cushion the valves against the valve seats, so the seats wouldn't get punched thru the head over time.
Alloy heads have hardened valve seats from standard due the the softer nature of alloy, so they don't have the same problem, with or without leaded fuel.
That's why when someone says their heads have been rebuilt for unleaded fuel, what they're really saying is it's an iron head with hardened valve seats from an alloy head.

to back this up:- from Healey web pages.... http://www.rmahc.com/valveseat.html



Install Hardened Valve Seat Inserts

Specialist engine machine shops can machine out your cast iron valve seats and press fit hardened valve seat inserts which will resist wear and enable the use of unleaded fuel without additives. Only the exhaust valve seats need to be replaced. Cost is moderate and performance should be reliable if the job is done properly. If it isn’t and the inserts drop out, you’ll probably need a new head and an engine rebuild.

Install an Alloy Head

The ultimate modification. Aluminium alloy heads come ready fitted with special valves and seats. You can run unleaded fuel indefinitely, obtain better engine performance due to the improved head design and carry a lot less weight! However, they’re expensive (well over £1000) and currently only available for Big Healeys.

HOWEVER:- (not sure where i found this............

2. Have hardened valve seats fitted, or fit a cylinder head with them already in place. This sorts the problem "properly" by replacing the seats with metal hard enough not to suffer from the valve seat erosion in the first place. Engines with alloy heads have always (I believe) had inserted valve seats but these are not always hard enough to deal with the problem – not sure about the Rootes engines in this respect as my Rootes is iron headed.

Glenn,
As your post states "alloy heads have valve seats installed", it also states " but these are not always hard enough to deal with the problem "!
Agree totally, that is why I use Valve Saver and always will!
It will not do any harm, just Insurance and it is not expensive, replacing valves can be!

I would imagine Belletts had cast iron ? inserts in alloy heads. I know next to nothing about this (or anything) but would imagine cost would dictate what makers fitted when leaded was available.

I have part no,s for replacement floats for original GT carbys.They are available through nissan parts X melbourne part no. 16061-k1407. They are a direct replacement for the old brass ones,most of witch are cracked and leak,almost impossible to repair permanetly.We have used them in our GT for the last six years.about 12,000 mls.We have used 95 octane with flashlube addative all this time with no problems usually caltex or wolworths.but some pinging on BP.Hope this some help. LINDSAY.

For those of you that would be interested, I have just purchased the new floats here in Mudgee, for the pair I paid $101-10 including GST. (I was told that was trade here in Mudgee).
You may do better with the price, my main point is, as per Lindsay's comment, available right now ex stock Melbourne!
If these are the only comparable part, I think they are the only ones available, good to have some spares while they are in stock!!

Thank you again Lindsay.
Dave M.

This is what the Nissan floats look like, they arrived in Mudgee today .

Should I ever need them now, I will not be off the road.

Hi Dave, I have not seen them but I have my car in for a check over and tune. The floats were leaking fuel also but the shop has sourced SU floats from Sydney to replace them.
I have no idea on the cost or if they are E10 'proof' though.

glenn

I don't know if this is gospel but it appears that Japan went to unleaded fuel in 1967. But, since we had leaded fuel, the engines for export probably are not lead free?
But, my Sport probably is. (hopefully)

there was mention of racing fuel here also but:-

Where can I buy BP 100?
BP Racing 100 is packaged in 20L or 205L drums. This is a high lead content fuel with a high octane for high performance engines with high compression ratios and for vintage or classic cars, which like the low volatility. It is illegal to use Racing 100 in vehicles on public highways. It is sold in drums for use at racetracks and off road racing events approved by one of the following organisations:

Well, hopefully these are E fuel compatible!!

You could ask to see the originals to see what they look like?
When you had the carbies on my GT recoed, did they look similar to the Nissan ones?

I don't recall really Dave but i think they were brass........ too long ago !

The nissan floats are hitachi supplied same as bellett.,and have worked perfectly in our GT since it was put on the road.I have no doubt ,they are the modern replacement for the original ones.LINDSAY.

The ones in the Sport are brass as i guess all Belletts are. I unsoldered the sealing hole in top and removed all the fuel from them. I am then going to re solder (by sweating) the two halves together and i reckon they will be ok again. As spares for now.

That's correct for BP 100, but just as oils ain't oils, race fuels also ain't race fuels.
Leaded race fuel also needs a 'passport' to be able to buy it at all, simply due to the lead and that it's for track use only.
JFP and Cheetah make really good fuels that are 100, 105 and 115 that are unleaded and legal.

Hi Brett, that maybe, but the upshot is that most us just have to use 98 as it's more easily available, generally. Or at least the hopefully better 98's. And anything over 98 is probably wasted anyway in our cars.

The cost per litre is a bit offputting also ! (name of fuel has been obliterated) A drum deposit is also required.

You're not shopping at the right store then mate....

Thats the price given on their web site though. What do you pay?

It's academic anyway. IMO there are simply not enough outlets to use this fuel on a regular or convenient basis. For dedicated racers etc, different story.


It also appears the fuels contain ethanol anyway, which was the whole point of this thread:- extract below.
http://www.cheetahracefuels.com.au/fuelfacts.html

Cheetah Racing Fuel burns cleaner
105 Octane rating or 100 Octane alternaltive
Contains Ethanol
Is more affordable than AVGAS
Change from AV Gas to JFP Premium 105 is cheaper for the Teams to implement -