Thread: Premium unleaded?

Originally Posted by Scallops

Folks - is it OK to use premium unleaded in my engine (2.0 litre spread bore)?

You can use premium unleaded in any engine that can run on ULP. However unless you have hardened valve seats you will need to add upper cylinder lubricant with either PULP or ULP.

Don't expect to see improved power or fuel economy - as the 2.0 is quite low compression.

Thanks, Ben. Does using premium necessitate the use of the additive, or would you suggest that too if I were to use regular unleaded?

Originally Posted by Scallops

Thanks, Ben. Does using premium necessitate the use of the additive, or would you suggest that too if I were to use regular unleaded?

AFAIK the 2.0 does not have hardened valve seats. So you should always use an additive such as valvemaster.

However - if not rebuilt, the engine should have a "lead memory" for ~25000 km or so after it was last run on leaded petrol.

Premium unleaded is the only petrol guaranteed not to be mixed with ethanol, so if you are using NOS SU fuel pump diaphragms or Solex accelerator pump diaphragms or even a length of old fuel hose which contain latex, then premium unleaded is the ONLY fuel you should be using.

A friend in Canberra have to rebuild his 1948 Land Rover fuel system 3 times in 6 months because of failure of latex containing components, until he became aware the ULP is allowed to have up to 10% ethanol without informing the customer.

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Premium unleaded is the only petrol guaranteed not to be mixed with ethanol, so if you are using NOS SU fuel pump diaphragms or Solex accelerator pump diaphragms or even a length of old fuel hose which contain latex, then premium unleaded is the ONLY fuel you should be using.

A friend in Canberra have to rebuild his 1948 Land Rover fuel system 3 times in 6 months because of failure of latex containing components, until he became aware the ULP is allowed to have up to 10% ethanol without informing the customer.

Diesel can also have 10% bio.

I am sure the refineries will tell you whether they blend ethanol in or not. All fuel sold in Brisbane would come from either the BP or Caltex refineries.

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Premium unleaded is the only petrol guaranteed not to be mixed with ethanol, so if you are using NOS SU fuel pump diaphragms or Solex accelerator pump diaphragms or even a length of old fuel hose which contain latex, then premium unleaded is the ONLY fuel you should be using.

A friend in Canberra have to rebuild his 1948 Land Rover fuel system 3 times in 6 months because of failure of latex containing components, until he became aware the ULP is allowed to have up to 10% ethanol without informing the customer.

She's all original - including the Solex Carb. Thank you both - glad I filled it with Premium then! Do you recommend additives too - it's just I have read they are not perhaps necessary?

IT'll run on anything you put in it that remotely resembles petrol.

its an old school engine mate not like the ford hell you could pull the head, shave it and fit high top pistons to get the compression up so that you can take advantage of the better quality fuels. that would require re-spacing the thermostat cover to the water pump which would probably mean the water pump needs to come o........

no, on second thoughts lets keep it simple.

yep premium unleaded will be fine remembering that all petrols go off so try to keep the tank near empty adding a liter or 2 of fresh fuel every time you want to take it for its weekly 15Km maintenance drive. you don't have to use the additives with every tank but I'd suggest that every 3rd tankfull OR every time you were going to take it on a long drive particularly during summer that you do add an additive. Remember like 2 strokes dont over do the additive if the bottle says it treats up to 100l dont use the whole bottle in 40l worth of fuel.

Thanks Dave - great info.