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LRP being withdrawn slowly? - teabelly
I read in the motoring supplement of my local rag that apparently LRP is slowly being withdrawn from a lot of petrol stations as the demand isn't there. They were on about having or taking part in some campaign that would ask petrol stations to give notice about the withdrawal of LRP from their station rather than just going ahead and doing it. They said that LRP sales were only about 3% of the total. I hope they didn't get the figure from winter sales only as that will obviously make a difference to the figure! Is there any truth in this or is it just another wicked rumour?
teabelly
LRP being withdrawn slowly? - The Watcher
Yes, I understand this is correct. LRP is being withdrawn. I understand there is a website (sorry address unknown) which tells you where you canbuy the stuff.

Anyone else know what it is?
LRP being withdrawn slowly? - Roger K.
Have a look at www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/fuel/LRP.html

It has a useful section on LRP.
LRP being withdrawn slowly? - Andrew Hamilton
www.leadedpetrol.co.uk/list.htm
Select your county to get list of leaded petrol retailors.
LRP being withdrawn slowly? - Cyd
It's true - LRP is being withdrawn. In future you will have to buy standard or super unleaded and use an additive. A friend with a Kent powered Caterham 7 already does this - he buys standard unleaded and uses a Millers additive which is also an octane booster.

Don't know about genuine 4* though.
LRP being withdrawn slowly? - teabelly
I had a look at the list of leaded petrol stations but they are all in places that are miles away from where they would be useful to me unfortunately. I think I am going to have to bit the bullet and get an unleaded head conversion then hopefully I can run the Vitesse on Optimax which should make it go like a rocket :-)

teabelly
LRP being withdrawn slowly? - Dizzy {P}
TB, it could be possible for you to get away with using unleaded in your Vitesse engine as it stands, subject to the right conditions.

I've used unleaded in my Triumph 2500 for about 8000 miles over four years without any sign of valve seat recession. This has been made possible by the fact that leaded fuel was used long enough to coat the valve heads and so give a 'lead memory' effect. Also, I don't exceed 3000 rev/min for long periods, though I very frequently do so for short bursts. (3000 rev/min in my car is about 80 mph in O/D top).

For about 18 months the Triumph was used as my main car and I used to travel quite widely in it, for example with four adults and our holiday luggage in the hills of North Yorkshire, 200 miles away. It went well on unleaded during those journeys but I was never completely sure that I wouldn't break down. However I no longer do long journeys in it so there is no longer a risk of a breakdown far from home. Also I've got a couple of spare heads ready for fitting with steel valve seat inserts if needed.

I was lucky in that I got away with the original ignition timing (10 deg BTDC) without any 'pinking'. This really surprised me as the engine was originally a PI (now twin carbs) and it still has the PI compression ratio, so perhaps should be running on 5-star fuel which I think was about 100 octane. I use 95 octane unleaded, no particular brand.

There is a sound reason for limiting to 3000 rev/min (or 3500 at a push). Above this speed, exhaust valves and seats can get hot enough for the valve to pick up a bit of metal, or perhaps hard carbon, which sticks to the seating face and grinds away at the valve seat as the valve rotates (which it is supposed to do). Short bursts at higher engine speeds are OK. It is long hauls at high engine speed that do the damage because the valve can't get rid of its heat quickly enough, especially if the loading is also high as in towing.

I was never totally convinced about the benefits of LRP. Obviously it has some benefit but I seem to recall that it contains only 8 ppm of wear-reducing additive whereas tests commissioned by the New Zealand government showed a need for at least 27 ppm. I may not have this exactly right but it was something very close.

Yours Triumphantly,
Dizzy.
LRP being withdrawn slowly? - Cliff Pope
I can't see that it would be much loss if it were withdrawn completely. Unleaded with your own additive is cheaper, and you can choose the kind of additive yourself if you wish. There has been a lot of debate about the merits of different kinds, and I think one conclusion in the classic world was that the base used in LRP (Potassium?) was not actually very good.
I have used Millers VSP for 2 years now (Manganese - based). It makes the car feel as it did on the real leaded stuff, and gives an octane boost to restore straight unleaded to what proper 4-star used to be.
I also found LRP rotted the rubber diaphrams in Stromberg carburettors.