Leaded fuel additives

[tvr911]

Does anyone use leaded fuel additives

[phillpot]

Why? the engines are designed for lead free petrol.

[tvr911]

I'm just asking the question buddy, is that alright?

[tvr911]

I know that it's OK for unleaded fuel use in an S Series, but I wanted to pose the question for others to give some feedback. I've wondered, since buying mine recently, whether any consideration would be useful in this area. Fuel lines, valve seats etc. To be on the safe side, I'm always using E5, and wanted to stay clear of the higher bio E10 stuff, but would that octane of E10 still be OK?
I know that the owners manual says it's OK for "unleaded", and I've gleaned this from a Web search as general info:

Valve Seats: Both the Ford and Rover engines used in these cars feature induction-hardened valve seats designed to handle unleaded fuel without suffering from valve seat recession (VSR).No Additives Needed: Owners fill up straight from standard unleaded pumps (typically using Super Unleaded / 97+ RON to prevent ignition knocking or "pinking") without needing any lead replacement or TetraBOOST chemicals.

This is good news, to be honest I wasn't quite sure, as my recent purchase car, although is very nice nick and well looked after with only 46k, is quite an old car now, and, as I say, I just wanted others views on it. What about fuel lines? Thanks all

[tvr911]

My mind is now fully clear that my comment above is definitive, and no additives are necessary in these wonderful engines. I got caught up with the age of these cars, mines a '91, and was assuming because of that they could need either the reworking of the head or usage of lead additives. But either TVR or Ford at the time, ensured foresight and future proofing. I'm just going to remain confident with using E5 fuel. They're fantastic cars, and I absolutely love them. And I've just noticed how relatively easy the exhaust manifolds will come off the 2.9 V6. The bolts don't do straight into the engine block, but into a carrier, or block casting of sorts. So access to the manifold bolts, even at the exposed inner end of the bolts, because of this carrier or block casting, is available to get them good and soaked with Plusgas. So they should come off straight forward enough. And even if you snap a bolt, you should be able to get in there with your angle drill. I love these cars, and I'm so happy to be the custodian of it. Endless fun. A tribute to TVR and their fantastic design skills and philosophies.

[cliffords]

There are lots of benefits in led additives to these very old engines.
They are now a very old design with materials that were never designed for the fuels we use now . Modern petrol is so different now to just 15 years ago .

[tvr911]

So do you use additives?

[mk1fan]

The early S1 - 2.8 engined version - may have some overlap with leaded fuel but the 2.9 versions (and V8) were unleaded.

Indeed any 'C' version should not use leaded

I believe a few 280i Wedges were leaded.

The only additive I use is system cleaners to stave of 'varnishing' during extended periods of non-use.

Maybe some octane boosters on a trackday

[tvr911]

Cliffords, what is your comment based on?

[keynsham]

All 2.8 V6 Ford engines need lead, certainly UK spec engines anyway. I used to own Granada's and there is a lot of info on them. It wasn't until the 2.9 was made that they became lead free.

[P100]

I use Castrol Valvemaster in both my TVR`s
My Vixen runs a Lotus Twin Cam, and my S1 runs on a carb.
Never had pinking or deonation with either.

[SimonS1]

I use Castrol (now rebranded Classic) Valvemaster Plus with 95 unleaded. The lead replacement is necessary for the 2.8 engine as others have said. No pinking, and the compression is still fine after years of that combination.

[tvr911]

Valuable experience based real world analysis, thanks all.

[godridge]

I use ESSO Premium 99 in both my 60's tech V8's. together with Tetraboost. This gives approx 100/101 octane fully leaded fuel.
An added bonus is that the top Esso fuel currently still has no ethanol.
If I'm going to br out of range of UK Esso , I use the best possible availible plus Castrol Valvemaster, plus, a lighter throttle.