I've got a '67 traveller and was looking through my workshop manual to get the capacity of the fuel tank. Anyway it seems to be 22.5 lts.
So on to the main question.....
I put in some redex, which it suggests 1/5th for fifty lts of unleaded, so i thought i would put in 1/10th, however got a bit heavy handed and 1/5th actually went in!! Will there be any problems if I top up the tank as planned?? And what will be the symptoms??
The only thing is that your wallet will be drained faster.
Unless you plan to hammer the car up and down the motorway then don't bother with any additive.
If you do get one that works, not Redex!
"Once you break something you will see how it was put together"
As above - unless you plan to regularly hammer the engine for long distances - don't bother with any additives. DO however set the exhaust valves to 15 thou gap, leave the inlets at 12 thou if you wish, and check/reset them every 3000 miles. If you absolutely feel you want to/must use an additive because of hard/long driving - then Tetraboost is the ONLY additive that contains Lead Tetra-ethyl, and it effectively converts unleaded fuel in to leaded fuel.
Do you plan to you plan to hammer the car up and down the motorway?
It's about how fast heat gets transferred from the exhaust valve to the cylinder head.
At around 65 to 70 mph this starts to get marginal on the A series engine and the valve can't shed enough heat, the valve seat and valve start to melt and the seat tends to get eroded as they get welded together.
A slightly larger exhaust valve tappet clearance leaves the valve in contact with the head a little longer and so it is better able to shed heat.
"Once you break something you will see how it was put together"
It's more about making sure there is always some clearance - allowing for the expansion of the exhaust valve stem (exhaust valve gets VERY hot) - if the clearance ever disappears - then certainly that welding process can set in very rapidly. MG Rover specified 15 thou gaps for unleaded head A series engines.
Not planning any long runs up the motorway at 65-70, i'll just be tootling along maybe 50-60mph. SO should be fine by the sounds of it!
Need to get it through an MOT first by the end of the month!
Cheers for the info ref general data, I am a complete novice with the book and I hate to admit but I'm unsure as to series I series II or MM(?) engine. what would my '67 standard traveller be???
The price of additive quickly mounts up as the more effective types are quite expensive. Why not put a few quid aside every time you fill up and you'll soon have enough for an unleaded head if you ever need one? Most Minors don't cover enough miles at enough speed to ever worry about valve seat recesion.
I use a 'Shell' own brand lead substitute. It's about £5-6 a bottle and will cover 250 litres of fuel. It has a handy measuring spout. I've used the same stuff for years and to this day I don't know if it makes any difference.
It's relatively cheap and I am aware of the differing thoughts on the subject, BUT I can't ween myself off the stuff. And no, i am not drinking it myself. 'Safe than sorry' syndrome, even though I've read good counter advise on this forum.
That's the problem with stuff you pay extra for, it's very easy to convince yourself that it's doing as much good as the maker claims.
I bet if you or I put Optimax in our tanks we would convince ourselves that the car felt a bit perkier, it's the power of suggestion, like placebos.
"Once you break something you will see how it was put together"
The problem is that almost all lead substitutes simply reduce the effect of valve seat recession not stop it. Only tetraboost actually stops it but by putting harmful lead back in petrol.
