Really Daft Question.

[mayevora]

Having owned my Esprit for just over 5 years, I still am unsure if I should be filling up with Unleaded or LRP. I know this sounds daft but I hear so many conflicting stories. Up until now I have always put LRP or if unable to find a garage still selling it - unleaded with a bottle of lead replacement. S J Sportcars have told me don't use unleaded as will cause damage but other owners say no problem. My car is an 89 N/A. Any comments to a daft question I should have asked along time ago, gratefully recieved.

[lrg_machine]

unleaded is not a problem in any of the 9XX series engines.

As the heads are "ali" the valve seats are already hard enough not to require leaded fuel or lead replacements / additives.

Don't know why Sj think different.

My 78 Eclat is fine with unleaded

the 1980 S2.2 I had was fine with unleaded

Everybody else I've ever talked to says the same.

If anybody else knows different please spaek now.

[mayevora]

Well after 5 years, I will give the old girl her first outing of the year on sunday and try some unleaded for a change (fingers crossed) Thanks

[Guest teigan]

my car has a big ugly sticker at both filling points stating "UNLEADED FUEL ONLY". you can't buy leaded premium around here anyway.

[EspritMiltonKeynes]

The only damage leaded petrol or LRP will do is bugger up your catalytic convertor (should you have one) and of course the environment, .

LRP is normally 97RON, which is great. The main thing is not to go below 95RON 'cause that'll cause the engine to start pinking. Fortunately that's now pretty hard to do now 2-star's gone... unless you're Teigan of course who deliberately feeds his Esprit with 92RON for some reason...

[mayevora]

Thanks for comments chaps. Tried Unleaded today and noticed no change at all.

[lrg_machine]

Thanks for comments chaps. Tried Unleaded today and noticed no change at all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If there was going to be any difference, you wouldn't notice it on 1 tank.......

[abrussich]

My car is an 89 Esprit Turbo, has 85K miles on it and has always been run on unleaeded. No problems.

I recomend that about every 5000 miles or so, put in some Amsoil PI injector cleaner. Just follow the directions on the label.

I just had the intake manifold off for some clean up and found everything inside nice and clean.

Al "phonse" B.

Houston, Tx.

[Kato]

We've had the info from Lotus to say there's no problems running on unleaded. As said above 95ron is important. Some early stevens esprit handbook say LEADED ONLY on them, but that was due to unleaded not being very common and the poor ron rating of some foreign unleaded.

Use Unleaded or better still the Shell or BP super unleaded.

[tonyp]

Long running topic this for triumph stag owners, where the (early 70's) engine has an ally head, the original seats being 'soft'. Lots of specialists can put in hard seats at vast expense, but apparently the going mileage for soft seat burnout is over 20,000 on U/L, so who cares, something else will probably break first !

Anyway, I can only buy U/L locally and its a real faff putting in additives at the right ratio into the two tanks. No need however so thanks there.

Incidentally, I got the bond film for Christmas (spy who loved me) - very hard to get at the moment - Watched closely when Bond arrives in Sardinia & picks up the Lotus, casually throws the bags into the boot. In my S3 there's b@@@@r all room for an asda bag, (thats a wal-mart to you guys over the water..)no chance with a luggage bag - must be the same on an s1 so was that shot taken with an engineless prop car ?