LRP to Unleaded Fuel

[sprog]

HI All,

New to this forum but have had S3 n/a for six years. Have been running on LRP until the local garage stopped selling it last week. I have just filled it up with unleaded, does the ignition timiing need to be changed at all? And if so to what?

Any answers appreciated.

[WayneB]

Hello Mr. Sprog, and welcome to the technical epicentre of the internet What octane rating is your Unleaded fuel. Over here in Canada we have 3 grades Regular/ Plus and Super (which is 94 octane) My turbo runs fine on this without having to retard ignition settings. If your best available fuel is lower in octane ,it probably would be safe to back off the timing a couple of degrees to compensate. Hope this was of use, Wayne

[DanR]

With octane ratings note that the US and I suppose Canada use the PON system while the RON system is used in other countries (Australia NZ and GB for starters). Therefore the same octane numbers can be very different. Just make sure your local lead free is the same octane or within a point or two of your local LRP and you should be ok. I'm assuming all Lotus engines have hardened valves and seats. For more info on fuel go to http://www.btinternet.com/~madmole/Reference/RONMONPON.html

Edited May 3, 2005 by DanR1201

[sprog]

Hi,

Thanks for the answers, I will see how it performs, as far as I know the aluminium Lotus engines have hardened valve/seats so should be safe on that score. Will check what octane rating the fuel is at the pumps when filling up.

[gpz900r]

I have been told to use the lead treatment stuff and to stick with just one type of it. Ive used it in the past with my GPz900r as the valves are weak. Good to put a bit of lead back in I think...

Marc

[madmezza]

Might be talking out of my butt here, but isn't it only the HC S3's that have the hardened valve linings (nikasil?)... There's certainly something a bit more robust about the HC engine?

Even so, I thought that you could run most Esprits on bog-standard (95) unleaded, although I've heard several people say they prefer to use Super (98) unleaded.