Unleaded Head / Valve Seats?

[Guest RoborRoss]

Had a slight weap of oil so replaced the rocker cover gasket tonight and it started me thinking.......

 

How do I know if its an unleaded head or had the valve seats done? Is it OK to use the lead substitute if you dont know and the head is unleaded or had the conversion.

 

Here are the markings on the head:

 

 

Again, thanks.

[maccavvy]

the markings to see if its unleaded are near exhaust port 4 on a pinto.

 

easy so find out with a web search whats what.

 

what is your engine though ?

[richardm6994]

I think all pintos after 01/89 are unleaded

 

You'll have P, PP , R , or RR stamped in the head adjacent to spark plug 4 if it's unleaded

[Guest RoborRoss]

Its a 2L pinto (I do seem to miss important info!). Not sure if its the original engine from the donor car, which was a 1986 sierra. Found the info about the number 4 spark plug but the block has been painted and can't see anything. Also, many posts I've read say that the markings can be very feint and hard to see, so as mine has been painted I can't be sure.

 

The additives are fairly cheap, especially considering how few miles I'll probably do, so as a precaution should I start adding some?

[Guest russell555]

I've always used additives as mine is not an unleaded head..... Have had no problems in 2 years... And the compression is the same as it was 4000 miles ago so it can't be all bad

[Guest RoborRoss]

Which additive have you been using Rus?

[Longboarder]

The face that's stamped is the manifold mating face and should not be painted. A wipe with some abrasive paper and you should see it. If it's an injection head it will be unleaded and the inlet ports are cam lobe shaped.

 

Nigel

[Tazzzzman1]

• I ran my 1986 pinto on Unleaded thinking the head was a leaded head (this was what I was informed) 2 years later I lost all valve clearances on the Cams. After investigation found the valve seats had receeded and almost pulled through the head.
  
• I rebuillt the head and had the hardened valve seats fitted and ground, valves reground and bronze stem guide bearings, head skimmed fitted for £100.
  
• The Lead additive may extend the life but keep an eye on your valve clearances as this is a good tell tell sign that they are burning out...
  

HTH

[Grim]

personally, i am very dubious about any supposed benefit from using lrp type additives. I was going to write a technical post on why this was, but lets just leave it at 'non-lead additives are useless'.

 

You will get away with not using it for a while, especially at low rpm. It would suit Rob(cma)'s old essex v6 as it would not need to do many rpm. It didn't suit Terry's tuned pinto because tuning increases the rpm that power is delivered.

[speedtripledan]

personally, i am very dubious about any supposed benefit from using lrp type additives. I was going to write a technical post on why this was, but lets just leave it at 'non-lead additives are useless'.

 

You will get away with not using it for a while, especially at low rpm. It would suit Rob(cma)'s old essex v6 as it would not need to do many rpm. It didn't suit Terry's tuned pinto because tuning increases the rpm that power is delivered.

and terry drives like he stole it everywhere and rob drives like miss daisy

[Snapperpaul]

This will be interesting (for me) as both my modified heads are based on older leaded heads and one engine can rev to 8000

One head has standard exhaust valves so may be able to be converted the other has bigger and exhaust valve seats won't fit.

I currently use an LR addative with octain boost

But due to a lot of factors only average 1250 miles a year.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Snapperpaul

[Snapperpaul]

Interesting view from the AA

 

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/fuel/LRP.html

 

For those who can't be bothered to read through here is the meat of the article.

 

Suitable additives

There are several proprietary lead-replacement additives available for 'DIY' dosing of unleaded petrol.

 

Additives may be phosphorus, sodium, potassium or manganese based – and are quite satisfactory used at the correct dosing rates in appropriate vehicles.

 

The following fuel additives were found satisfactory in engine durability tests set up by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs:

 

Millers VSP Plus, (manganese)

Millers Oils Ltd. Freephone 0800 281 053

Red Line Lead Substitute, (sodium)

Opie Oils 01209 215164

Superclean Zero Lead, (potassium)

Morris Oils 01743 232200

Castrol Valvemaster & Valvemaster Plus (phosphorus)

Castrol Ltd. 01793 512712

It's best to choose one product and stay with it, though some inter-mixing will be inevitable at times.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Snapperpaul

[Tazzzzman1]

Hi Snapper,

 

I was doing approx 3K miles per year before my head went. Not sure on condition of head before I had it though.

Seeing the damage it did to my head, I wouldn't trust an additive to prevent that...It is not an immediate failure, but very progressive.

[Guest mower man]

40k miles not had probs at all I don't wring the nuts off it all the time but it certainly isn't wrapped in cotton wool I suspect the head is std , I used to treat it to a tank of 4 star now and again but can't buy it any more . Valve clearances are imp and should be checked every 6k as in orig service . My obs only mowerman

[Guest RoborRoss]

Thanks all. Will probably sqirt some additive through from time to time. Will probably want to rip the head off at some point to tinker in the near future so can think about inserts then. Anyone seen these before:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RUN-ON-95-UNLEADED-FUEL-NO-ADDITIVE-REQUIRED-BMW-R45-90-100-1100-25-80-60-85-M-C-/350516012208?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item519c61e4b0

 

.....seems too good to be true, like those magnets people used to buy to fit round fuel lines to align the molecular structure of the fuel. I found that a bats wing and a dash of hemlock in the glove box had the same effect. :-)