Lead-free fuel for many older cars too

Press, 19 February 1987, Page 7

Lead-free fuel for many older cars too

New cars will not have a monopoly on lead-free petrol, according to an Australian pollution expert, Mr Michael Mowle. Mr Mowle was in Christchurch yesterday to conduct a seminar on unleaded petrol. He said a lot of older cars could also use the 91 octane fuel, but before doing so owners should check with manufacturers and mechanics.

“Manufacturers and the Government must take a conservative view of the numbers able to use the fuel, because the worst thing that could happen would be for a lot of older car engines to fail,” he said.

Virtually all new cars now imported into New Zealand could run on unleaded petrol, and about 20 per cent of all cars in the country could use 91 octane fuel. Reconditioned older engines with lower compression and with valve-seat inserts could run on unleaded petrol if their octane requirement was suitable. Older low-com-pression engines without hardened valve seats or

valve-seat inserts should use leaded petrol for about 20 per cent of running.

Mr Mowle, an automotive engineer who has been involved with the introduction of unleaded petrol in Australia, said the main reasons for using the petrol were to reduce lead in the environment and to enable New Zealand to profit from new vehicle technology.

“Manufacturers in Japan, the United States, and Europe are designing . vehicles which run on unleaded petrol. If New Zealand does not keep abreast of this trend it will be cut off from outside markets.”

Lead-free petrol also had the advantage of extending the life of spark plugs, engine oil, exhaust pipes and mufflers.

“Maintenance costs are lower and the durability of the car is increased.” Mr Mowle said the rate of conversion to lead-free petrol in New Zealand would depend greatly on the capability of the Marsden Point refinery to produce the fuel.

“In the short term I would say the conversion rate would be about 15 per cent” The refinery was capable of producing a maximum of 30 per cent of its output as 91 octane unleaded petrol. By 1990 the Government hoped that lead levels in 96 octane could be reduced from the present 0.45 g a litre to 0.15 g a litre.

The desired level of lead in 91 octane is 0.05 g a litre or less, but this level has yet to be reached because of crosscontamination with leaded petrol in storage tanks. The Ministry for the Environment and the Motor Trade Association have begun a national publicity campaign to introduce 91 octane fuel and explain which cars can use it.

A comprehensive list of all cars, motor-cycles, outboard motors, lawn mowers, and other petrolpowered motors was being prepared, but in the meantime people were being asked to refer to manufacturers or their agents for advice on specific engines.