I realize that this is more of a tech question but I thought I'd rather try my luck here instead since it appears that there is more activity here...my mechanic informed me today that I should start using 'unleaded' Optimax or equivalent in order to make my carbs run better, would this harm the engine despite having just the original cylinder heads and not special unleaded ones?
Thanks,
A
I've run Optimax in my bug (with an upper cylinder lubricant) for the last 18 months and its still going stong!
i have HEARD.. but i have never seen it confirmed.. that any 68 and later beetle engines have hardened seals..
i used premium in my beetle for a while.. didnt do anything too weird. and it still drives🙂
Tagedeezee Heezy
Question: What is the difference between a leaded and unleaded engine anyway? Why can't you use regular?
P.S - I am slowly, slowly learning stuff from John Muirs guide to VWs for idiots. Gonna read about valves and rocker arms tonight.
Aldo, search for it theres a shitload of information on here....
but the short of it all is that vw has hardened valve guides and seats and therefore needent run additional lube in petrol and therefore can run unleaded.... the optimax etc is just higher octane so it butns cleaner,
thats the jist of it, the leaded and whatnot are only necessary in those cars with cast iron heads and no additional valve seats.....
Thank you to all of your answers so far....I feel better now!
is it okay to run unleaded in a 1960 bug? (stock engine) I'm thinking of changing to unleaded soon (using lrp) but wanted to know if i need to buy something like flashlube...
Also premium unleaded or just normal unleaded?
Heidi - 1960 White Beetle
'65 Kiwi Ghia
premium.. you will get pinging from normal unleaded.. as it has a lower octane levle than LRP
Tagedeezee Heezy
They run best on premium unleaded with a valve lube additive that you put in the tank now n then, dont use LRP petrol its crap!
Alex.🙂
There is no difference in the unleaded head and the leaded head they both have the same valves n valve seats.
If you intend to use unleaded the best option would be to decrease the compression ratio so that is run smooth on the lower octain rated unleaded.
The shell Optimax or equilavent is aroud the same Octain rating as the old full Leaded super petrol that used to be around about 8 to 10 years ago
so your saying any VW will run on unleaded dave?
Tagedeezee Heezy
Forgot to add
Ensure your timming is right to the petrol you run.... adjust it as necessary to the engine not what the book says use this as a guide yes but it may need fine adjusting
DONT LET YOUR ENGINE PING this will kill it quick.
Run filters and use good brand fuel ... not cheap dirty crap no names ???
thanks guys...will be switching to premium with valve lube additive..I always try to fill up from the same place so you know who to blame if something goes wrong!
Heidi - 1960 White Beetle
'65 Kiwi Ghia
if you look inside the flap of a later beetle you will find the vw recommended octane rating for petrol is ----91ron it just so happens the minimum aus standard is ----91ron ---therefore you can happily run ordinary ulp no sweat just make shure you have a good filter and change it regularly
does anybody know about the old subi engines? can you run an early ea81 engine on premium?
Reimagined/Recycled/Upcycled Cool
During our recent adventures getting home from Valla with the Kombi, virtually every person we spoke to, including three specialist air cooled mechanics, asked what kind of fuel we used. When we replied LRP, they all said it was crap and we shouldn't use it.
I don't know if PULP is necessary, but since that happened we now run all our cars on PULP with Flashlube and stick to major name brands. Besides, LRP is being phased out fairly soon as far as I know, so there will be no choice.
Ain't nothin' like the wind in your hair.
I switched from LRP to PULP and Flashlube on the way up to Valla. Adjusted my timing to get rid of the ping and it went without a problem.
I now use branded unleaded with Flashlube and adjusted the timing again to make sure there was no pinging.
Been running on normal ULP now for 5 weeks or so with no loss of power, pinging or flat spots.
Engine is a 1600SP
Steve
I run my Fastie in Pulp with Flashlube wth no problems
If you can't laugh at yourself you can't laugh at anyone else! Because life is to short not to LAUGH
Don't use std unleaded as it burns way too hot. We have a customers piston sitting on the counter that she melted in 2 weeks running on unleaded. Use whatever you think is best but I won't be using it in any of my aircoolers.
Chris
Thats good to know.... I am going to run 50/50 ULP/PULP
I know LRP is crap and will phased out soon.... although I heard that about 12 months ago...
VWs have hardened Valve seats and guides otherwise the soft alloy would wear away in a short time...
I'm NOT sure what valves should be used with unleaded..
I see in UK Magazines that they sell Unleaded Heads.. so I presume they have better valves... stainless? titanium??
Sodium filled ????
Good News: Woolworths Fuel is Now ALL CALTEX No Asian fuel crap any more... so get 4 cents a litre off, after buying something first to get Your discount Voucher.....
and Coles vouchers is for SHELL fuel also 4 cents off....
Lee
- Helping keep Air Cooled VWs on the road - location: SCONE in the Upper Hunter Valley - Northern NSW 320 kms NNW of SYDNEY---
How do you adjust timing to suit the petrol?
I mean, I know how to adjust static timing, but for ULP or PULP what do you do to the timing that is different from standard timing?
Chris, Wouldnt burnt pistons indicate that the timing was off and your customers car was pinking. VW engines blow a hole in the piston very quickly if they are pinking!
Shell ULP is 91 RON which is close to what is recommended for VW engines (90 RON according to my 1967 industrial engines manual). My thinking is that if the octane rating is OK, then all I need to think about is a lubricant to prevent valve seat recession hence why I use Flashlube.
There is so much differing opinion on this its hard to know what to do.
I will let you know if I blow a hole in the piston.
KaferLover, I usually keep retarding the timing from the standard setting back until I get rid of any pinking. Best way to listen for pinking is when your climbing a hill next to a picket fence!
Cheers
Steve
[Edited on 6-9-2004 by matara]
sorry to jump in on this one but what about the 2ltr bus engines ?
Founding member of the C'town Rat-Pack
G'day All,
I've been running unleaded in the Desert Splitty (1600TP) since I built it (reg'd April '04) and have experimented with different types of fuel additives including Automatic Trans Fluid which I found to work equally as well as anything else and is cheaper. The Splitty has done about 7000ks now with no problems.
I found that Premium does perform a little better and gives better fuel consumption but we only have straight unleaded out here in the Desert so you get used to it.
Cheers, Ian.
