Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I can buy proper 4 star leaded fuel with "real lead" in it less than a mile from home - it costs the earth and in my experience makes bugger all difference to the performance and valve seat recession.

IMHO its a waste of time even thinking about using additives or anything else - unleaded simply works fine in a twincam. Fill it up, forget about it, drive it.

I have also raced a formula vee on unleaded and used in the 'hot ' engine in my daughters 65 bug vw with no adverse results ---appears if its refined crude it works could it be the oil companys must have been lying to us about all the additives we needed ? ---ed

wasnt this discussed here a while back?.......sorry retorical question...should have been 'this was discussed here a while back'
and IIRC the verdict was that due to the performance aspect of the twink when lotus built it they included such things as hardened seats etc as standard....so the conclusion was that by accident lotus had unleaded the head prior to unleaded petrol ever being available......hows that for forward thinking....it was also agreed that unless you were doing 25-30K miles per year then for your average classic motorist then leaded or unleaded made bugger all difference.......
I do agree with the principle of using the highest octane fuel when available.....I usually use optimax at 98 octane......I do have the valvemaster stuff with octane boost too. which I generally use when its supermarket own........after all the twink was supposed to run on 5star...not 4 star...the bang should have been at 103octane not the 98 of leaded or unleaded super and neither should it have been at 95 of normal unleaded......and I have noticed the difference when I stick optimax and booster in from the times when Ive been away, had no option but supermarket stuff and have used the last of my booster......
just treat your car as you would wish to be treated and it will pay you back......or at least thats the theory........
cheers
G

There is always AVGAS (Aviation fuel) which is 100 Octane, leaded if you really want high octane leaded fuel!!