Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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rdover
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 Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:11 am Post subject: Fuel for a vintage car |
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What fuel should I run my 1909/1912 (dunno which it is yet) car on?
I know that they only had very poor quality fuel back then and that the engine is very low compression but from the smell the previous owner was running on some kind of paraffin/ petrol mix not unlike what model airplanes are run on.
Advice gratefully accepted. |
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rdover
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:15 am Post subject: |
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I've been told by a restorer that unleaded will be fine given that plenty of oil will get past the piston rings and increase lubrication to the valves.
Any opinions .....
anyone? |
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Uncle Joe
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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This is way outside my experience, but, I'm going to make a suggestion.
I would seriously doubt that they had leaded fuel anyway when your car was built, therefore, I couldnt imagine that unleaded fuel in itself would cause problems. But I could think that modern high octane fuels would! What I always do with side valve (ie low compression engines) is mix Castrol R in the fuel. This has the effect of both lowering octane, as well as providing UCL. If you want to see how well this works, try it in the B&S motor in your lawn mower! 
UJ |
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rdover
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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'scuse my ignorance, "UCL"?
BTW Castrol R smells great. |
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22798
Location: UK
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rdover
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Cheers |
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22798
Location: UK
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rdover
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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| I'll go mad in Halfrauds tomorrow |
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buzzy bee
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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Hi
RDover, I have just found at an auction, a 1904 7hp 4 seat tourer Alldays and Onions for sale, Chassis no. 19, engine no. 619, Reg. AX108, can't think of the site just now, But can tell you the estimate if you like? Also a really nice 1904 Waltham Orient Buckboard.
Anyone going to rescue them?
Cheers
Dave
Last edited by buzzy bee on Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:12 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Penman
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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Hi
What!
Are they like buses?
Don't see any for years and then 2 pop up in as many months.
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Uncle Joe
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| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:45 am Post subject: |
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Rick is quite correct, UCL is Upper Cylinder Lubricant.
Redex was used back in the day, but a better alternative may be one of the modern synthetic two stroke oils. One of these smells like bubble gum, but not as good as 'R'
UJ |
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Scotty
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| Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:41 pm Post subject: Re: Fuel for a vintage car |
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| rdover wrote: |
I know that they only had very poor quality fuel back then and that the engine is very low compression but from the smell the previous owner was running on some kind of paraffin/ petrol mix not unlike what model airplanes are run on. |
The "smell" could be that the last owner was using Caster Oil in the fuel mix, that would account for the "model aircraft" memory. It was common to use an upper cylinder lubricant in early vehicles as the technology for pressure fed lubrication was still in its infancy.
I don't think you will have if the last owner was fuel / oil mixing, but do you have on the passenger / driver side of the firewall a small tank that has at least one thumb-plunger (there can be up to eight)? If you have then this could be a manual lubrication system for the engine, where every "X" number of miles you'd have to give each plunger "Y" number of strokes.
If you don't and the engine is reliant on an UCL mix then its really important you get the right mix proportions (as I'm sure you'll know) because these early engines either oil up their spark plug(s) very easily and / or the excess oil burns in the combustion chamber and builds up a carbon deposit that causes pre-ignition - sometimes leading to damage.
The "one-make" clubs are a sure-fire way in ensuring you get the best information for your type of car as I'm speaking from a broad brush-strokes knowledge base, not specific to a single make.
This is good stuff rd, I don't often get to read about somebody working on something this special and early.  |
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rdover
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| Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:27 am Post subject: |
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Scotty, Going by the smell and the consistency I think you are right however the research is compromised by the fact the the previous owner did less than 1 mile in the car in 2 years and prior to that I have no way of knowing when it was last run. I suspect the fuel in the tank is at least 5 years old.
There is no 1 make club for Alldays but I am in contact with several owners of teh 2 cylinder models from whom I am awaiting an answer.
Whereabouts in West Scotland are you? I'm a south sider if you fancy popping over to see it in the flesh? |
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Scotty
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| Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Richard,
I'd love to see the car - I'll PM you. |
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