EA 81.. Can i run on unleaded?

scoobymine · Post by **scoobymine** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 4:11 pm

I've been reading some old forum posts about this. I've been adding valve saver to my 83 Brumby for ever, but some suggest you can use ULP or PULP. Can anyone confirm this. Thanks!

Subaru88 · Post by **Subaru88** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 4:57 pm

I have run on both, found the ULP ok but I get much better km to the tank on PULP and the car runs great.

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 5:33 pm

i run my brumby on 91 unleaded and runs fine

scoobymine · Post by **scoobymine** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 5:49 pm

Thanks guys, much easier than putting additive in. I shall use ULP or PULP from now on.
Much appreciated.

Venom · Post by **Venom** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 5:52 pm

Cars made to run on leaded petrol require the lead to lubricate the valves. Without it they burn out prematurely, hence valve saver stuff. Nothing to do with octane per se, although leaded petrol was 95 octane.

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thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 5:55 pm

Venom wrote:Cars made to run on leaded petrol require the lead to lubricate the valves. Without it they burn out prematurely, hence valve saver stuff. Nothing to do with octane per se, although leaded petrol was 95 octane.

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did the ea81 require leaded? i didnt think they did

Post by **TOONGA** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:03 pm

The ea81 with blue valve covers ran on super, the ea81 with black valve covers is the unleaded motor.

Continue to use the valve saver as yours should have blue valve covers.

TOONGA

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:21 pm

On my fuel tank it says 95 oct. suggesting 95 octane was standard / reccomended.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:42 pm

You'll read somewhere comment from an engineer society or the like, that all alloy heads use the hardened stellite valve seats that ULP and LPG requires for good valve life - so any engine with alloy head should be suitable to run ULP without any additive

Silverbullet · Post by **Silverbullet** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:55 pm

My 81' has blue (blue-green?) valve covers, I've never seen black ones but then I haven't seen many EA81's. Anyway I run it on regular 91, no problems to speak of except my seeping valve stem oil seals

scoobymine · Post by **scoobymine** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:02 pm

Toonga, mine has the blue covers. If thats the case i should still use valve saver? Don't want to burn the valves out.

scoobymine · Post by **scoobymine** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:03 pm

I just assumed it being 1983 it would be leaded petrol, can't remember when ULP came in.

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:26 pm

someone who is older will be able to correct me on this, but i believe anything pre 1986 requires leaded petrol while after 1986 they can run on normal unleaded fuel. i believe leaded fuel was fased out in 1986. so with your car being a 1981 i would keep using your valve saver. mine being 89 i am able to run normal unleaded

Post by **TOONGA** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:49 pm

scoobymine wrote:Toonga, mine has the blue covers. If thats the case i should still use valve saver? Don't want to burn the valves out.

Yours was made to run on leaded fuel, keep using the valve saver.

1985 saw the introduction of unleaded cars and petrol to Australia.

TOONGA

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:14 pm

TOONGA wrote:1985 saw the introduction of unleaded cars and petrol to Australia.

And catalytic converters...

As someone's said already - alloy heads have hardened valve seats as the alloy doesn't stand up to the test of time as the metal is too soft.

If you want piece of mind, run with the additive, if you're not worried about it I personally wouldn't have an issue with not using the additive if I had an old EA81.

Cheers

Bennie

coupe · Post by **coupe** » Tue May 01, 2012 12:11 am

I ran a 1982 ea 81 for years on unleaded and premium unleaded. i ran a cold thermostat and set the timing up different. On premium i got 650 km out of 55 litres and on standard i got 500 km. I didnt run additives at all. The motor never missed a beat.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue May 01, 2012 8:08 am

steptoe wrote:You'll read somewhere comment from an engineer society or the like, that all alloy heads use the hardened stellite valve seats that ULP and LPG requires for good valve life - so any engine with alloy head should be suitable to run ULP without any additive

You have alloy heads right ?? You should be right, but so we get a disclaimer going on your old engine that may crap out due to a number of things keep using valve saver and look after our rep in here !

David D · Post by **David D** » Fri May 04, 2012 7:11 pm

I have read before that blue valve covers indicate that the car was made for leaded petrol. My '87 Brumby has blue valve covers but says unleaded inside the fuel filler flap. I've always ran it on unleaded

David

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Fri May 04, 2012 7:19 pm

What's the difference between an old EA81 and a newer EA81?
Blue vs black covers?

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Fri May 04, 2012 8:02 pm

softer valves in old and the allow heads in new i think...