The Facts on 91

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 230, 9 February 1988, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Facts on 91

Popular misconceptions about the performance of unleaded petrol have no foundation in fact according to the Associate Minister for the Environment, Phillip Woollaston.

An updated list of vehicles able to use unleaded 91 octane petrol will be available from service stations throughout the country

from this week. "Most modern cars are built to run on unleaded fuel," Mr Woollaston said. "There are no performance gains to be achieved from running higher octane leaded fuel. And the lead additives in high octane fuel will lead to unnecessary engine wear and increased maintenance charges." Unleaded 91 is currently three cents a litre cheaper than high octane leaded 96. "If motorists are unconvinced by the economic arguments of cheaper running costs they should at least use unleaded 91 for their children's sake," Mr Woollaston said. "Lead is toxic. It causes brain damage and affects behaviour. The main source of lead is from car exhaust fumes. Children are most at risk." Leaded petrol is being phased out in many countries. It was banned from January 1 1988 in the United States. Other nations including Australia, Canada, Japan and most of Western Europe are phasing it out. "Before the United States imposed the ban it carried continued page 2

Unleaded 91 Saves

from page 1 _out extensive tests using the United States Army fleet of vehicles. Those tests showed that unleaded fuel performed in a wide range of conditions without any detrimental effects. Spark plugs and oil last approximately three times longer with unleaded fuel. Exhaust systems are particularly susceptible to the lead additives.

"Maintenance savings for motorists in New Zealand conditions are estimated at 2-5 cents a kilometre," Mr Woollaston said. "If the 60 per cent of vehicles on our roads that can use unleaded 91 switched to that fuel total savings are estimated at more than $30 million a year," he said. The brochures have been produced by the Ministry for the Environment in conjunction with the Motor Trade Association. Brochures will be available from all service stations that are members of the Association. Other facts on Unleaded 9 1 highlighted in the MT A / - MOE pamphlet include; -If you have a car designed to run on unleaded petrol but are buying 'Super', you are throwing money down the drain. You are spending up to a total of eight cents a litre on extra maintenance and fuel costs - or $3.20 for every 40-litre fill. -Leaded petrol has chemicals known as "lead scavengers" to reduce the buildup of lead in the combustion chamber. But during combustion these scavengers form acids, which corrode the engine and exhaust system and accumulate in engine oil, along with the lead and other combustion products. -CNG ox LPG vehicles may have had their ignition timing altered to an extent that could cause serious engine damage if they were run on unleaded 91. Owners of vehicles using these alternative fuels should check with the manufacturer of franchise dealer before switching to unleaded 91.