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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MG Y Type - Unleaded Petrol Intank Unit

There is on eBay now an 'unleaded petrol intank unit'. It is listed strangely as 'MG Y TOURIER RUN ON 95 UNLEADED PETROL INTANK UNIT'. It seems to consist of a wire net full of metal pellets and claims to have been invented by the RAF in 1941 to increase the octane of petrol. It promises that putting it your tank does away with the need for additives or unleaded heads. Has anyone come across this before and does it work?
It's at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MG-Y-TOURIER-RUN-ON-95-UNLEADED-PETROL-INTANK-UNIT_W0QQitemZ350241934900QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item518c0bce34&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
Peter
P S Sharp

Peter

I made an enquiry of a good friend who was an Engineer in the RAF. I will append below his reply!

"This is an ancient trick. In World War 2 in 1941 the RAF sent Spitfires to Russia. Their petrol was awful but it was found that by adding tin to the fuel it uprated its octane value a little. This has to be bastardised to today's 'This additive will protect engines from unleaded fuel'.
"This is utter rubbish. The Spitfire uses a Rolls Royce 'Merlin' Vee-12 engine made from Magnesium alloy. It has hard steel inserts screwed into the cylinder head as valve seats. Note "HARDENED STEEL INSERTS". The Merlin did not need protecting from unleaded fuel, ( Tetra Ethly Lead is the additive used to raise the octane level of petrol.) Russian petrol then did not have any TET in it.
"I listened to a chap giving a speech on this 'tin balls in the tank' rubbish. I threw the above facts at him in front of a big crowd. He left hurriedly.
"There was a letter in the Bulletin magazine from me about this some years ago. If you want to test the idea out yourself, put in some bits.
of solder (costing about 20p) and ignore the spin."

Personally, I am inclined to say that if you buy one - you may just be buying a tube of old balls!!

Paul
Paul Barrow

My source has very kindly also provided the following too:

"To help lay the lie about 'tin balls protecting exhaust valve seats in RR Merlin aircraft engines in WW2 in Russia' I attach a technical drawing of a cross-section of a Merlin cylinder head. The 'screwed-in'
hardened steel valve seats can clearly be seen in the soft magnesium alloy head. (The head was heated and the seatings frozen, then screwed in as an 'interference fit'.)"

Paul

Paul Barrow

Isn't it amazing how this kind of tripe seems to come up over and over again. I believe that the phrase for is is Same BS, different day. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

This thread was discussed between 22/08/2009 and 25/08/2009

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