Premium unleaded only (regardless of the company). Ive never used regular unleaded in any car.

_________________
[NATHAN] -- Sold everything mini related and am back in big beautiful BMWs

Haynes manual says a minimum of 95 RON unleaded for EFI Rover.
So I been trying BP Utimate (said to be minimum 98 RON)
and Shell Optimax (said to be average of 98 RON)
Sometimes it seems the place you get it from is more important tho.
Best tank was not long after a tanker had just delivered. Not sure if that was the reason tho....freshness maybe?

_________________

It's usually bad when a tanker has just delivered cause it upsets all the sediment (crud) at the bottom of the tank and goes into your tank, best to let it settle for a day or two after it's been delivered..well that's the theory anyway..

_________________

Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

I use bp optimax 98 or i use the mobil 8000 I have unleaded inserts in most of my cylinder heads as i have seen the effects of unleaded fuel even with the squirts lead replacement stuff they sell.
I also treat mine to av gas and 98 every now and again and when i need it to work hard just 100% av gas.

_________________
www.minicranks.com add me to your watch list and come back again soon, under construction.

funny thing is GR reckons you don't need any lead replacement

_________________

Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

Possibly true. In our 850, we just run unleaded 91 octane without lead replacement. If we get valve seat recession, so be it. Modifying a 850 head isn't worth it, in my opinion.

Incidentally, do not check out Life after the Oil Crash if you are a sensitive type or have children - it is very bleak reading indeed.

I ran a fresh 202 head without any additive on the rebuilt 1098, just to see what happens. After 6 months it had pulled great chunks out of the seats. I'll put a pic in here when I find it.
OTOH, my 940 head on the 1310 after 30,000 miles & track days, using Flashlube- just needed a wire brushing and quick lap in. <edit> it's running bronze guides & S/S valves.
Flashlube works!

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

As mini mad knows i run 98 wherever possible. tends to be caltex or BP but whateve is available at the time of fill up. the 1275 has unleaded seats but the stocko 998 has gets nothing but the fuel, have run it like that for 12months and all is well. Besides i have another head to put on it anyway.

Cheers

Aaron

_________________

Caltex Vortex 98 with flashlube only(inserts as well). Forget the valvemaster - it doesnt work(mum just finished a rebuild on the XD Ute - 351 windsor and both heads were chewed to bits even though assured of its protection properties by a reputable fuel company from the land of dutch and windmills!!). Flashlube is good at keeping everything clean and gives you another 0.5 to 1 RON in most instances.

The other reason I use Caltex is that Woolies in Jerra have just opened a petrol outlet - love those dockets when it is pushing $1.35!! No more dashes to Fyshwick for fuel!!

Hooroo

Rob Forsyth
Miniot!!

_________________
Rob Forsyth
Miniot!!

BP 98' then add 6ron Race Octane Booster.Engine Spec's:1380 offset bore.Running bronze valve guides with stainless valves.
Allan.

I should add that the previous owner hadn't used any lead substitute and replacement 850 engines are pretty cheap compared to the cost of replacement lead-free inserts.

My Commer runs 91 unleaded with lead replacement, my CBR600 won't start on 91 unleaded.

Sidenote: 1 litre of 96 octane petrol = NZ$1.53. It will be NZ$2 before Christmas, and I doubt it will come down in price from now on.

BP Ultimate 98 in the Moke with a squirt of 2 stroke oil in the tank. Regular unleaded in the clubbie with it's standard 998.

Looks like BP Ultimate is getting some free advertising here.
I'm sure they wouldn't complain.

Here's my 15 cents-worth.

Had my 1100 engine rebuilt with hardened valve seats. Actually built for the Moke, but when the Mini engine (which I'd bought s/h, completely rebuilt, just 18 months earlier - the old buyer beware) died unceremoniously I put the Moke engine in the Mini. Since then it has done a sh*t load of miles without any grumbles.
I always use 98 Octane when I can get it, usually Shell Optimax (because they take Fly-Buys) or BP Ultimate, and some times Mobil 8000. I've used Caltex Vortex98 once as well. I've never noticed any discernable difference between brands. I have had the occassional bodgy tank of various brands, so I reckon it's more down to the individual service station (age of their tanks, turn-over/freshness of fuel, moisture etc.).
If I can't get 98 Octane, then I'll use 95, and occasionally 91 is all I can get (in out of the way places.) I find the car runs fine on them for one tank. If I use two tanks I start to get pinking and running rough. Obviously, there is enough residue in the head, fuel line, tank, etc to last a tank, but not two.
As if there isn't enough confusion in the market place about fuel types, Caltex has recently introduced Vortex98. I've only seen it in Sydney so far. Their 95 octane Premium is also called Vortex, so if you want 98, make sure it is Vortex98, not just Vortex. Shell has compounded the problem, while trying to simplify things a little, by changing the name of their Premium ULP to Unleaded 95. Apparently, too many were confusing Pemium with Optimax. Personlly, I think if Optimax is the be-all and end-all they claim (and as I said I usually use it) then why do they need 95 at all? Surelly they just need 91 Regular and 98 Optimax. Surely it would be cheaper for them to only produce two types of petrol, not three, and then country servos could be supplied with 98, instead of 95 as most seem to have. It is a bit of discrimination to think that you can't get 98 fuel in most country areas.

I have worked in the fuel industry for a few years [I am going to spare the company of free publicity] and would recommend at least premium 95 for any vehicle and fuels at 98 Octane for the mini. BP appears to be the only company in Western Australia to serve a 98 Octane fuel, with Caltex, Mobil and Shell only able to supply 95 Octane fuels. this gives BP a distinct advantage for 98 Octane sales. I have been using 95 Octane for both my vehicles for years now [there are a LOT of reasons both economically and physically on engine wear to do this]. Recently I have started to use the 98 Ultimate at BP and now swear by it. Although BP is a competitor to the company i work for, i now wont touch ULP91 with a 10 yard stick and ULP95, well if it the only one i can get my hands on. I am not going into detail on why ULP91 is highly unrecommended because i think i have rambled enough, but be good to your car and the planet, use at least ULP95!