Traveller Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I want to bring up a subject that's been bugging me for quite a while now. Back in the day, before the advent of unleaded fuel and catalytic engines, you remember that the petrol contained lead. Lead was good for the engines back then, as (among other things) it was a main lubricant for the cylinder walls. However, due to the fact that lead is highly carcinogenic (ie causes cancers) and very bad for the environment, it was phased out and replaced by fuel sans lead and engines were modified to follow suit. However, in order to replace the lubricant and antipinging qualities of lead, benzolium and aromatic hydrocarbons were used instead. These additives if passed through a catalytic converter were rendered (quite) harmless, but if they were simply burned they were far more carcinogenic than lead ever was! This is at least the theory going round the net and the various science forums. Now, I don't know how it is in the States, but here in Greece we have unleaded petrol and another fuel called LRP; Lead Replacement Petrol. This fuel was supposedly specifically made for engines with no cats, and contains no benzolium, but calium instead. Now my question: My Gen4 VFR has no catalytic converter. However, Honda specifically states in the owner's manual that unleaded fuel should be used. If unleaded fuel is so carcinogenic without a cat, then why would Honda make such a claim? :biggrin: Or am I missing something and my bike does indeed have a cat originally? At the moment my bike has an aftermarket slip-on exhaust, so I know for a fact that there's no cat on the bike now, but knowing that quite a few of you guys run aftermarket pipes, what do you do? :fing02: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traveller Posted December 11, 2008 Author Share Posted December 11, 2008 Just to make clear that I don't care about engine performance with one or the other type of fuel; bike's got enough poke either way! I am simply concerned with long term health effects... (having said that, I'll be probably pushing daisies due to mobile phone cancer long before the hydrocarbons get me...) :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer wooly72 Posted December 11, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted December 11, 2008 I just try to ride fast enough that the exhaust fumes are behind me. At stoplights and stop signs, I hold my breath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traveller Posted December 11, 2008 Author Share Posted December 11, 2008 I just try to ride fast enough that the exhaust fumes are behind me. At stoplights and stop signs, I hold my breath. LOOOOLLLL :biggrin: :fing02: Same here mate, but a friend brought this subject up recently and I was just curious to see your take on the matter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tightwad Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I think the effects of just exhaust fumes in a carcinogenic way would be so incredibly hard to measure as to be a null issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer V-FORE Posted December 11, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted December 11, 2008 :fing02: but an interesting thought, who will be the first to rev there 4th Gen in an unventilated garage until they get cancer? :biggrin: Sorry, not to change the subject, it is a good ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 I run leaded race fuel in my catted vfr that has 51,000 miles since it was new. Main reason, is in seeing how carbonless previous bikes run with the supplement. Litterally piston crown and valves and sparkplugs are spotlessly clean. I even have complete pair valve set up still intact. Zero fuel issues and I suspect lead is good for fuel pump also. I try to add a cup every tank if possible , but ofcourse if I blow through 3 tanks in a day its hard to do that. The lead oxides in race fuel eat carbon like crazy(proven fact), and Hopefully aide with valve recession, I've yet to do a valve check. Go research lead and cats, they say lead will plug them up and destroy 02 sensors, I'm not seeing any of that. I'would never try to run 1/2 a tank of leaded race fuel in a tank, but in small amounts it digests nicely, every bike I own will get this supplement, atleast until emms testing comes into play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traveller Posted December 12, 2008 Author Share Posted December 12, 2008 Hmmmm... Well as I said before, it's not about how the bike runs (which does perfectly fine thank you), it's more about long term health issues. Oh well... Nuff said! Time to ride! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Hmmmm... Well as I said before, it's not about how the bike runs (which does perfectly fine thank you), it's more about long term health issues. Oh well... Nuff said! Time to ride! Can you imagine all the nascar fans stiffing all the lead in the air( up until last year when they banned it). Real leaded racing fuel undilted puts out an extrodinary large amount of lead talcom powder. The side effect of that powder , eats carbon like crazy and cushions valve seats Come see the lead powder coming out my tail pipes, and look inside, no soot. Pump leaeded car gas used to have about 1.0 gram lead per gallon, leaded race fuel has about 4.5 grams per gal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AreOut Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 There is no carcinogenic matter in unleaded gasoline, but in diesel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 I used to have to run leaded race fuel in my Corvette race car and did so in my non cat bikes too. Exhaust outlets were always grey while with non leaded fuel they were black! :biggrin: I am not very conerned about the ca emissions since most of us live too long anyway. :angry: Besides, since I have been around internal combustion engines a whole lot since way before the unleaded thing came to be I am probably headed for a tumorous death anyway, unlessI die doing one of my more dangerous pursuits beforehand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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