D3O-Unca»tw Fanning Saturday, March 11,1989 EPHRATA (Lancaster) Leaded gasolines are becoming increasingly rare and may soon be regulated out of existence by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Using unleaded gasoline in an engine designed for leaded fuel may cause mechanical prob lems over the long run unless pre ventive measures are taken. Lead, in the form of tetraethyl lead, serves two main purposes in gasoline. First, by increasing the octaine rating, it reduces knock (or “pinging”) which limits the power a gasoline engine can produce without damage. Second, lead oxides and lead halides (often vis ible as white deposits) form a lubricating film on valves and valve seats, reducing wear on these parts. Without lead’s lubri cation, valves in older engines will eventually burrow down into their seats, an effect called valve reces sion. Valve recession can use up all of the possible valve lash adjustment of an engine and lead to an unsealed valve and loss of compression. Such a valve will soon bum and possibly fail, caus ing more serious engine damage. While there are non-lead alterna tives to increase the octane rating of unleaded fuels, currently there are no replacements for tetraethyl lead that provide totally effective valve wear protection. Lead is emitted into the air when it is burned in a fuel and would be a major health hazzard if old, higher concentrations were still in use. Lead also disables catalytic converters, which are installed to reduce other danger ous exhaust emissions. This is why catalyst-equipped vehicles are required to use unleaded gaso line. The EPA has been acting to gradually phase out all lead in gasolines and currently limits gasoline lead content to just about the minimum concentration necessary to effectively control valve recession. Now entering our seventh season, here are some remarks we have most commonly heard over the years 1) Hydroseeding is a time saving procedure 2) Forry’s method of hydroseeding is far ahead of the field 3) Their 3-10-30 fluid fertilizer gives me my total plant food need for the first year 4) I have quicker starts hydroseeding than my old conventional way 5) I like the one-call operation Give Us A Call Today And Reserve One Of Our Champion Alfalfa’s Choose From Edge Dynasty Big Ten Magnum |II Prepare Leaded-Gas Engines For Unleaded Gas Practically all engines manu factured since 1974 have included specially hardened valves and seats designed to reduce wear and valve recession with unleaded gasoline. However, there are some exceptions, especially in the heavy-duty gasoline market. Most pre-1974 engines and those newer ones with specific recommenda tions for leaded gasoline are likely to have softer valve and seat materials that are prone to valve recession with unleaded gasoline. The only way to guarantee an older engine’s performance of unleaded fuel is to install specially hardened valve seats. Modi cylin der heads can be machined to add reliefs around the valve areas for hardened valve seat inserts. The fit, alignment, and sealing of the seats are critical, so this job is best done by a qualified machine shop. The cost of this modification is approximately thirty dollars per cylinder, plus a twenty-five dollar labor charge per cylinder head. So, hardened valve seats for a four cylinder engine would cost about $165 plus the cost of removing and installing the cylinder head, if necessary. There are some temporary mea sures to postpone the valve job just described. Engine failures due to valve recession do not occur overnight, and how long an over haul can be avoided depends on the type of service, the amount of use, and the quality of mainte nance an engine receives. Valve recession is aggravated by high combustion temperatures, which are increased by such factors as high engine speed, improper igni tion timing or fuel mixture, and inadequate engine cooling. Here arc a few preventive actions a far mer or mechanic can take to stay ahead of the problem: • Keep the valves adjusted. If an engine has mechanical lash adjustment, check the valve tappet clearances more often than nor- a Serry'a mmm ▼ 2020 Hortathoa Rd Lancastar, PA 17601 Phona 717-307-0035 cT mal. If the valves should begin to recede, the progress can be moni tored and the clearances may be adjusted to compensate. When the clearances cannot be adjusted to the recommended values, it is time for a valve job. • Run engines at lower speed and resultant loads. Studies indi cate that high-speed service with unleaded gasoline can quickly lead to failure in engines designed for leaded fuel. • Keep the ignition timing properly adjusted. This preven tive maintenance procedure will keep engine temperatures in line. • keep the carburetor prop erly adjusted. A lean fuel mixture will greatly increase combustion chamber temperatures, which aggravate valve recession and can also encourage engine knock. • Maintain the coolant sys tem. This practice helps reduce the chances of engine overheat Change the antifreeze at least once every two years or once a year for best results. The lead-free fuel additives now being marketed promise to boost a fuel’s octane rating and provide necessary valve lubrica tion. However, as the saying goes, let the buyer beware. An engine study sponsored by the EPA and USDA showed that, on typical agricultural machinery engines designed for leaded fuel, the lead Pj, r% °Sh a % RICHLAND 717/866-2105 TIXACO TiXACO PETROLEUM PRODUCTS • HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT • AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIES MAIN & LINDEN STREETS • P.O. BOX 278 • RICHLAND, PA 17087-0278 LANCASTER 717/397-8244 ATTENTION FARMERSI I 'Spring Mohr OK Specials" Series 3 • Texaco Super Plus 15w40 55 Gal. Drum ...$176.98 Series 3 - Texaco Super Plus Single Grades 55 Gal. Drum ...$168.28 Series 1 - Texaco Ursa Extra Duty Single Grades 55 Gal. Drum ...$159;08 Havollne Oil Single Grades 55 Gal. Drum ...$189.77 Texaco TDH Tractor Hyd. Oil 55 Gal. Drum... $186.19 Battery Special - 405 CCA - Groups 24, 24F, 74 50 Month Warranty - $29.95 Specials Good March 13 Through April 15,1989 Other Texaco Oils and Greases On Special A 150... Call Your Local replacement additives reduced, but did not eliminate, valve reces sion. In quantities the eliminated valve recession, the additives caused increased intake valve deposits, which can also lead to compression loss. Furthermore, most additives are marketed at a price which may cost as much as $l.OO for every ten gallons of unleaded fuel treated so a lead replacement additive can add as much as 10 Public Expansion Legislation HARRISBURG Senator Edward Helfrick (R-27) is reintro ducing legislation this session to expand public hunting lands by offering reduced-feed hunting licenses to fanners who open their lands for hunting. Helfrick said that farmers who open 80 acres of land would be eligible for a $3 dollar reduced-fee license, plus a 75 cent issuing fee. Farmers may keep no more than 20 percent of their total land in safety zones. In addition to the safety zone limitation, participating farmers must comply with a conservation plan established under the Clean Streams Law of 1937 concerning erosion-control regulations. According to the Senator, these NEW HOLLAND 717/354-4136 rumm MACUNGIE 215/965-9877 MULTI PURPOSE GREASE TUBES Case - 60 Tubes $45.48 10 Pack - $7.91 Carlos R. Leffler Office For Details! Non-Returnable... No-Deposit Drums percent to an engine’s total fuel cost, at typical 1988 prices. It is also possible to actually purchase tetraethyl lead, blended into a fuel additive that is even more expen sive than the lead replacement additives. Over the long run, money spent on additives at each refueling might be belter used to install hardened valve seat inserts, which provide a permanent solu tion to valve recession. Hunting requirements would ensure that wildlife habitat is preserved for the benefit of both hunters and game. Senator Helfiick’s proposal has received the support of die Penn sylvania Game Commission. Helfrick introduced identical legislation last session. However, the House Committee on Game and Fisheries gutted the bill. Changing it to a land acquisition vehicle. “I was very disappointed by the Committee’s decision to eliminate reduced-fee licenses when they amended the bill,” said Helfrick. “But this has not discouraged me from working for the passage of this important legislation this year.” SINKING SPRING 215/678-7011 READING 215/376-7364 Land MT. JOY 717/653-8026 LEBANON 717/272-2541
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