Leaded or Unleaded?
Turbo Mini Forums

Does an F reg metro turbo run on leaded or unleaded, assuming the head has not been modified?

If it is leaded are the only modifications needed harder seats?

Or would i be better off going for a better head?

All Metro turbos left the factory as leaded only. To run unleaded you need hardened valve seats, or you could just run it until you get sick of resetting the exhaust valve clearances. You need a minimum of 97 RON unleaded, as well.

IMO i would just keep it leaded..

How much should it cost to replace valve seats with harder ones?
Do many people do this or do they just use and additive?

think its usually round about £80 for an unleaded conversion.

f reg should be unleaded have a look at the engine number if its reads 12he or 12hf then if the head is the original then its unleaded but you can soon tell buy removing a exhaust valve

always looking for them bigger bunches of bannanas

The engine code is 12HD26 so it is leaded just had a look on http://www.mgcars.org/news/news498.html

I think I will get the conversion done, pain in the ass to keep using additives.

still check the head as it may not be the original, took a unleaded head of a d reg mg 1275 a whilst ago.

always looking for them bigger bunches of bannanas

No metro turbos left the factory as unleaded, so checking the engine number will not help. Only the nasp engine became unleaded compatible from the factory, and would have one of the engine numbers quoted.

Damn this has confused me now, ar eyou 100% sure there were no unleaded metro turbos?

Now I am under the impression that there were unleaded Turbos as well.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

There is no problem using additive, Castrol Valve Master + is a good one as it contains octane boosters too. Buying it might be a problem as not everywhere stocks it but once you have it then it's quick and simple to dose the tank. I've run my 1380 like this for quite a while using Shell Opitimax (now V-power) with no problems at all.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

I'm certain. Production of Metro Turbos stopped in 1989 as all cars had to be unleaded compatible from January 1990. It was more than a case of fitting hardened seats for the turbo. It needed the 97 ron, as a simple tweak of the timing for 95 ron doesn't work. They were never going to invest in the changes needed to make it suitable for 95 ron, as it wasn't worth it.

The MG Metro did become unleaded compatible from 1990, and lost quite a bit of power in the process. It continued in production until the Rover Metro came along.

Did you get my pm metroturbo?

Cheers, did you get my pm metroturbo?

Nope. I haven't had a PM in months.

Used castrol valve master plus on all my minis and capris without a problem