Johannesburg - Around three years ago we reported on the impending discontinuation of lead replacement petrol (LRP) in South Africa, much to the dismay of older-car owners.
At the time, there was no deadline for the phase out, but it was expected that LRP would become completely extinct by 2017. However, it now seems that South Africa’s petrol suppliers are backtracking on original plans. We contacted a few of the bigger petroleum companies to find out what the future holds for LRP locally, and all said that as long as customers are buying, they’ll continue selling.
Shell, which currently carries LRP at 396 stations in South Africa, says: “The general demand for LRP is declining inland as well as in coastal regions. But the final decision will be determined by customer demand as well as car-park evolution.”
Sasol’s response was similar. “Current supply is dictated by demand. At this stage we continue to monitor market demand for the product, and we will make a decision based on our findings.”
Sasol carries 93 octane LRP in the Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo; and 95 LRP in Kwa-Zulu Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape.
The only definitive way of determining which cars require LRP fuel is to open the engine and see what type of valve seats are in the cylinder head, but a general rule of thumb is, if it has a catalytic converter in the exhaust system it’s safe to use unleaded. Almost all petrol-powered cars newer than 1996 are unleaded compatible.
Drivers of cars which require LRP can generally be divided into two categories: inner city and rural. City-based LRP cars are often regarded as classics and are sometimes the second or third car in a household. These owners can either mix lead replacement additives to unleaded petrol, or go through the expensive procedure of converting their cylinder heads with hardened valve seats.
Owners of fuel-sensitive vehicles in rural areas on the other hand, generally drive older model cars and bakkies based on affordability.
While they too can use additives, this process can be expensive and inconvenient, especially with frequent, small rand value top-ups. It’s for this reason that LRP is more widely available in rural regions.
Star Motoring