Adding paraffin to petrol???

When I was away at the weekend at a rally a guy there who was running some small engines said he always adds a cap full of paraffin to the petrol tank when he fills it. He recons that it helps to down grade the octane of the petrol! He had been told this by an old guy that had ran engines for years and they ran a lot better. I was wondering what your thoughts were on this and is it worth trying?

Stu.

Yes that's right. "New" petrol is a lot more volatile than the old 2* we had of old so sometimes an old engine can run a bit rough on this, I had a D type Lister that would miss now and then, drop of paraffin in the petrol cured this

Just to say I have told other people this and been called a tw*t. but it does work.

Drop of Red X works well and smells great
Jonesey

STU...
it works like an additive like you can buy for the old cars..
my mate Steve has a humber Pullman limousine that wont run on the new petrol,so he used to put additive in the tank..
not now he puts something else,but wont tell me what it is..he calls it his secret..
regards...mike..

Well I think I'll be using a drop from now on, it can't make them run any worse then they do now

I also put 2 stroke oil (low ash) in my diesel when I fill the van up and that helps a lot, runs queter, lubs the injection pump and a few more miles to the gallon. I got that tip from the Transit Forum and a lot on there swear by it.

Stu.

STU..
it seems to be the new red x..it was ok back in the day,so why not now..
regards..mike..

Mike there's that many additives now why not stick to the simple stuff

Stu.

I sometimes use castrol r30 mixed with the petrol @ 100:1
Smells great

Trev

Trev, I've done some reading up on Castrol R30 and everyone says the smell is devine but it does seperate from the petrol after 48 hours. It's an old SAE30 engine oil that was used in racing bikes but the engine needed a full rebuild after a weekends racing. I havn't read any real positive reasons for using it apart from the small and it sends old men back to there youth, maybe Mike and Jonesey should try it out for us.

Stu.

stationary stu wrote:Trev, I've done some reading up on Castrol R30 and everyone says the smell is devine but it does seperate from the petrol after 48 hours. It's an old SAE30 engine oil that was used in racing bikes but the engine needed a full rebuild after a weekends racing. I havn't read any real positive reasons for using it apart from the small and it sends old men back to there youth, maybe Mike and Jonesey should try it out for us.

Stu.

I only mix enough fuel for a day so no troubles with separating
Don't know about a full engine rebuild after every race meeting
Because the r30 was used as an engine oil and methonal fuel the engine oil will be diluted so it is recommened to change every meeting

Trev

Does anyone use much paraffin / lamp oil stuff on the forum these days? Where do you get it and what kind of price is it?
We used to have a little garage near us that still had it on the pump, but the garage is closed down now.
cheers
Matt

hi matt..
i have 3 engines that are petrol/paraffin,so i use it a fair bit..
but ive change to using kerosene in my witte drag saw engine...
seem to run better on it,but i get the paraffin from northovers fuels at great dorset 10gallon at a time..
i would like to get 45gallon but don't have a clean 45gallon container..
mike....

mike d wrote:hi matt..
i have 3 engines that are petrol/paraffin,so i use it a fair bit..
but ive change to using kerosene in my witte drag saw engine...
seem to run better on it,but i get the paraffin from northovers fuels at great dorset 10gallon at a time..
i would like to get 45gallon but don't have a clean 45gallon container..
mike....

mike there are fuel companys that will sell you a 45 gallon drum full of it , could go halfs if you wanted ....

matt

i must be lucky then
as i have a old school town filling station with kerosene at the pump
and also a paraffin/lamp oil pump indoors
mind you its nearly as dear as petrol lol
Kev