Unleaded fuel will not affect car engines: Expert
JAKARTA (JP): How old is your car? On the eve of the banning of leaded fuel from the city, you need not worry about making any adjustment to your car, if it was produced after 1985.
Automotive experts stated on Monday that unleaded fuel does not have a negative impact on car engines and there is no need for special treatment. However, cars produced before 1985 will need certain adjustments.
Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Automotive Industries Bambang Trisulo told a discussion here that for such old cars, lead can smother the engine's emission gas valve.
"Usually, car valves produced before 1985 are made of soft metal. When the engine's temperature rises, the lead hardens and covers the cap of the valve," he said.
Now that unleaded fuel will be removed from the capital starting July 1, he added, owners of such cars should change their car's valve caps.
Another solution, Bambang said, is inserting an additive called Anti Valve Seat Recession (AVSR).
"Owners must consult with a car dealer first, or a car mechanic, though the adjustment is rather expensive," Bambang said, without elaborating.
If both solutions cannot be done, he added, the car will not cause any problems as long as it is driven slowly.
Lead is added to fuel to boost engine performance. However, it has been proven to be the cause of environmental and health problems and also contributes to the loss of IQ in children.
Annual health costs related to leaded gasoline are estimated at Rp 2 trillion (about US$181.8 million).
Nurfai, the head of the technology directorate at state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina, said that the company has stopped injecting lead since June 15 and has changed it with High Octane Mogas Component (HOMC).
"Our refinery in Balongan (West Java) is ready to stock the usual 8,000 kiloliters daily for the capital. We also have emergency supplies from Cilacap, Central Java," he said.
Prices of the fuel will remain the same as the government has agreed to provide subsidies.
However, in the same discussion on Monday, experts noted that phasing out lead from fuel is only one small step in overcoming air pollution and competing in the international automotive market.
Wegie Ruslan from the Association of Automotive Technical Experts (IATO) said that other countries had removed lead from fuel a long time ago.
"Now, they focus on how to reduce another pollutant caused by vehicles, such as activating catalytic converters that can reduce emission gas," he said.
Wegie said that phasing out leaded fuel is the first step in using catalytic converters as lead will damage the equipment.
"If we want to reduce air pollution, then the government should oblige vehicle industries to install converters. But it maybe a long way to go because the converter is expensive," he said, adding that the price is around Rp 5 million each.
Wegie also asked Pertamina to clearly specify the content of the gasoline.
"Olefin (a chemical constituent of gasoline) content in our gasoline is very high, about 60 percent. While the worst is said to be 20 percent. Olefin can create a gum-like substance, which clogs up and damages the engine. This affects the automotive production in this country, which will have to adjust to the new type of gasoline," he said.
Agus Indracahya from Gaikindo also voiced the same concern about international competition, saying that automotive technology in this country does not meet the requirements of many other parts of the world.
"Our vehicle and refinery technology has not even reached the lowest level set by the European Commission," he said.(hdn)