Unleaded fuel will not affect car engines: Expert

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)