I JUST wish to thank the owners of the “NPN Auto Centre” (Shell filling station – St. Johns Avenue) of whom I have been a loyal customer for the past 17 years, for not keeping us peasants who still own and operate older vehicles, informed that they would be permanently removing all of their “Lead Replacement Petrol” tanks approximately two weeks ago, thereby forcing one to have to urgently locate a petrol station which does kindly still cater to us in terms of LRP – 95 fuel (thank you, Engen).
Yes, I do understand that it is not the fault of the garage owners if the company supplying the fuel decides to no longer manufacture it.
And yes, I am also aware of the lead additive which is available to allow us to keep our vehicles on the road when we eventually have to use lead-free fuel.
But a bit of a heads-up would have been much appreciated, because until such time as I can either win big in the Lotto, or the government and vehicle manufacturers can provide me with an affordable alternative, I shall continue using my 37-year-old automobile (and I’m sure that I am far from the only one in this predicament in our province and country).
Rowan du Toit
Pinetown
Shell Downstream South Africa (Pty) Limited responds:
Dear Mr Rowan du Toit,
We have received your query from Caxton’s Highway Mail, regarding the removal of LRP at your service station.
We sincerely apologise for not communicating this in due time and we regret the inconvenience this might have caused you.
We will work towards ensuring that this communication is visible and easily accessible to all other customers who may be impacted.
As part of caring for the environment and building a sustainable future, we have chosen to remove LRP at this service station.
Below is valuable information regarding the removal of LRP at your Shell Service Station.
Within the next few years LRP will be phased out in South Africa. Most petroleum companies in South Africa have started this process which is an industry shift to introduce cleaner fuels for the environment. The industry has also devised a number of solutions for you.
The way forward is to first ascertain if, according to the manufacturer, your car is susceptible to valve seat recession.
This can be done by visiting the National Association of Automobile Manufactures of South Africa’s website (www.naamsa.co.za) and viewing the vehicle compatibility chart.
Should valve seat recession indeed be an issue, your alternative option, only upon confirmation from your manufacturer is adding an anti-valve seat recession additive to the tank every time you fill up with unleaded.
Anti-valve seat recession additives are very easy to use. Simply inject or pour the required amount of additive into the fuel tank prior to filling up with unleaded petrol, following the usage instructions indicated on the bottle. These additives provide valve seat recession protection similar to the protection that was provided by lead in leaded petrol.
If you choose to use an additive, ensure it is a reputable brand name, which is specifically designed to protect valve seats, and that you use quantities exactly as instructed on the packaging.
If you require any more information regarding Shell Fuels please visit our website on www.Shell.co.za or alternatively please feel free to send your queries to the Shell Customer Service Centre at generalpublicenquiries-za@shell.com.
