Leaded Fuel
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 4:51 pm
G'Day All,
Well I've just had a lengthy conversation with Director for the Department of Environment and the manager for the investigation of removing leaded fuel from racing vehicles. They have informed me that the Minister of the Environment, the Hon. Josh Frydenberg MP, has decided to enforce the proposed removal of supply of leaded fuel (including all racing fuels) in Australia.
This will be effective as from the 1st of July 2019.
There will be an official announcement tomorrow (Friday) or Monday.
After the 1st July 2019 it will be illegal for suppliers to sell leaded fuel other than to the aviation industry.
For those that are not aware more than 12 months ago the DLRA and all other racing organisations were given the opportunity to respond to the proposal to remove leaded racing fuels, our submission was well received by the Department and it has given us the opportunity to have our point of view put to the Minister.
I was given ample opportunity to advise the Director on the impact that this decision will make on land speed racing in Australia and that effectively one half of the classes we compete under will have to be closed.
That this new regulation will force vehicles that have been specially built to run in leaded classes will then become useless.
How this action will stop international competitors who use leaded fuel in their vehicles from coming to Australia.
And that Australian's will find in impossible to compete in leaded classes elsewhere in the world.
I was told how other organisations like CAMS and ANDRA we facing similar situations to ourselves and that they were also contemplating significant re-writes of their rulebooks to try and extend the competition life of these leaded vehicles. This is something that we will also be faced with, do we allow a substitute fuel? And what would that be? Do we allow this new fuel in GAS class or do we close all those classes and create a new set of classes?
The Director tried to tell me that some of the petroleum companies were looking forward to supplying unleaded alternative fuels. I reiterated that this was no consolation to a competitor who had set their life's dream to compete in a (leaded) class with a history dating back 100 years.
So far as the Minister is concerned any lead is bad lead and he is doing what ever is in his power to remove it's use. The only reason that the aviation industry will be permitted to use it is that there is currently no viable alternative.
So in the coming days I will receive an official notification. The Department has offered to assist in making sure all of our competitors are notified so there will be more information in the coming weeks.
I wish I had better news.
FYI: Here is an extract from our rulebook, note it does not specifically mention leaded fuel.
GASOLINE CLASSES:
The DLRA defines gasoline to contain no nitrogen bearing compounds, no propylene oxide, no ethylene oxide, and no more than 10% methanol. The contest board may choose any test or combination of tests to assure that liquid fuels used in GASOLINE classes comply with these specifications. The tests may include, but will not be limited to testing for the dielectric constant (D.C.) value, color comparisons, specific gravity, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and/or other testing methods. The addition of compounds containing oxygen, such as ethanol, methanol and other oxygenates may produce a mixture with a D.C. greater than 15.0 as measured with a Kavlico Model FT-K01 “DC Meter” zeroed on reagent grade, pure CYCLOHEXANE. 15.0 is the current DLRA acceptable dielectric ceiling. Most gasoline will check under this ceiling. At a non-“EVENT” gasoline meet, any gasoline that measures 15.0 or less on the D.C. scale and meets all other DLRA requirements will be allowed.
All liquid gasoline blends can be tested and certified to have a specific D.C., color, specific gravity, and other chemical properties. All gasoline that is tested and meets the DLRA definition of gasoline may be allowed on a case by case basis by the Contest Board. It is recommended that unknown gas be submitted to the DLRA and checked before use in competition.
E85 is not allowed in gas classes.
Greg Wapling
- Vice President
- Record Certification Officer
- Competition Entry Numbers Coordinator
- WebMaster
Phone: 0434 821 307
Email: drylakesracersau@hotmail.com
,-._|\
Dry Lakes Racers Australia / Oz \
PO Box 349 Castlemaine VIC Australia 3450 \_,--._/
P: 03 5472 4629 [Int +61 3 5472 4629] v
F: 03 5472 3194 [Int +61 3 5472 3194]
Phone Information Line: 0435 213 785 [Int +61 435 213 785]
E: info@dlra.org.au
W: http://www.dlra.org.au
facebook.com/DryLakesRacersAustralia
@DryLakesRacersA
Well I've just had a lengthy conversation with Director for the Department of Environment and the manager for the investigation of removing leaded fuel from racing vehicles. They have informed me that the Minister of the Environment, the Hon. Josh Frydenberg MP, has decided to enforce the proposed removal of supply of leaded fuel (including all racing fuels) in Australia.
This will be effective as from the 1st of July 2019.
There will be an official announcement tomorrow (Friday) or Monday.
After the 1st July 2019 it will be illegal for suppliers to sell leaded fuel other than to the aviation industry.
For those that are not aware more than 12 months ago the DLRA and all other racing organisations were given the opportunity to respond to the proposal to remove leaded racing fuels, our submission was well received by the Department and it has given us the opportunity to have our point of view put to the Minister.
I was given ample opportunity to advise the Director on the impact that this decision will make on land speed racing in Australia and that effectively one half of the classes we compete under will have to be closed.
That this new regulation will force vehicles that have been specially built to run in leaded classes will then become useless.
How this action will stop international competitors who use leaded fuel in their vehicles from coming to Australia.
And that Australian's will find in impossible to compete in leaded classes elsewhere in the world.
I was told how other organisations like CAMS and ANDRA we facing similar situations to ourselves and that they were also contemplating significant re-writes of their rulebooks to try and extend the competition life of these leaded vehicles. This is something that we will also be faced with, do we allow a substitute fuel? And what would that be? Do we allow this new fuel in GAS class or do we close all those classes and create a new set of classes?
The Director tried to tell me that some of the petroleum companies were looking forward to supplying unleaded alternative fuels. I reiterated that this was no consolation to a competitor who had set their life's dream to compete in a (leaded) class with a history dating back 100 years.
So far as the Minister is concerned any lead is bad lead and he is doing what ever is in his power to remove it's use. The only reason that the aviation industry will be permitted to use it is that there is currently no viable alternative.
So in the coming days I will receive an official notification. The Department has offered to assist in making sure all of our competitors are notified so there will be more information in the coming weeks.
I wish I had better news.
FYI: Here is an extract from our rulebook, note it does not specifically mention leaded fuel.
GASOLINE CLASSES:
The DLRA defines gasoline to contain no nitrogen bearing compounds, no propylene oxide, no ethylene oxide, and no more than 10% methanol. The contest board may choose any test or combination of tests to assure that liquid fuels used in GASOLINE classes comply with these specifications. The tests may include, but will not be limited to testing for the dielectric constant (D.C.) value, color comparisons, specific gravity, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and/or other testing methods. The addition of compounds containing oxygen, such as ethanol, methanol and other oxygenates may produce a mixture with a D.C. greater than 15.0 as measured with a Kavlico Model FT-K01 “DC Meter” zeroed on reagent grade, pure CYCLOHEXANE. 15.0 is the current DLRA acceptable dielectric ceiling. Most gasoline will check under this ceiling. At a non-“EVENT” gasoline meet, any gasoline that measures 15.0 or less on the D.C. scale and meets all other DLRA requirements will be allowed.
All liquid gasoline blends can be tested and certified to have a specific D.C., color, specific gravity, and other chemical properties. All gasoline that is tested and meets the DLRA definition of gasoline may be allowed on a case by case basis by the Contest Board. It is recommended that unknown gas be submitted to the DLRA and checked before use in competition.
E85 is not allowed in gas classes.
Greg Wapling
- Vice President
- Record Certification Officer
- Competition Entry Numbers Coordinator
- WebMaster
Phone: 0434 821 307
Email: drylakesracersau@hotmail.com
,-._|\
Dry Lakes Racers Australia / Oz \
PO Box 349 Castlemaine VIC Australia 3450 \_,--._/
P: 03 5472 4629 [Int +61 3 5472 4629] v
F: 03 5472 3194 [Int +61 3 5472 3194]
Phone Information Line: 0435 213 785 [Int +61 435 213 785]
E: info@dlra.org.au
W: http://www.dlra.org.au
facebook.com/DryLakesRacersAustralia
@DryLakesRacersA