Specialists at Millers Oils are advising kitcar owners with older, classic-type engines in their cars to protect them from the high ethanol content in modern fuels, following winter storage.
The British oil developer’s VSPe Power Plus additive reduces valve seat recession, fuel system corrosion and early detonation while providing an octane boost, enabling owners to get the most out of their vehicles. It also protects components from the aggressive nature of modern fuels.
“The level of ethanol in petrol is 5 per cent if allowed to rise to 10 per cent” said Millers Oils’ technical director, Martyn Mann. “The Ethanol will accelerate corrosion of almost all materials, partly due to its high oxygen content. It also attacks rubbers and plastics and can cause starting problems.
VSPe Power Plus deals with most of these challenges, as well as boosting the fuel’s octane rating to help classic vehicles that were designed for high-octane fuels; 4 star was 98 octane, around the highest rating available for road cars today, and 5 star was 101 octane.”

The product is one of three Millers Oils additives that have been endorsed by the Federation of British Historic Vehicles Club (FBHVC), receiving an ‘A’ rating for ethanol corrosion protection, following a 12-month evaluation.
The others are EPS (ethanol protection) and VSPe (ethanol protection and lead replacement). The lead replacement can prevent costly valve seat recessions in engines that rely on the soft metal to cushion the valve impact, while VSPe Power Plus also provides an octane boost of up to 20 points.
The additive is available in quantities of 250ml, to treat 40-litres of fuel and 500ml, to treat up to ten tankfuls. The 500ml bottle features a multi-shot function, making it easy to measure the 50ml needed to treat a 50-litre tank of petrol, enabling the owner to treat the fuel with ease as they fill up at the station.
“Classic cars tend to be used most in summer, making additives a vital part of any owner’s preparations. Remembering to add the recommended dose to every tank of fuel will help old cars (typically pre-2002) run more smoothly and help protect them from modern fuels,” concludes Mann.
Millers Oils has made a strategic decision to focus on premium products where it believes its investments in regards to research and development will provide the greatest benefits to its customers.
“We recently invested £500,000 in our R&D centre to ensure we continue to develop market-leading, high-technology lubricants and fuel additives” said Millers Oils’ managing director, Steve Woollven. “Our technical support and specialist services help customers improve their classic cars’ reliability, efficiency and power, while protecting their investment.”
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