HOTRODSURFER
Senior Member
Who sells lead additive ? I use to buy it a walmart checked 3 in my area no one has it -checked pep boys and auto zone-nothing
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Fuel lead additive
- Thread starter HOTRODSURFER
- Start date
ford38v8
Well-known member
The only reason to use lead these days is if you have a late (52-'53) flathead that's never been rebuilt. These are the ones without hardened valve seats, which when rebuilt, usually did get the hard seats installed. Pretty doubtful that many soft seat survivors are still on the road.
Ahh. Gotta love Gill Roy's.
I think that the use of an additive is a personal prefrence. I have driven many "Vintage" cars as daily drivers over the years and have never had a problem with out using an addative.
But if that is your preference you should be able to find something some where.
blucar
Well-known member
Several years ago I was working on one of my '59 Ford pickups w/292 Y block.. The truck had been sitting for many years before I bought it..
Upon getting the engine running, I noted that the right bank seemed to be missing a beat or two, a compression check revealed that there was a compression problem on several cylinders.. I pulled the heads, finding that the truck had sat un-used for many more years than I had been lead to believe.. Ever valve that was open when the engine was last used had sustained rust on the valve stems and seats.. There was even a light coat of rust on several cylinders.. The light brown rust came off of the cylinder walls with Marvel Mystery Oil and a Scotch-Brite pad.
Taking the heads to the machine shop for a valve job, I was told that the heads would need new valves and hardened seats... Lots of money!
Having a set of good 312 heads in my parts supply, I gathered them up, took them to the machine shop.. I was told that this set of heads would also need new valves and hardened seats.. I questioned the rational behind replacement of the valve seats and perfectly good valves.
I was told that the UNLEADED FUEL would destroy the valve train in 40,50k miles.... Hmmmm? Since I figured that the pickup would not be driven 40,50k miles during the rest of it's life. The average antique car/truck is driven less than 2k a year, 40,50k would equate to twenty plus years..
There are certain variations in engine design where-in unleaded fuels can cause early valve failure, this is especially true in the '68 through '70 + Ford V8's, 302, 352, & 390's. Of course this is the result of "value engineering" on Ford's part..
I had several vehicles in my company fleet that had the engines mentioned in the above, most of the engines needed valve jobs at 50k miles..
I think that Ford relied to much on fuel additives to protect their engines, just as they did with the '49 and later 8BA/8CM engines..
Upon getting the engine running, I noted that the right bank seemed to be missing a beat or two, a compression check revealed that there was a compression problem on several cylinders.. I pulled the heads, finding that the truck had sat un-used for many more years than I had been lead to believe.. Ever valve that was open when the engine was last used had sustained rust on the valve stems and seats.. There was even a light coat of rust on several cylinders.. The light brown rust came off of the cylinder walls with Marvel Mystery Oil and a Scotch-Brite pad.
Taking the heads to the machine shop for a valve job, I was told that the heads would need new valves and hardened seats... Lots of money!
Having a set of good 312 heads in my parts supply, I gathered them up, took them to the machine shop.. I was told that this set of heads would also need new valves and hardened seats.. I questioned the rational behind replacement of the valve seats and perfectly good valves.
I was told that the UNLEADED FUEL would destroy the valve train in 40,50k miles.... Hmmmm? Since I figured that the pickup would not be driven 40,50k miles during the rest of it's life. The average antique car/truck is driven less than 2k a year, 40,50k would equate to twenty plus years..
There are certain variations in engine design where-in unleaded fuels can cause early valve failure, this is especially true in the '68 through '70 + Ford V8's, 302, 352, & 390's. Of course this is the result of "value engineering" on Ford's part..
I had several vehicles in my company fleet that had the engines mentioned in the above, most of the engines needed valve jobs at 50k miles..
I think that Ford relied to much on fuel additives to protect their engines, just as they did with the '49 and later 8BA/8CM engines..
tiger.1000
Well-known member
I think there's a lot of baloney/malarkey about lead replacement additives. When our UK supply of "high octane" 99 came to an end a lot of profiteers got on the band wagon with all sorts of magic tricks including "lead catalysts" which were a tube containing a few lead balls. Supposedly the lead would slowly dissolve and coat the valve seats ???? This device was inserted in to the fuel line. There was no evidence to support their reliability or feasibility.
When I remember I pour a dose of Millers Lead Replacement into my tank. I doubt however that it's actually doing any good. Together with STP and Wynns I'm not convinced ?
When I remember I pour a dose of Millers Lead Replacement into my tank. I doubt however that it's actually doing any good. Together with STP and Wynns I'm not convinced ?
I used to use lead additives in old twin cylinder high performance motorcycle engines as a precaution. When additives became scarce I did without them. Combustion chambers and valves stayed cleaner than with the leaded fuel. Never had a problem with burned valves with lead free fuel
I've never added any lead substitute in any of my old cars and I've had a couple of them for 20+ years. I put several thousand miles on each of them every year and have never had any valve train problems.
BTW, Sun Oil Company introduced a lead-free gasoline called Blue Sunoco in 1927 and marketed it for many years. I also recall a lead-free gasoline, but can't recall the name of it, that we used in the 60's in our high-revving, ridden hard, motorcycles without any valve damage that I was ever aware of.
BTW, Sun Oil Company introduced a lead-free gasoline called Blue Sunoco in 1927 and marketed it for many years. I also recall a lead-free gasoline, but can't recall the name of it, that we used in the 60's in our high-revving, ridden hard, motorcycles without any valve damage that I was ever aware of.
then again that's just my 2 cents.
FRITZ47
Senior Member
Amoco sold Amoco White Gas (lead free they claimd) for many years in the 60s and 70s and I used it faithfully in many of my cars at the time and never any problems. The pumps were a gold color, as I recall. It was a premium grade and if it was still available, I would use it today. Fritz
HOTRODSURFER
Senior Member
i don't mind adding lead to my fuel... an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of **** i plan on driving my truck till I croak