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lead additive

ord27

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My '70 Coronet is ready to hit the road....finally.
It had the original 318 2 barrel , and as far as I know, it's never been gone through.
Should I add lead? With each refill?
What's the downside to not adding it? Or adding it to a car with an engine that's been upgraded (if that's the case)
 
Im sure you will get a few opinions on this.
I ran my 383 for aprox 9 years and a couple thousand each year with no lead additive without problems.
516 heads.
 
I see no down side. My first new car 67 383. I never used or heard of lead additive at that time. Most of the gas I used in it was Amoco Super Premium, no lead. I never had a valve issue. I also see no problem with adding it to an upgraded engine either. IMO with today's fuel it may help but won't hinder you. The worst crap you can put in it is ethanol.
 
I see no down side. My first new car 67 383. I never used or heard of lead additive at that time. Most of the gas I used in it was Amoco Super Premium, no lead. I never had a valve issue. I also see no problem with adding it to an upgraded engine either. IMO with today's fuel it may help but won't hinder you. The worst crap you can put in it is ethanol.

we have weasel piss up here for gas.. we need to use it..
 
I use 2 gallons of 100LL AV gas + 10 Gallons (give or take) of our 93 octane Shell ethanol free. Brought just enough down South for the Atlanta to Dega and back to Alexander City runs. Have 1/16th of a tank left. Ran like a TOP ! I use to run just lead additive 25 years ago or so when we had real gasoline.. but not no more!

100LL has about 10X the lead of the old purple Premium leaded gasoline, so 10 to 20% 100LL in a tank of gas gives the correct lead content and boosts the octane to usable.. and it smells nice !
 
I mix 100LL AV gas 50/50 with 90 octane no ethanol that we get here. I do add 4oz. Marvel Mystery oil to every 5 gallons 100LL. This makes all my old hp engines really come to life.
 
With your engine, I doubt if you could ever wear out a valve seat by not using lead.
Mike
 
How do you buy the 100LL AV gas as I went to my local airport and needed a plane? They would not sell it in a gas can.
 
How do you buy the 100LL AV gas as I went to my local airport and needed a plane? They would not sell it in a gas can.
I take my own plastic 5 gallon containers and walk to the pump. The credit card terminal is next to the pump. It's a little different than a gas station but the one I go to asks for a dollar amount or number of gallons. Then it asks for a wing number. All you have to do is look at the parked planes and pick one and enter that number. I use the same one every time. Then I pump the gas and tote it out to my truck. Once the manager asked me about where my plane was and I just told him the truth and what I was using it for. He actually then told me where to park that was about a 25 yard shorter hike.
 
With a 318 stock, it will be low compression so you won't have any spark knock if it is timed correctly. I don't think you will have significant exhaust valve seat wear if you don't have additional load on it ( like pulling a boat or trailer a lot). ...............MO
 
Move to a different state. That's what i did
For now no need. I can get anything I want and the weather is nice.
I take my own plastic 5 gallon containers and walk to the pump. The credit card terminal is next to the pump. It's a little different than a gas station but the one I go to asks for a dollar amount or number of gallons. Then it asks for a wing number. All you have to do is look at the parked planes and pick one and enter that number. I use the same one every time. Then I pump the gas and tote it out to my truck. Once the manager asked me about where my plane was and I just told him the truth and what I was using it for. He actually then told me where to park that was about a 25 yard shorter hike.

Thanks this worked!
 
I use 2 gallons of 100LL AV gas + 10 Gallons (give or take) of our 93 octane Shell ethanol free. Brought just enough down South for the Atlanta to Dega and back to Alexander City runs. Have 1/16th of a tank left. Ran like a TOP ! I use to run just lead additive 25 years ago or so when we had real gasoline.. but not no more!

100LL has about 10X the lead of the old purple Premium leaded gasoline, so 10 to 20% 100LL in a tank of gas gives the correct lead content and boosts the octane to usable.. and it smells nice !

dadsbee is on the right track. 100LL Av gas still has 2 grams per gallon of lead in it. .1 to .5 gram per gallon of lead gives valve seat protection at high power outputs. You can also use leaded racing fuel to accomplish the same dilution ratio if it is easier to procure.
 
It's unlikely your 318 will be harmed by burning unleaded. i've been using unleaded in my 1974 dodge with 318 V-8 for a couple of years now, and it has not affected the way the car runs. At the time the car was new, gas stations were already selling a reduced lead content fuel, so the car companies were already putting hardened valve seats in the heads. And the next year (1975), of course, they had to put cats on all engines in passenger cars to control emissions. Unless you're using your 318 V-8 in hard service such as towing a trailer or it has modifications that have increased the stock compression, yours should be fine too.

I have heard that Shell sells ethanol free fuel in my state, and that's what I try to use when I'm out cruising. You could try to find leaded gas at an airport of you're really worried about it, as some of the posters say it's possible to get some.
 
thanks for all of the replies.
another question

I need a choke coil for this car. 318 2 barrel
any ideas where I could find one?
 
thanks for all of the replies.
another question

I need a choke coil for this car. 318 2 barrel
any ideas where I could find one?
I would check with Napa or your local auto parts store. If not plenty online sources.
 
I've been useing 10% 92 octane during the summer and add Stabil 360 additive. This time of year I'm useing Sunoco 92 octane E-free. Seems to be working out pretty good so far.
 
I've been useing 10% 92 octane during the summer and add Stabil 360 additive. This time of year I'm useing Sunoco 92 octane E-free. Seems to be working out pretty good so far.
Good choice
 
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