Lead additive

[flatiron44]

I have a Stock 383 in my 69 Roadrunner. I run ethanol free 91 Octane fuel in it. Should I be using a lead additive? If so could someone recommend one that is readily available.
Thank you

 

[Aron Gleason]

I run ethenol free gas in my 440. Never put any additives in.

 

[F4R/T]

It’s good for valves ! I do recommend it my self as my small block doesn’t have hardened seats and it’s not a big deal.

 

[440Coronet500]

I wouldn't recommend it, I once used it in my Ford 9N tractor. All the piston rings ended up sticking in the grooves. Had to disassemble the engine, soaked the pistons in gas and clean the ring grooves. Never again! 440'

 

[Jerry Hall]

I have a Stock 383 in my 69 Roadrunner. I run ethanol free 91 Octane fuel in it. Should I be using a lead additive? If so could someone recommend one that is readily available.
Thank you

I ran Amoco white gas in the day in my 67 Satellite 383 4-speed without issues. Only occasionally did it get a leaded gas.

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

The lead additive is mainly for the unleaded gas problem with the valves receding in the heads over time.
If you don't drive the car much ( less than 5000 a year ) it probably won't be a problem for many years.
If you have hardened seats installed in the heads you don't need it.
Here is a 516 Head with the hardened seats installed in the back ground and a 915 head without hardened seats in front of the 516's.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

You are fine without it. If you ever rebuild the heads, install hardened exhaust valve seats in them, otherwise, don't give it a 2nd thought

 

[Slap Stick]

I remember when unleaded gas was new and tests were done using 366 ci Chevy truck engines. They found no discernible wear between leaded and unleaded and the unleaded engine was cleaner.
A friend used to own a couple Chebby dump trucks with 427s and ran unleaded with no problems.

 

[mrhemi]

Instead of spending money on "lead replacement" snake oil, take the money and buy leaded racing fuel or 100LL aviation gasoline and blend it in with your 91 octane. A 1:5 ratio would be good. It will protect the valve seats and give a slight octane boost as well. Note that the effect of tetra-ethyl lead is somewhat cumulative so not needed every tankful for protection.

 

[Challenger340]

On a factory Cast Iron Head with factory seats... in other words those stock heads that have NOT been rebuilt with the addition of a hardened V/Seat....
Just add a very small amount of 2 stroke oil added to a full tank of Gas periodically should suffice.... and we're talking 'maybe' 100-150 Mls in 20 gallons of Gasoline, that's it... that's all.
NO... it won't smoke like a 2 stroke, but it is enough to provide at least some Exhaust Seat lubrication and prevent Exhaust Valve Seat recession.

 

[Billccm]

On a factory Cast Iron Head with factory seats... in other words those stock heads that have NOT been rebuilt with the addition of a hardened V/Seat....
Just add a very small amount of 2 stroke oil added to a full tank of Gas periodically should suffice.... and we're talking 'maybe' 100-150 Mls in 20 gallons of Gasoline, that's it... that's all.
NO... it won't smoke like a 2 stroke, but it is enough to provide at least some Exhaust Seat lubrication and prevent Exhaust Valve Seat recession.

The guys I hang out with at car meets say 2 ounces of Lucas Fuel Stabilizer every fill up. I would assume you could even use Marvel Mystery oil, too.

 

[padam]

Big said ATF

 

[Challenger340]

The guys I hang out with at car meets say 2 ounces of Lucas Fuel Stabilizer every fill up. I would assume you could even use Marvel Mystery oil, too.

Oh yeah, anything pretty much will do, Marvel is good, dunno about the LUCAS ?
You said 'readily' available.... 2 stroke is cheap/easy/available where we are here.... used in everything from snowmobiles to chainsaws/boat motors

 

[Johnpat]

As far as I can see you would have to use your car as a dailey driver before any harm would come to valve seats. Maybe 5- 10000 Miles a year.

 

[Davison]

I have a Stock 383 in my 69 Roadrunner. I run ethanol free 91 Octane fuel in it. Should I be using a lead additive? If so could someone recommend one that is readily available.
Thank you

You will get a lot of opinions on this. I am old enough to remember American/AMOCO premium "white gas" with no lead. Mostly everyone with muscle cars in my area used that. I did not, as I pumped gas at an ARCO station. I don't remember any problems with any of my friends cars. What I do remember is 1950's and early 1960"s cars coming into the station for "valve jobs" and these cars did use leaded fuel. All fuel was leaded at our station, as at all the other station except for the one pump that had the white gas at American. These cars usually had 75,000 to 100,000 miles on them. Cars older than that did not need valve jobs because they rusted out. The amount of lead in a gallon of 1960's fuel was about 2.0-2.2 grams per gallon. When unleaded fuel was introduced the manufacturers started to harden the valve seats on engines. My 1972 Satellite/Road Runner owners manual says that 6-cylinder engines can run on unleaded fuel (so they must have had hardened valve seats.) The V8 engines could also run on unleaded fuel except if they were used primarily for trailer towing or high speed or highway driving. In that case every fourth tank of fuel should be leaded. So 25% of the time. That would mean the Chrysler V8 engines needed 0.5 grams of lead if they were subjected to one or both conditions. Chrysler said you could add a Mopar fuel additive instead. So you don't need a lot of lead. The last time I checked with VP Racing fuels, they told me that their "off road" VP110 Racing fuel had 4.4 grams of lead per gallon, so about double the "muscle car era." You will have to decide what makes you comfortable with your car: unleaded, leaded, or lead substitute. I'm comfortable with using Sunoco 90 ethanol free, lead free in the several muscle cars I have. I am confident that I will never get to the point where they need a valve job in my lifetime.

 

[RJRENTON]

On a factory Cast Iron Head with factory seats... in other words those stock heads that have NOT been rebuilt with the addition of a hardened V/Seat....
Just add a very small amount of 2 stroke oil added to a full tank of Gas periodically should suffice.... and we're talking 'maybe' 100-150 Mls in 20 gallons of Gasoline, that's it... that's all.
NO... it won't smoke like a 2 stroke, but it is enough to provide at least some Exhaust Seat lubrication and prevent Exhaust Valve Seat recession.

IMO....adding 2 cycle oil or lubricant to the gasoline will likely csuse a detonation problem as 2 cycle oil will lower the flash point of the combustion process. Two cycle engines have typically significantly lower compression ratios, eliminating or drastically reducing the probably of detonation. In addition because of the loop scavenging type of induction system, a high percentage of exhaust gas is present, further reducing the probability of detonation. Octane increasing additives are a panacea especially the ones containing manganese and their derivatives which are death to spark plugs. If you feel a higher octane fuel is needed, 100 octane LL aviation gas (L-L = low lead) added at ~ 15%-20% concentration is said to work wonders for improving performance....but AVOID mixing any oil, including ATF, to the gasoline. Consult with API (American Petroleum Institute) for further information.
Tetraethyl lead was added to gasoline to increase the octane of the fuel, which, during the combustion process, breaks down to add Hydrocarbons to increase the octane leaving lead as a byproduct.
Tetraethyl lead, abbreviated TEL, is an organolead compound with the formula (CH₃CH₂)₄Pb. It is a petro-fuel additive, first being mixed with gasoline beginning in the 1920s as a patented octane rating booster that allowed engine compression to be raised substantially. When eliminated in 1975 because of the catalytic converter, exhaust valve seats were hardened to reduce wear as the lead in the fuel was said to "lubricate" the valve seat. Oil in the gasoline after being combusted furnishes ZERO lubricating value. Gasoline octane is increased by blending a compound known as an alkalate (derived from other petroleum products such as iso-butenes and propene) into the base fuel mixture to increase the final octane level. But....if you want to add 2 cycle oil to your gasoline.....what ever floats your boat....
Just my opinion of course.
BOB RENTON

 

[Jc cooper]

IMO....adding 2 cycle oil or lubricant to the gasoline will likely csuse a detonation problem as 2 cycle oil will lower the flash point of the combustion process. Two cycle engines have typically significantly lower compression ratios, eliminating or drastically reducing the probably of detonation. In addition because of the loop scavenging type of induction system, a high percentage of exhaust gas is present, further reducing the probability of detonation. Octane increasing additives are a panacea especially the ones containing manganese and their derivatives which are death to spark plugs. If you feel a higher octane fuel is needed, 100 octane LL aviation gas (L-L = low lead) added at ~ 15%-20% concentration is said to work wonders for improving performance....but AVOID mixing any oil, including ATF, to the gasoline. Consult with API (American Petroleum Institute) for further information.
Tetraethyl lead was added to gasoline to increase the octane of the fuel, which, during the combustion process, breaks down to add Hydrocarbons to increase the octane leaving lead as a byproduct.
Tetraethyl lead, abbreviated TEL, is an organolead compound with the formula (CH₃CH₂)₄Pb. It is a petro-fuel additive, first being mixed with gasoline beginning in the 1920s as a patented octane rating booster that allowed engine compression to be raised substantially. When eliminated in 1975 because of the catalytic converter, exhaust valve seats were hardened to reduce wear as the lead in the fuel was said to "lubricate" the valve seat. Oil in the gasoline after being combusted furnishes ZERO lubricating value. Gasoline octane is increased by blending a compound known as an alkalate (derived from other petroleum products such as iso-butenes and propene) into the base fuel mixture to increase the final octane level. But....if you want to add 2 cycle oil to your gasoline.....what ever floats your boat....
Just my opinion of course.
BOB RENTON

Wow great info ,Bob

 

[dadsbee]

 

[Jerry Hall]

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Is that truckload for me.

 

[64fury74charger]

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Road trip!!!!