Re: IML: Lead Additive

[sosmi@xxxxxxxxxxx]

There are several schools of thought, on additives and fuel. From our experience in the racing, and marine business, the most important thing now is the short shelf life of standard type fuels. It is most important to treat the fuel at the time of purchase. Additives, and boosters can not re-spunk old fuel. We prefer to enhance 87-89 fuels, the 93 sits in the tank too long and has already begun to degrade.Keep in mind, it only takes 30 days to start the degrading process. If you noticed, most fuel tanks for modern cars, and small equipment, are now plastic. When the fuel degrades, it has corrosive products that can destroy the interior of the metal  fuel tank. Since the Feds. made TEL, illegal to be used in standard motor fuels, it is not available over the counter to consumers.The additives now are Lead Substitutes, and are mainly synthetic, and other chemical based.The only fuels that still have some TEL, are special racing fuels, and usually cheaper, 100LL(low lead)&nb sp;aircraft fuel. (Which we use most often). Put some of that in your tank, bump the timing up, and watch your Imperial Dance. There are also cylinder head mods, but thats later. Ya'll have a nice day, Dave.

 

> -------------- Original message -------------- 
> From: "Geoff Fors" <wb6nvh@xxxxxxxx> 
>
> > About eight months after lead was removed from fuel in California, in the 
> > late 1980's, I lost all compression on three of eight cylinders in my '67. 
> > I did have about 160,000 miles on it at the time, and had been using the 
> > "additive" Union 76 was selling at the time, which was just something like 
> > Marvel's Mystery Oil rather than a lead substitute. The combustion chambers 
> > were pretty full of carbon and crud. 
> > 
> > Anyway, I had four pac-man looking cracked and burned exhaust valves, 
> > although the seats were OK. Since it was apart, I rebuilt the heads with 
> > hardened seats and stainless (I think) valves. As you may know, the 440 
> > heads in this era do not have valve seats, so you have to have the heads cut 
> > 
> for them and the seats inserted. By doing this the heads are then unleaded 
> > capable. 
> > 
> > I suspect that if you have a clean engine (inside the combustion chambers) 
> > and don't overload it, you can get by without leaded fuel and probably 
> > without the additive. I have seen quite a few original Imperials in the 
> > '66-68 vintage around here still running fine without having been converted 
> > to unleaded. There are some additives which actually contain tetraethyl 
> > lead, however they were/are expensive and primarily raise octane rather than 
> > protect exhaust valves and seats. 
> > 
> > Geoff 
> > Monterey CA 
> > 
> > 
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