Lead ???

I got an old Buick 39 ST8
Does this car need Lead additive in its gas?
Shouldn't I be running some kind of additive to be safe?
If so What kind. I know this is dumb?
Just don't hear people talking about ..
the go juice much...? I have heard
that the new gas will boil faster and many old carb setups
need thicker gaskets and such to keep thing under the hood
from getting to wet ..
Mine does and seems like maybe this is the problem
Jdee

 

Yes, instead of lead, I been using the STP lead substitute in my FE, but there's some stuff called Instead of Lead that's pretty good*****.

Never heard of the gas boiling easier, but it probably wouldn't hurt to put a new gasket of two in the carbs. Maybe you should adjust the floats while you're in there.

if it don't make you dirty it aint yours.

 

More then likely yes...

Lead cushions the valves when they hit the seats... Makes the motor work a little beter.

Its been said that when running a regular motor on lead free fuel you can work harden the seats, but i'm not sure if thats true or not!

 

Hardened valve seats didn't come 'round till 1975 -1976, so, yes, you should use an additive, if you believe in that sort of thing.

 

You don't need it, Jdee. You aren't going to be running the engine that hard! Lead was used primarily as a cheap octane booster. And yes it does buffer the valves, but in reality, does not have much of an effect unless you run the engine VERY hard, as in high load, lots of towing, etc. Lead also tends to build up as a deposit on intake valves, and choke off air flow, eventually. I'd say it is unecessary on about 95% of street cars.
I didn't do the hardened seat conversion when I built my Olds, and I've got over 100 K on it, and still runs great. If you DID need to change the valves, and seats, it would be a good idea to update them to stainless valves, and hardened seats, but they are not necessary IMHO. Worked at Exxon Research for almost 15 years, doing motor fuel research.
BTW, great job on the etchings! Thanks. My computer at home is disconnected! Re-modeling the office, so I'm incommunicado, except here at work!

 

Interesting...a testimonial from someone with credentials. This subject has been bandied about for years with pros and cons spouted by people with little or no credibility. Bill Burnam [R.I.P.]once waded in on this subject in his column.He said he put over 40,000 miles on his F.E. 390 FoMoCo engine in his '29 Roadster using unleaded fuel. Engine teardown showed no appreciable valve stem wear or seats beat up from using the unleaded fuel.
Other opinions given by people with questionable experience on the subject say the engine will self-destruct with severe valve stem, valve head and seat damage.
Thank you.........