Dave’s Holiday 55

I am already buying no-ethanol gas. My mechanic says it would probably help the engine to run better and last longer if I added some lead to the gas. I considered throwing some old fishing weights into the tank but decided that some of you guys would have better ideas. What is the very best “lead” additive on the market today for my ‘55 Super 88?

joe_padavano

Lead does nothing to help the engine "run better". The only benefit is lubricating the valves and seats, and frankly, after 65 years there's probably plenty of lead on the valves already. Real lead additive is toxic. Frankly, you don't need it for a car that is only driven occasionally. This is the difference between needing a valve job after 80,000 miles vs after 100,000 miles. How much do you drive the car in a year?

Dave’s Holiday 55

To be honest, I don’t know how much I’ll drive it in a year. I’ve only owned it for about three and a half months. It certainly will not be a daily driver. It has about 93,000 miles on it now and I want to do everything I can to make it last. When I owned my other 88 back in high school, the gas was leaded and I wouldn’t have know any better anyway. I’d like to think at least one of my offspring would enjoy driving it after I have passed on. Unless my wife gets her way. She says she’ll bury me in it. It’ll be cheaper than a casket.

no1oldsfan

Amen to all of this. Nice call Joe.

bccan

Kemco Octane Supreme 130 used to have lead in it, not sure if it still does but might be an option if you feel the need. IMO lead leaves more deposits distributed around an engine than its worth. Joe covered the durability issue.

BangScreech4-4-2

You should be just fine with a quality fairly high-octane (91 should be plenty for a '55 if the compression is still 8.5 as per original -- it was originally designed to run on regular leaded) ethanol-free gas.

Fun71

My engine has been running on unleaded 10% ethanol for 25 years with no issues, so I say drive the car and don’t worry about it.

oldcutlass

Lead or TEL (Tetraethyl lead) was added to fuel as an octane booster or basically an anti knock compound. It was an unanticipated side benefit that it lubricated the valve seats. The only time that it's a benefit is if your racing or loading the engine by towing. Most engines will run fine without it. The only reason they did away with it was not due to it being hazardous because that had been known since the 1920's, it was because it wasn't compatible with catalytic converters.

edzolz

Also land along road surfaces were tested and determined to have higher lead content than surrounding areas, thus the No-Lead gasoline.

Tedd Thompson

No need to run even 91 octane as 87 will do as good a job as 91. It's one of those not to worry things....Tedd

BangScreech4-4-2

You're probably right, but just the same, I like the extra "headroom" afforded by a higher octane rating. If things get a little carboned up (as they are apt to do after 66 years) a little more insurance against detonation can't be a bad thing.

Dave’s Holiday 55

All good feedback. So I’ll use the can I’ve already bought and then forget it. Thanks.

oldcutlass

If that was the case, you'd of thought they would have banned it decades before. They knew of the harmful effects since its inception.

Donaldbabineau

they knew about lead contamination in the environment since the 1940s or 1950s. Lead was so ubiquitous It the environment that It was believed to be naturally distributed across all environments. When pre-industrial revolution ice was analyzed, that is when we knew global lead contamination was caused by vehicle emissions. It took a a lot to overcome the lobbying to keep lead in gasoline and mandate the emissions controls adopted in the 70s.

My442

TEL is highly toxic, and hygroscopic.

That means it can be absorbed into your body thru skin contact.

Breathing the fumes is just as bad.

Be careful.