67 Cutlass

Growing to love the Oldsmobile forum

So when I bought this beast,it had a bottle of lead additive in the trunk.
I assumed it needed it.So every Time I add gas , I've added this solution.
My question is this? Should I add or not?
Why? And Why not?
Thanks!

 

the additive is good for theolder engines that have virginheads without hardened seats on the valves.reason behind this is the unleaded fuels dont have it and it keeps the valves from what is best described as a welding effect.in other words,your less likeley to have a sticky or stuck valve.hope this helps.i would use it on 73 or older engines with stock heads.i think it may boost the octaine as well.

 

Don't bother.

Because you are only likely to have problems with exhaust valve recession (not sticking) if you constantly subject it to heavy loads, ie: racing or heavy towing, or if you plan to put another 60-75,000 miles on it in your lifetime.

If you're just driving it around normally, the engine will need a rebuild long before the valves recede noticeably, and at that point, you'll have hardened seats put in.

- Eric

 

It Is not lead. It will tear your heads apart. Spend the $$$ and get them redone

 

I use to use this stuff that was called LEAD SUBSTITUTE that comes in a bottle that you squeeze to fill a smaller chamber at the top of the bottle, which was what you were suppose to pour in your tank before adding the specified amount of unleaded gas.

You needed to carry a funnel around with ya get the stuff in the gas tank, there was no way you were going to just pour the stuff in like these fuel injector bottles they have nowadays.

I eventually stopped using it, was starting to think what this oily looking stuff was doing to my carb. I think I still have a bottle of that stuff half empty in the garage.

 

Get what redone? I was simply asking if the no lead additive is necessary.
I really don't know why they have:"no lead additive".Do you? Is it necessary ?
Why? and why not? Do the older motors require higher octane gas ?
I once heard that they 60's cars used 100+ octane
Thanks for any input.And thanks for this Oldsmobile forum!

 

Your heads will need to be redone. Look at the bottles of this lead "Substitute".
Hence the word,it is not lead. When I had mine done I looked at the damage unleaded fuel does. Even with octane booster and this so called Substitute.
Myself I would not drink Substitute Beer

 

I use lead substitute on my older motors that haven't been rebuilt. It may be substitute, it may or may not be entirely effective or necessary, but it's $4 a tank, which I can afford and hasn't done any apparent harm. If someone was offering me money to have hardened valve seats installed, I'd happily take them up on it and stop using lead substitute. Meanwhile, I add it at every fill-up, just in case.

 

Like I said on May 11th, six posts ago:
If you're not racing or towing, you'll never notice the difference.
If you are, then you've probably already rebuilt the engine and replaced the valve seats.

Don't waste your brain cells thinking about it.

I would. It's called "whiskey."

- Eric