Just bought a beautiful 66 coupe with what seems like mostly original engine parts. Do I need a lead additive? Sorry to sound so dumb - much learning ahead for me :-)

 

what kind of motor do you have? mine is a I6...post pics of your ride when you get a chance

 

If you have an all original engine that's never been touched then yes you should use the lead additive. I would think by this time it may have had some head work done at the very least depending on the mileage. If that's the cae, it would probably have hardened seats so, there would be no need to use the additive.

 

Congrats on your new classic, Slickman is rigth if you can find out if was any work done in the heads, I have a 66 also but the PO install hard seats on it so is no need for additives for me.

 

what does he mean lead additive?

 

Lead was in petrol back in the day to stop pinking, but it also had the side effect of protecting the valve seats from erosion. Hence classic had/have weak valve seats that when lead was removed from petrol could erode, to stop this lead replacement petrol was made or you could add lead like addative to unleaded or just get hardened valves seats. Most people by now have hardened valve seats how you tell or not on yout car i do not know hopefully some one will tell us?

 

I have been using lead additive in my all original 289 since the day I got it 10 years ago. So, yes, if it is an original engine, then use it.

 

Many thanks to everyone about the lead additive advice - will do :-)

 

I've got a 68 with the original heads, so it's something on my mind as well. I had heard that if the engine had sufficient miles, it would have built up its own internal supply of lead. Mine only has 47K miles, so I'm assuming it's still at high risk.

Maybe it's just a California thing, but isn't lead additive prohibited except for off-road use? I can't imagine any officer testing the fuel unless they had some other reason to do so... The only time I can think it would be an issue would be if the fuel was spilled on the road, but I imagine that in that case I would have greater concerns than the color of the fuel that was burning all around me...[sm=badbadbad.gif]

 

No

At the time the country went No lead Ford engineering said that after 500 miles the carbon buildup would provide sufficient valve lube

Meanwhile thousands if not millions of car owners had driven their vehiches to high K's using AMACO High Test whose selling point was a gurantee that it contained NO - LEAD

PS-Lead was used in fuel as a CHEAP way to raise octane and for no other reason

Modern oil contains a much better lube additive than lead ever provided