Thread: Leaded Gas

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I have a vintage Mustang that uses leaded fuel. The problem is that in Canada leaded gas is illegal. I used to add Lead Substitute to my fuel, but I was told that you do not need to do this anymore. Apparently, the new high-octaine gasolines have special additives that make lead substitute unnecessary.
Can anyone tell me whether this is true or not? Also, lead gas was used before my time, so I really don't know much about it. What is the benefit of it?

I have not heard that.


I would still add some additive. Use about 1/2 of what the bottle recommends, thats about all you need.

For a car that is driven little, like a collector car, it would take forever to wreck your valves, even if you didn't use the additive.

I don't know much about additives, but the lead in fuel actually lubricated and protected the relatively soft valve seats on older motors. Burned valves were a pretty common problem in the old days. Without lead in the fuel (or a substitute additive), prolonged high rpm running would burn the seats on an older motor.Today's motors have much harder valves and seats and don't burn valves like in the old cars.

Unless you're driving it really hard, the unleaded gas won't cause a lot of problems with valve seats. However, you need to be aware of the second problem, which is detonation. If you have detonation, back your timing off - or keep your foot out of it.

Octane boosters aren't much use in my book.

There are many threads on this topic if you use the search function.

Alas -- Richard you have answered my query as to what is with this "cat piss gas." he he
Hmmm Thinking back I recall a company that wanted to put a "Tiger in your Tank" and even offered a symbolic tail to stick out of the fuel door. Believe it had an additive that was labeled TCP, and we know what that stood for.
You did push the nostalgia button thanks.

While searching for something else tonight I stumbled across this

www.pricechemical.com/nitromethane.htm

Anybody used it or have any pro/con information?

Originally posted by Streets
Actually it was TSR from Exxon.."Tiger Sh*t Remover".. Poor guy had to poop somewhere huh!!..

Yup.. and Shell had their "Tom Cat Piss." he he

Originally posted by techinspector1
pro, I've never seen nitro outside of 55 gallon drums at the track. I had no idea you could buy small quantities of it. I don't know what the anti-detonation properties of it are, it might even make things worse.

It says it makes an engine run as much as 15 degrees cooler and prevents run on. Says it's good for engines with power adders. Sounds like that might mean it will help stop denotation too although they don't specifically state that ....... so????????
I would be interested in the stuff for the "Z" .......... unless it turns out to be a "snake oil" advertisement.

You can buy nitro mix in quarts (about $10.00/qt + hazmat shipping cost) or gallons (about $25.00/gal +hazmat shipping cost).

You can run up to about 1-2% nitro without changing fuel delivery system significantly. Since nitro is almost 50% oxygen, you need to be careful with fuel metering to avoid a lean condition. Unfortunately, you also need a stabilizer to keep the nitro mixed uniformly with the gasoline (extra cost.)

It will stop detonation. With 1% nitro, you should be able to run 11-12:1 compression.

You'd need about two quarts of nitro in a 20 gallon tank to get to a little over 1%. So, $20.00 worth of nitro, $40.00 worth of gas and away you go. Is it worth it occasionally? Possibly. But if you build youself a 12:1 motor, you're going to have to run it all the time.

Jeez, if your worried about fuel prices, why not bump it up to 20:1 compression and run it on veggie oil? thats about $1 a gallon! Granted, you'll smell like a mc'donalds..

iew diesel lol ..........scooter

Originally posted by drg84
Jeez, if your worried about fuel prices, why not bump it up to 20:1 compression and run it on veggie oil? thats about $1 a gallon! Granted, you'll smell like a mc'donalds..

Wouldn't that cholesterol be hard on da' ol' oil pump???