lead additive

[Joseph P.]

Where can I get a lead additive for my 62 327? I use to get it at discount auto but they no longer carry it in my area. Joe

[Michael W.]

Re: lead additive

Ummmm, why would you want or need it?

[Donald T.]

Re: lead additive

http://www.kemcooil.com/products.php?cId=4

[Valeria H.]

Re: lead additive

OK, I'm going to bite, what does a lead additive do for your antique car?
Valeria

[Bill C.]

Re: lead additive

i use the Lead Supreme 130 (Kemco) all the time.

Car runs better and cooler. I really don't need the lead for valve seat recession, but it does make the car run a lot better.

The lead content in lead Supreme 130 is minimal and is scavenged and burned before leaving the exhaust pipes.

Only draw back is carrying around quart containers ib the car for fill-up.
Around town is not so bad, but on long trips I have to carry 3-4 quarts in the car.

Last time I bought it - cost $125 for a case shipped (12 quarts).

I give it a big Thumbs Up!!!

[Valeria H.]

Re: lead additive

I have a 60 and have only placed 1 fill up of ethanol %10 in the car and after that I have been putting 100LL avgas in the car which I do not mind obtaining for my baby. What are the benefits of using leaded gasoline?
Valeria

[Joe C.]

Re: lead additive

I have a 60 and have only placed 1 fill up of ethanol %10 in the car and after that I have been putting 100LL avgas in the car which I do not mind obtaining for my baby. What are the benefits of using leaded gasoline?
Valeria

The additive supposedly raises the octane level of the fuel and eliminates the bother of doping your pump premium gas with 100LL or race fuel. If your engine has high compression, detonates and/or runs-on, the higher octane will eliminate it. Further, it allows you to run optimal spark advance, and allows older Corvettes to run vacuum advance, which makes the engine run cooler, increases fuel economy, and increases power.

[Donald T.]

Re: lead additive

OK, I'm going to bite, what does a lead additive do for your antique car?
Valeria

Valeria,

TEL (tetra-ethyl lead) is a highly effective octane booster. It was the additive that put the "lead" in "leaded gasoline". Octane is an anti-knock rating. The higher the octane, the higher the compression ratio that can be used without pre-ignition or knocking. Higher compression provides more fuel/air in the combustion chamber resulting in more horsepower. The conversion to unleaded gas in the 70's caused manufacturers to drop compression ratios in order to run on lower octane leading to the anemic horsepower of the era.

Many folks feel their car runs better and/or has more horsepower when using octane boosters. More often than not this is just the placebo effect. Most high compression cars will run fine on high octane pump gas without any need for additional octane. Higher octane will only improve performance if the car is experiencing knock or ping. Increasing the octane rating beyond what is necessary to prevent knocking is of no benefit.

So if your car does not knock or ping, then don't waste your money on octane boosters. If you are experiencing these problems, first work on tuning the car. You can also retard the ignition timing a few degrees to reduce this problem. Bottom line is very few street cars will benefit from increasing octane beyond what is already available at the pump, but octane boosters remain very popular nonetheless.

[Stuart F.]

Re: lead additive

Some good analyses here. I have used TEL for many years in my 63 L-76 (yes the one with only one head gasket, or so it measures). All the pluses noted above apply. I have an agressive mechanical advance curve and use the B28 VAC to full effect (just like in the old days). One big item, along with the help of re-jetting and other mods to my AFB, I get NO hesitation what-so-ever. The drawback, as Bill noted, one has to carry a supply of quart containers with you on a trip, but I seldom go over 25 to 30 miles at a time.

Actually, I have played around with the ratio of TEL to a full tank of gas and it seems to run even better the more I use. If I had access to avgas, I'd probably try it, but I don't.

One other item with the TEL (MAX2000), it seems to have a long shelf life which is good for me as I just catch a show sale price and buy it by the case. The previous gallon containers they used were inclined to break down before all the content was consumed.

Stu Fox

[Michael W.]

Re: lead additive

So if your car does not knock or ping, then don't waste your money on octane boosters.

Well said Don.

[Stuart F.]

Re: lead additive

Therein lies the difference between the performers and the cruisers.

Stu Fox

[Stephen R.]

Re: lead additive

I thought that the lead was necessary in older (pre-unleaded gas) engines for valve lubrication and wear purposes.

[Joseph P.]

Re: lead additive

I would like to thank all of you for your input. I was asking about the lead additive because of the low octane at the pump these days and know that lead was needed in the "old days" for the benefit of the valves. I have used it in my 65 327/300 and it seems to help. I am afraid to stop using it and find out that it wasn't just a placebo effect. My 62 is a 327/250 original with no changes to it. I have heard that for the lower hp's the lead was not needed. But I was questioning that because it still has the same valves. So I always prefer to ask those with superior knowledge what they think. "One thing more dangerous then a man that doesn't know, is a man that doesn't know he doesn't know".

[Michael W.]

Re: lead additive

Joseph,

Your fears might be well founded if the subject of discussion was cars or trucks other than Corvettes being used under 'heavy duty' circumstances. Some friends of mine who use some TR6s for club racing purposes do have legitimate issues, but the very high temperatures needed to create valve seat recession simply don't exist in our cars.

The 'scare' of valve seat wear was quite wide spread in the 70s and 80s but hard experience since then has proven that this was generally unfounded. As others have said, adding lead or bumping up octane by others means beyond the point of eliminating pre-ignition is a waste.

But the legends continue nonetheless.

[Joe C.]

Re: lead additive

Some good analyses here. I have used TEL for many years in my 63 L-76 (yes the one with only one head gasket, or so it measures). All the pluses noted above apply. I have an agressive mechanical advance curve and use the B28 VAC to full effect (just like in the old days). One big item, along with the help of re-jetting and other mods to my AFB, I get NO hesitation what-so-ever. The drawback, as Bill noted, one has to carry a supply of quart containers with you on a trip, but I seldom go over 25 to 30 miles at a time.

Actually, I have played around with the ratio of TEL to a full tank of gas and it seems to run even better the more I use. If I had access to avgas, I'd probably try it, but I don't.

One other item with the TEL (MAX2000), it seems to have a long shelf life which is good for me as I just catch a show sale price and buy it by the case. The previous gallon containers they used were inclined to break down before all the content was consumed.

Stu Fox

Hi Stewy,

Tell us more about your experience with Max2000. For example, what is the PON octane of the local pump gas, how much additive do you dope the tank with to eliminate detonation (I assume that's what you mean when you say "the car seems to run better", because Donald said it best........if the engine tolerates low octane, then the addition of octane accomplishes NOTHING). Do you know the cranking compression of your engine?

Thanks in advance.

Joe