Fuel additives

[Mike P.]

I bought a 1970 with the 350/350 motor. I don't believe the motor has been rebuilt, it has 67,000 miles. I use the high octane gas. My concern is should I be using any of the lead additives that I see advertised? I would appreciate any advice or recommendations. Thanks

[Paul H.]

Re: Fuel additives

Mike you don't need any lead additives unless you are racing or towing. Many of us have been running our stock, high compression motors for many years on the street without the use of lead and have had no valve recession issues. All I have noticed since they did away with lead in the gas is that my spark plugs burn cleaner and last longer. As long as you have sufficient octane to avoid detonation today's unleaded pump gas is OK.

[Joseph M.]

Re: Fuel additives

What's everyones feelings on the ethanol additives currently on the market?

[John H.]

Re: Fuel additives

What's everyones feelings on the ethanol additives currently on the market?

Joe-

If you mean the shelves full of "miracle" additives that have shown up in the last year or two to spare you the ultimate horrors as your engine self-destructs in a ball of flame and dollar bills from using E10 gasoline, don't worry about it. All they do is empty your wallet and make yacht payments for the additive marketing guys.

[William F.]

Re: Fuel additives

John,
Do you mean you don't think there are problems with the E10 gas or you don't think the Sta-bil for etenol gas type additives help?

[Richard R.]

Re: Fuel additives

Mike, there are more and more stations selling ethanol free gasoline now. You should try a tankfull to see the difference. Especially if you don't drive your vette too much. I think you will be suprised.

[Michael W.]

Re: Fuel additives

John,
Do you mean you don't think there are problems with the E10 gas or you don't think the Sta-bil for etenol gas type additives help?

This subject frequently gets thrashed to death on every discussion board in existence. There's already plenty of discussion in the archives here. The increased fuel consumption of E10 is fact and common to all engines using it (as compared to pure gas), but there are three issues that are of potential concern with our older cars.

1) fuel system components not compatible with ethanol.

2) absorption of airborne moisture

3) poor drivability, particularly with respect to apparent vapour lock or percolation.

Each of these subjects have become blown out of proportion and subject to myth and misunderstand similar in nature to the removal of lead from gas back in the '70s, accompanied by the change in advertised octane ratings at the pumps. I'm sure that 40 years from now there will still be some that seek solace from miracles in a bottle that guarantee prevention of problems that wouldn't have happened anyway.

In my case, I've been using E10 for more than 15 years in all my toys old and new. I've never had a problem.

Just about all fuel system components made in the last 20 years are ethanol resistant. If you've got stuff older than that they're due for a change, ethanol or not- simply for safety's sake.

Our fuel systems are pretty much 'sealed' from the atmosphere unlike a boat and we don't let them sit in a lake (usually) so the horror stories about fibreglass tanks falling apart on boats are not really relevant. My own car sits from Nov. through April every year and restarts and runs on the first turn of the key in the spring.

The vapour lock/percolation issue is 'real' for some folks, particularly those in the south. There is some discussion as to whether this is related more to seasonal variations in the vapour pressure formulation of the gas in that region more than just the presence of ethanol. In other words, don't necessarily blame E10 for operational issues with the cars.

Since there's a distinct lack of hard, documented cases with these cars, it's pretty difficult to say that the miracle additives would have made any difference.

Please don't interpret this as an endorsement of E10. This, the threatened E15 and worst of all E85 are one of the biggest scams of our generation but much like Bill Gates and his pals, resistance is futile.

[Mike P.]

Re: Fuel additives

Thanks for the reply, it helps ease my mind about proper care for the engine.

[Dale C.]

Re: Fuel additives

Mike
I live in the hot hot south and when it gets super hot in my 68 BB it tends to stall out at idle and is a bear to relite. I think it does something no good to the voltage regulator also, acts like a low battery. I then have to let it cool down and then can get it going. I now cut my pump gas with a high rating race fuel from a supplier, about 115 and @ about 25- 50 % mix and then it does not vaporize prematurely.
Dale