mhg@wjh12.UUCP (Michael Howard Goldstein) (09/21/85)
xxx Unless Congress intervenes, leaded gasoline will effectively disappear at the end of the year. For those of us running old cars (pre-1974) this is real bad news as our engines depend on the lead for proper valve seat lubrication. Any suggestions (short of engine rebuild) of what to do about this??? Mike Goldstein
chim@ncsu.UUCP (Bill Chimiak) (09/25/85)
while back. The majority of articles seem to indicate that perhaps some lead is needed for old car valve lubrication but not the amounts we use. I also thought that lead is not disappearing, just being dramatically reduced.
heneghan@ihu1m.UUCP (Joe Heneghan) (09/25/85)
> xxx > Unless Congress intervenes, leaded gasoline will effectively > disappear at the end of the year. > For those of us running old cars (pre-1974) this is real bad > news as our engines depend on the lead for proper valve seat > lubrication. > > Any suggestions (short of engine rebuild) of what to do about > this??? Ten to one you'll have to buy lead additives and add them per fill. Joe Heneghan
gvcormack@watmum.UUCP (Gordon V. Cormack) (09/26/85)
> For those of us running old cars (pre-1974) this is real bad > news as our engines depend on the lead for proper valve seat > lubrication. > > Any suggestions (short of engine rebuild) of what to do about > this??? > > Mike Goldstein This is a popular myth. There is no controlled evidence that indicates a problem using unleaded gas in older engines (provided the octane rating is adequate). Even if you don't believe me, why would you rebuild your engine at this time? Use the unleaded gas and rebuild the engine when your valves wear out. On the political issue: I am not in favour of banning leaded gasoline. It would be more than adequate to add a tax sufficient to make it more expensive than unleaded. This would remove the incentive for the vast majority of people who now use leaded gas.
gnosis@fluke.UUCP (Chris Villani) (09/27/85)
Concerning what can be done for pre-1974 engines after the lead goes away. I've heard from a reliable source that those of us that give serious consideration to the longevity of our engines can purchase a lead additive that will supply the necessary valve lubrication. This stuff will only have to be added every three fillups or so. I will post details as I come up with them. Chris Villani Fluke.
levy@ttrdc.UUCP (Daniel R. Levy) (09/29/85)
In article <1480@vax3.fluke.UUCP>, gnosis@fluke.UUCP (Chris Villani) writes: >Concerning what can be done for pre-1974 engines after >the lead goes away. I've heard from a reliable source that >those of us that give serious consideration to the longevity >of our engines can purchase a lead additive that will supply >the necessary valve lubrication. This stuff will only have to >be added every three fillups or so. I will post details as >I come up with them. > >Chris Villani >Fluke. I hope people are AWFULLY careful handling and storing this stuff if they go this route. My brother at a Shell Oil refinery tells me that when people there work on the plumbing carrying tetra-ethyl lead, they wear head to toe safety suits. I can't imagine this stuff will be much safer. It should be kept somewhere where it will not be accidentally spilled or within reach of children, and safely getting rid of the empty cans or bottles will be a royal pain. (Remember, we're not talking about elemental lead, or inorganic lead compounds such as found in paint. This is a volatile organic compound which is readily absorbed through the skin and is not particularly healthy to breathe the fumes of, either.) Certainly, anyone who has a "leaded" engine in this situation should give high consideration to replacing the valves with hardened ones, such as "Stellite", so that nonleaded fuel may be safely used. A guy I knew once pointed out that way back when there was no such thing as catalytic converters and just about the only unleaded fuel available was the Amoco super unleaded, nobody ever seemed to fuss about valve wear with respect to the Amoco gas, which enjoyed pretty good sales... I wonder why? -- ------------------------------- Disclaimer: The views contained herein are | dan levy | yvel nad | my own and are not at all those of my em- | an engihacker @ | ployer or the administrator of any computer | at&t computer systems division | upon which I may hack. | skokie, illinois | -------------------------------- Path: ..!ihnp4!ttrdc!levy
dave@cylixd.UUCP (Dave Kirby) (10/02/85)
In article <1480@vax3.fluke.UUCP> gnosis@fluke.UUCP (Chris Villani) writes: ... can purchase a lead additive that will supply >the necessary valve lubrication. Better hurry and stock up before the EPA outlaws it as well. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dave Kirby ( ...!ihnp4!akgub!cylixd!dave) (The views expressed herein are the exclusive property of Dave Kirby. Any person, living or dead, found with the same or similar opinions will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of law.)