dwhitney@uok.UUCP (07/05/84)
#R:sdccs6:-157300:uok:500042:000:1007 uok!dwhitney Jul 5 14:07:00 1984 I have been having trouble with mail, so I hope you dont mind if I reply (at least in part) here. I am faced with the same problem myself. I drive a 72 Oldsmobile with a 455 V8 Regular-burning engine, and the demise of Regular has me worried too (as in, how do I get to school....) Not being an automotive afficionado, I put that question to my uncle (who is an expert...) He says the old engines, being of steel, use the tetra-ethyl lead in the leaded (premium, in particular) as a kind of lubricant/coolant. At high combustion temperatures, the lead helps keep the steel in the valves from breaking down. Without the lead, the valves simply burn up. Thats why you cant use unleaded for any length of time. The new cars have more aluminum in the valves, which means they do not require the extensive lubrication action of the tetra-ethyl lead. If someone out there reads this and finds me to be wrong on some point, please correct me... I hope that helps David Whitney ctvax!uokvax!uok!dwhitney