jlw@ariel.UUCP (03/21/84)
There are several sources of leaded high octane gas:
1) Racing fuel is still available in tests above 100 octane.
Be sure to send the state and the fed their road use tax
on the fuel because I'm sure that the fuel is certified for
off road use only.
2) Use avgas. There are two problems: First you are supposed
to pay the road use tax. That is the only thing illegal
about using the stuff in a car legally allowed to run leaded
gas. Second the effect on your car of a gas coumpounded
for high altitudes and cold weather is undetermined.
3) Use high test unleaded in a mix of about 75%/25% with regular
leaded gas. This gives an octane rating greater than either
of the primary ingrediants because the addition of lead to
gas is a diminishing returns type thing. But it won't
get you up to 100 octane; only to about 95 or 96.
4) Use an octane booster from a racing shop. Warning tetra-ethyl
lead is highly toxic!!!.
There are alternatives which require modification to the auto:
a) Convert to propane which is what the importers of Morgans
do.
b) Lower the compression by use of a thick headgasket or dished
pistons.
c) Use some other kind preignition control such as water injection.
Joseph L. Wood, III
AT&T Information Systems
Laboratories, Holmdel
(201) 834-3759
ariel!jlwrb@beesvax.UUCP (03/21/84)
In the latest issue of OLD CARS WEEKLY, there was a statement that the Federal Government is considering eliminating all leaded gasoline. Their thinking is that too many people are using leaded gasoline in vechicles designed for only un-leaded fuel. The comment of the magazine was that if all lead is removed, certain vechicles will only receive 3-5K miles between valve jobs, even if octane boosters are used. They have recommended that those of us who absolutely require leaded fuel for our vechicles (paticuliarly collectable or antique vechicles) petition the government for a tax on leaded fuel. Obviously none of us want to pay more for fuel, but this would make unleaded fuel cheaper there by making it more attractive for those vechicles which require it, and allow for leaded fuel for those of us who absolutely need it. If anyone is interested I will post the article to the net.
rcd@opus.UUCP (03/22/84)
Does anyone know just what tetraethyl lead is or looks like? Is it in any
way practical to package something which could be added to unleaded
gasoline? I'm thinking that as the number of cars requiring leaded gas
dwindles, there ought to be a way for the owners of these cars to supply
them with their proper diet without perpetuating the ever-less-profitable
leaded gas pumps.
--
{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcdrb@beesvax.UUCP (03/27/84)
The following is an article printed in the March 22, 1984 issue of Old Cars Weekly. It is being printed without permission. "Our phones have been ringing off the hook since the EPA announced its intention to push for an end to production of leaded gasoline. According to the EPA, the effort is aimed at preventing people from using cheaper leaded gasoline in low lead era vechicles, a practice which is currntly illegal. What will this mean for old car hobbyists? We called Mr.John C Lane- Superintendent of Technical Information Services with Etlyl corp- to find out. Veteran readers know Mr. Lane as the author of nine OLD Cars Weekly articles about modern gasoline in old cars. He refered us to his article "Look For Leaded; Its Still Around" which discussed exhaust valve recession occurring in pre-1975 cars operated on lead free fuels. According to the article, this problem proceeds 10-20 times faster when lead free gas is used in the engines of such cars. It causes valve seat erosion, broken valve stems and cracked valve seats. The problem grew severe when test vechicles run at an average of 50 mph, were driven only 3,000 to 5,000 miles. As te title of this article indicates, leaded fuel was still around at the time it was first prblished. In fact the EPA phase down planned at that point allowed for an indefinite supply of leaded fuel. Not high octane leaded of course, but gas with enough lead to keep our cars from self distructing. Now the EPA has changed its mind and called for a further phase down; one that will elinimate leaded gasoline entirely. If this becomes law most old car hobbyists will not be able to run their cars more than a year. We dont think it is fair! The intent of the new program is to stop the abuse of current laws, but the effort will be to make inocent people suffer under a new and foolish one. Most old car hobbyists are not breaking the law thats in effect now, so why should they be punished? There is a simple alternative. Its one that will cost the old car collector some money, but at least protect his right to his hobby. Why not add a tax to leaded gasoline; one that will make its price equal to or slightly higher than unleaded fuel? No! we're not crazy and dont like the idea of paying more for gas! But, we like it more than the other alternative; not being able to use our cars at all. A higher tag on leaded gas may be a premimum we will have to pay to preserve the old car hobby. Some OLD CARS WEEKLY readers have asked how they can contact the EPA to express their opinions on this matter. We urge all hobbyists to do this by writing: Environmental Protection Agency 401 M Street S.W. Washington DC 20460 The time has come to act----Its now or never! "
review@drutx.UUCP (Millham) (03/28/84)
About the taxes on leaded fuel to make it more expensive than unleaded - why not? When unleaded first came out, wasn't it cheeper than leaded? Just wondering Brian Millham drutx!review AT & T Information Systems Denver, Co. P. S. Where would I find 91 octaine unleaded in the Denver aria?
norskog@fortune.UUCP (Lance Norskog) (03/29/84)
About banning leaded gas:
"Fee fie foe fum
I smell GM behind this one"
Lance C. Norskog
Fortune Systems, 101 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City, CA
{cbosgd,hpda,harpo,sri-unix,amd70,decvax!ihnp4,allegra}!fortune!norskogdswankii@uok.UUCP (03/30/84)
#R:ariel:-58400:uok:500031:000:427 uok!dswankii Mar 30 10:58:00 1984 Tetraethel lead is a octane booster that happens to make life easier on valves. It is also very poisonous. However, if your car doesn't need the extra octane, there are addittives with "normal" lead that lubes the valve seat but don't raise the octane. This makes them cheap and safer to handle. Sorry I can't name a brand but they are out there. David Swank II !ctvax!uokvax!uok!dswankii University off Oklahoma
rmiller@ccvaxa.UUCP (04/09/84)
#R:ariel:-58400:ccvaxa:4900038:000:536 ccvaxa!rmiller Apr 9 10:00:00 1984 on avgas: there's a reason why it is more expensive (besides the fact that it has to be certificated by the FAA). avgas contains A LOT more detergent and other such stuff for reliability reasons. if i remember correctly, it also contains a lot more lead then automobile gasoline. even the 100LL (that's low lead) has more. this all may be good, and the stuff will certainly work in a car, but you need to know about it before putting it in your tank, especially if the engine you are running has been "improved". uiucdcs!ccvaxa!rmiller
barrett@hpcnob.UUCP (04/10/84)
There is just one other SMALL problem with avgas: It costs about $2.00 a gallon. Dave "check net.aviation " Barrett (hplabs!hp-dcd!barrett)
dmmartindale@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Martindale) (04/24/84)
In Canada, 100-octane avgas is still ordinary high-lead 100-octane, not the 100LL available in the U.S. Aircraft often get lead-fouled plugs from it, *particularly* if they are older engines designed for 80-octane. So if you use it in a car, be on the lookout for lead fouling. (I don't know how much less lead the 100LL in the U.S. has - it might be much less of a problem, but it might not).