Lead or no lead

[bob duffer]

Does anyone use lead additives in there Pre -war cars ? Or any types of additives for that matter , I know not to use ethanol gas when possible.

[Buicknutty]

There will likely be many different opinions on this issue, but here is what I did in a recent rebuid on mine. My car is a bit newer than yours, it is a '41 Roadmaster with the usual 320 engine. I rebuilt it 3-4 years ago and discussed this issue with the machinst, as I planned on driving the car quite a bit, and relaibility is important. He is a very experienced guy and has been in business here for a long time, and is well known and respected. What he told be is that it depends on how hard the cast is in the cylinder head. His opinion is that he'd rather not cut the head for seats if it doesn't need it, and upon checking the head, he said that the cast used on it was good enough so he did not need put hardened seats in it. So far I have 3-4,000 miles on it, and so far so good.

Now I realize that you are not rebuilding your engine, and I do not know if yours would be the same. The other point, is that these engines are quite low compression compared to later ones, and that creates less stress on the valves, and everything else for that matter and less need for the lead additive. Also, in the early days there was no lead added to the gas, when compression ratios increased lead was then added. Off hand though I do not know when this was.

I'm sure that there are others much more knowledgable than I about this here on the forum.

Keith

My experience and opinion only

[Guest buickkuhn]

I also have a 1941 248 ci , just recently tore it down because of lack of compression (finally after all these years ) . I used the lead additive for over 13 years , now when I rebuild it I will be running marvel mystery oil or diesel fuel as a additive to the gas to help out the seats along with the seals in the carb + pump . You do a search for fuel additives and it will bring a lot of research up , read away and make your own decision whats best . The pictures are of my valves with the deposit build up

[Guest buickkuhn]

Just found this over in another post on here ... You don't HAVE to put anything in, especially if you don't ever drive the car hard, BUT.... for a few bucks more.....I use:

only No-Ethanol - except when unavailable on tour. Even then, for each 10 gallons of gas , I add:

4 oz Marvel Mystery Oil

1 oz Alemite CD-2 Lead Substitute

and I also add Star-Tron with every tank to reduce the effects of Ethanol Gas, and as a gas preservative for storage (you never know when a car might get laid-up unexpectedly)

...all this despite the fact that when I rebuilt the engine I went with Stellite hardened valve seats, a 3-angle valve grind (and balanced aluminum pistons)

..... by the way, all of my cars get the same combination of additives, and YES, some will tell me it is a waste of money, natural resources, and is hurting some endangered species somewhere, but I'm comfortable with this regimen, and so far, my cars seem to be thriving. They generally survive even the long drives to-and-from the tours without complications, and think they are the Energizer Bunny, going, and going, and going...

[Marty Roth]

(Original quote from Marty Roth)

Just found this over in another post on here ... You don't HAVE to put anything in, especially if you don't ever drive the car hard, BUT.... for a few bucks more.....I use:

only No-Ethanol - except when unavailable on tour. Even then, for each 10 gallons of gas , I add:

4 oz Marvel Mystery Oil

1 oz Alemite CD-2 Lead Substitute

and I also add Star-Tron with every tank to reduce the effects of Ethanol Gas, and as a gas preservative for storage (you never know when a car might get laid-up unexpectedly)

...all this despite the fact that when I rebuilt the engine I went with Stellite hardened valve seats, a 3-angle valve grind (and balanced aluminum pistons)

..... by the way, all of my cars get the same combination of additives, and YES, some will tell me it is a waste of money, natural resources, and is hurting some endangered species somewhere, but I'm comfortable with this regimen, and so far, my cars seem to be thriving. They generally survive even the long drives to-and-from the tours without complications, and think they are the Energizer Bunny, going, and going, and going...

buickkuhn, thank you for sharing this information.

That was my original response to Bob's question on an adjacent post.

It might be better form for you to identify where, and from whom you copied a quote. We do share quite well here - welcome to the Buick FORUM.

Marty

Edited December 24, 2014 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[Guest mclbuick2002]

I do not add lead to gas for my 1936 Buick 233engine that has factory aluminum pistons.

When I bought the car in pieces in 2000 with 60,800 on odometer, I scraped out inchs of sludge from pan as the 36 did not have an oil filter. I ground and set valves but did not touch bottom end. I use detergent oil that I change when dark. The only fuel readily available has added ethanol. The ethanol attacked the fuel pump diaphragm in the 36 , the carb gaskets in my 1930, and sediment bowl gasket in my 1928.

The 1936 now has 81,000 miles and runs as well if not better than in 2000.

So :

No lead

Detergent oil changed regularly

Use ethanol added gas but change gaskets as needed

1915 McLaughlin

1930 model 47

1930 model 61

1935 model 40

1936 model 40

Stan