Guest Teamsterdug Posted March 12, 2002 Share Posted March 12, 2002 Can someone tell me just exactly what type of fuel should be used in the straight 8 engines? How high of octane should I be shooting for. Are there brands or types of fuel that should not be used? How about the additives I see available from Buick speciality parts suppliers that are supposed to boost octane? No valve work updates have been done on the engine so we're talking original equipment here. I use CD2 lead additive. Tech help would be appreciated. Thanks.<p>[ 03-12-2002: Message edited by: Teamsternip ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
our51super Posted March 12, 2002 Share Posted March 12, 2002 We use 87 octane and add one bottle of "Instead-O-Lead" with every fill-up. It's been working just fine for us.<BR>We get the Instead-O-Lead at Walmart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted March 12, 2002 Share Posted March 12, 2002 I have driven my 40 Super over 90,000 miles and have never used an additive. The straight eight had a compression ratio of less than 6.5 to 1 and will probably burn soft coal if it would fit through the carb. I have never heard any spark rattle and I burn the lowest octane fuel around. There is no reason to buy high octane for a low compression engine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teamsterdug Posted March 13, 2002 Share Posted March 13, 2002 Thanks for the input. Its appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr. Solutions Posted March 13, 2002 Share Posted March 13, 2002 Question for the Old Guy....<P>When you mention you have never used any additive, does this include any lead supplements / substitutes?? Just asking as I am sure MANY, including myself, add the lead supplements, having been lead to believe that it is a necessity on the older engines.<P>Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted March 13, 2002 Share Posted March 13, 2002 I have a good friend that was an engineer for Buick for years,and he informed me that a Buick would not suffer valve recession unless the engine was repeatedly run at high RPM under heavy load. I tested this theory by pulling an Airstream all over the country with my 57 Caballero in the 70s and when I removed a head to check, The valves were good enough that I reassembled the engine with no changes. Checking with the Dyno room at the Chevrolet six cylinder plant ,I found that those engines would suffer recession and was informed that Buick used a better grade of cast iron with more nickel in the mix ,and this was the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teamsterdug Posted March 13, 2002 Share Posted March 13, 2002 That is very interesting. Glad to hear that Buick supposedly used the better metals. Maybe that's what accounts for all of the still running Buick in-line 8s and all the puked out chevy engines. My UNBIASED OPINION! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 13, 2002 Share Posted March 13, 2002 My Father owned several old Buick straight eights and often spoke of Buick KNOCK that has nothing to do with the spark directly; it has to do with the combustion chamber shape. A very interesting thing about this is Charles Kettering and many others ?solved ? the knock problem back in the 1920s and this led to the adoption of Tetraethyl lead in the gasoline. <BR> I will try to find the place on the net where I found this information and post the address information on this place. <BR> The thing I find very interesting about this immediate problem is the use of lead substitute additives to ?SAVE? the Buick straight eight engines. If you live in an area where they sell Blue Sunoco gasoline you must know that Sunoco has sold unleaded fuel for years. When leaded fuel was introduced in the late 1920s or early 1930s it had to be colored RED to show it was a leaded dangerous additive. Therefore I believe that Blue Sunoco was not red but BLUE to show that it did not contain lead, a dangerous additive that causes brain damage! If what I say is true employees of Sunoco must be laughing at the concern about the need for leaded fuel. Maybe someone will find a Sunoco representative and straiten me out as I now live in an area (Calif.) that is not represented by Sunoco filling stations. My point being that if Sunoco Blue was good enough for Buick?s before unleaded fuel was used due to smog regulations then why worry about it now? Sunoco where are you now when I need you? In a Quandary, M.L. Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teamsterdug Posted March 13, 2002 Share Posted March 13, 2002 To Mr. Anderson...<BR>Looks like another check mark in the "don't bother with lead" column. thanks.<BR>Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teamsterdug Posted March 13, 2002 Share Posted March 13, 2002 to M.L. Anderson.....<BR> Thanks for offering the site. I checked it out. I'm getting so smart on this subject I may have to quit my day job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 14, 2002 Share Posted March 14, 2002 <A HREF="http://www.ccmanuals.crosswinds.net/MillarOnFuelAdds.doc" TARGET=_blank>http://www.ccmanuals.crosswinds.net/MillarOnFuelAdds.doc</A> More on the lead stuff. Yours, M.L. Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mr. Solutions Posted March 14, 2002 Share Posted March 14, 2002 Take a look at the <A HREF="http://web.wanadoo.be/mike/newpage11.htm" TARGET=_blank>FEDERATION OF BRITISH HISTORIC VEHICLE CLUBS</A> lead supplement gas test results... Although written from a European perspective, and although many of the brand names are not available here, the results are just as valid here.<P>It is interesting to note that sodium based lead additives,predominantly used in northern America, causes other long term damage.<P>To summarise:<BR> - 4 out of 40 lead substitutes passed<BR> - The effectiveness of valve seat recession (VSR) protection additives is dependent on the amount of the active ingredient used; this is governed by the concentration of the product as it is sold and also on the treat rate, i.e., the amount added per litre of petrol. The consumer should ensure that the product is used strictly in accordance with its instructions. The FBHVC will monitor the concentration of active ingredient in the endorsed products to ensure consistent quality.<BR> - VSR protection additives must be used every re-fuelling.<BR> - There are complex chemical reasons why different VSR protection additives should not be mixed; choose an additive, and use it exclusively.<BR> - Whilst outside the scope of the FBHVC testing, there is evidence to show that very high treat rates, whilst giving enhanced VSR protection, can lead to other problems such as valve sticking.<BR> - There is considerable evidence to show that sodium-based additives can have detrimental corrosive effects, particularly on exhaust valves and turbo-chargers. A paper on this subject was recently published by the Retail Motor Industry Federation.<P>Happy driving<BR>Johan<p>[ 03-14-2002: Message edited by: Johan de Bruin ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 Octane is not an issue - these are low compression engines.<P>Buick may have used high-Ni metal, but Chrysler was way ahead - they had hardened valve inserts in the 40's! Lots of good info on the valve seat debate. One note - don't mess with tetra-ethyl lead itself, it is quite toxic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teamsterdug Posted March 16, 2002 Share Posted March 16, 2002 Thanks everyone for input on this contraversial issue I seemed to have stirred up. So if I understand correctly, to purchase a high octane of say "92 or 93" is just a waste of $$$ with this low compression straight 8 Buick. Aside from the environmental issues of lead are there any detrimental affects on the engine itself by using lead additive if using the same type all of the time? CD2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted March 17, 2002 Share Posted March 17, 2002 Most of the additives are petroleum based and burn up before doing any appreciable good. They don't hurt anything and if they give you piece of mind then by all means use them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 31, 2002 Share Posted March 31, 2002 Is there any truth to the story that tetra-ethyl lead additive raises the boiling point of gasoline and therefore reduces vapor lock and even could make your engine run a few degrees cooler? Could it be that even though an engine, be it straight eight, v8, etc... would benefit in ways other than preventing valve problems, spark knock etc...? Also, is there any lubricating value to the lead additives that may lenghten the life of rubber parts that were designed for leaded gasolines? Here is a good link to Chevron. Scroll down and there is even a paragraph pertaining to old/antique cars. <A HREF="http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/unld-gas/" TARGET=_blank>http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/unld-gas/</A> I guess I answered my own question. <BR> <p>[ 03-30-2002: Message edited by: 61lesabre ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teamsterdug Posted March 31, 2002 Share Posted March 31, 2002 Interesting site you have posted Lesabre. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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