Fuel Lead Additive

[69OlympicGoldSS]

I have a stock '69 SS with the 300 horse 350.  Don't I need to dump in some Lead Additive every time I buy fuel?  Anything else I should be doing to preserve the motor?

[JohnZ]

"Lead additives" don't contain lead - it's illegal to sell tetraethyl lead, as it's a strong carcinogen, easily absorbed through the skin. You don't need any "lead additive" - exhaust valve seat recession isn't an issue unless the engine is in a boat or you pull a trailer at 100 mph all day long; all lead additives will do is 1) Lighten your wallet, and 2) Eat the protective plating off the inside of your float bowls (the "additives" are LOADED with alcohol, except Jack Podell's, which is 99.8% kerosene). 

[lakeholme]

Take a look at this Chevron site:
http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/unld-gas/
It gives some detail as to why JohnZ is giving you good advise.

[RJ_RS_SS_350]

So, yes, if you're not going to drive it much, you should be ok.  If it's a daily driver, you should get the hardened valve seats installed. When I rebuilt the motor on my F100 I figured it didn't need hardened seats. About 9 months later one of the valves had sunk.     Or you could check with a machine shop, see if it cost more to do the work after the damage is done. If the cost is the same, wait and see if it becomes an issue.

[JohnZ]

If you have heads with 2.02/1.60 valves, machining for exhaust valve seat inserts can be very risky unless it's done by a shop that REALLY knows what they're doing; 2.02/1.60 heads are prone to cracking in the very narrow region between the valves as it is, and the chamber roof isn't very thick in that area - an inexperienced machinist can easily go through into the water jacket when cutting the recess for the seat insert.

[sam]

John. I am wasting my time with Jack Podells additive in my 69 Z? I have been using it for a couple years now. Not worth it? What is good to use? A couple gallons of VP and some 92 octane in every tank full?  Thanks,  Sam

[lakeholme]

Take a look at these threads:

http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=642.0

http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=312.0

[hotrod68]

For 10 years I drove my '68 daily and raced it on the weekends with #291 heads and never had a prob with unleaded gas eating the seats up, and that was with a wild cam. Right on, JohnZ. I call B-S on the whole concept. It's amazing what mass-marketing disinformation can get people to worry about and buy!

[69OlympicGoldSS]

Thanks for all the advice gang.  Having lived thru the chane-over era from leaded fuels to unleaded fuels I remebered it was quite the hot topic back then.  Sounds like it is a non issue for my 1969 occasional driver.

[jdv69z]

I agree that additive is not required. Have 69 Z with 11:1 pistons, and have not had problems running unleaded premium. No valve problems after 24 years and 16,000 miles.

Jimmy V.