ive seen and heard from back in the days that leaded fuels added some performance, but mostly protection. ive seen some modern cars with high compression, supercharger, and nitrous and such running 89 pump with lead mixed in. i happened to find a thing at walmart that adds lead to the fuel "for off road use only" and was wondering, does the same performance and protection characteristics beneficial to a car like mine? will in clog injectors at all or mess with the o2 sensors, or plug the cat?

 

That stuff is just for the older cars that dont have modern heads, it has something to do w/ the seating of the valves as far as i know it doesnt give any performance increases. Ive heard the leaded fuel kills your 02 sensors and your cats.

 

Lead was used to prevent detonation. It was called ethylin- lead or something to that effect. Thats why in old movies and shows the actors would pull into a gas station and a pump would say ethyl. I think that was the fuel with the highest content of lead for less pinging.

 

Lead increases the octane of gasoline to, as Mike mentioned, prevent detonation. It allows you to run the engine at a much higher pressure, whether turbo or stock, without any fancy knock sensors.

"Unleaded Fuel Only"

Your car should say that somewhere. Lead will destroy your catalytic converters, and probably ruin other parts of your engine. Its also illegal for on road use.

But for the record, everything was better with lead. Lead paint lasts forever.

 

Don't use leaded gas on a street car. It kills and clogs the cat, and the deposits kill the O2 sensors, adds to valve head deposits, and fouls spark plugs. That is one reason that plugs only lasted 10,000 miles in the old days. In the old daysthat was an easy way to raise the octane rating. The one good feature was that the lead acted as lubricant and protected the valve seats. Modern cars use hardened seats and there no need for lead.

 

alrighty, thanks guys!! maybe ill try it in my 2 stroke pocket bike. gas, alcohol, and lead. that oughtta be a great night!

 

Go to a hobby shop and get a gallon of 60/40 nitromethane/methanol mix. That should liven up the bike.

 

Don't forget the two stroke oil and add some of the root beer addative to make the exhaust smell good!

 

Root beer additive is a good idea, the nitro fumes reallyrip into the nose & eyes, so you want to try masking them.

 

Leaded gas helps lubricate the engine. They stopped using it in Mo Gas due to the wide usage and the more pollution it caused. I still use leaded fuel, just not for cars. Av gas is leaded and is allowed due to the smaller ratio of airplanes to cars, and since it helps maintain aricraft engines.