Gas Additive?

[Lou Van Anne]

With today's gasoline, do you use an additive with each fill up? What do you recommend?

[52 Ragtop]

Lou,
There is a "Countrymark" gas station here in town, they have REAL gas, NO ethanol, I usually buy the premium, and they ARE proud of it. I'm thinking it's 91 or 93 Octane. My 63 R-2 Avanti really likes it. I have been known to hit the local airport, and snag me about 5 gallons of avgas, and mix it in. <G> Other than that no additives.


Jim

[Mike Van Veghten]

Nope, no need.
I drive either my 259 powered Lark or my flat head 54 almost daily.
Other than when I head out for a long freeway run with my Lark, it gets a dose of fuel injector/carburetor cleaner (Lucas or Redline) in the tank, that's it.

Mike

[alaipairod]

Lou,
There is a "Countrymark" gas station here in town, they have REAL gas, NO ethanol, I usually buy the premium, and they ARE proud of it. I'm thinking it's 91 or 93 Octane. My 63 R-2 Avanti really likes it. I have been known to hit the local airport, and snag me about 5 gallons of avgas, and mix it in. <G> Other than that no additives.


Jim

Aside from having a "friendly" gas station nearby........Your only choice is to find a vendor that sells an ethanol neutralizer and a lead additive product to extend the life of your Studebaker.....Don't forget the non detergent oils................

[Silverplate]

I am able to purchase 110 leaded fuel a few miles from my house. It's not cheap by any means. I normally put about eight gallons in and then 93 octane at the same location. Ever since I started using my Avanti idles smoother, starts easier and I think it demonstrates more response. It's fun on a Saturday getting gas among race cars to. The Avanti gets a lot of attention.

[TWChamp]

I only use the better gas without corn crap, and I add 4 ounces of MMO to each 10 gallons.

The bad thing is Marvel Mystery Oil now comes in 1 gallon plastic containers instead of the good metal cans they used to use, and all 3 of the last gallon plastic containers has cracked and lost most of the MMO. The last one was this summer while it was in the truck of my 50 Champion, and now it has the undercoating all wet in the rear of the car. I think I'll stop buying MMO and just add some motor oil, since their containers don't crack and leak.

[rockne10]

No ethanol-free around here. Marvel Mystery Oil has been around for over a century; and there's a reason. I add a few ounces to every tank in every vehicle; especially critical in those small engine mowers, tractors, tillers, etc.
I work at a high-end auto maintenance shop; mostly Mercedes, BMW, Porsches, etc; but also with a regular clientele of Maseratis, Aston Martins, Ferraris, Bentleys and the occasional exotic.
The shop owner recommends MMO to everyone, especially those that will be stored for the winter, and always keeps it in stock. He uses it in his own Porsche, SL500, GLK550, Challenger, Metris, SRT10 and International diesel motorhome. It's cheap and it works.

[rockne10]

The bad thing is Marvel Mystery Oil now comes in 1 gallon plastic containers instead of the good metal cans they used to use,

We get it in pints, quarts and gallons.

[BRUCESTUDE]

I use regular ethanol laced gasoline; although I do add the required dose of Sta-bil when not driven regularly, as in the winter. Works fine, granted I have replaced all rubber fuel lines and run with an electric fuel pump with a new carb.

[Green 53]

I don't like to use it but Lucas octane booster works well in both of my R1's. The 91 octane fuel here in the Phoenix area just doesn't cut.

Denny L

[lumpy]

In my opinion if you drive your vehicle on a daily basis the ethanol is tolerable, not the best fuel by any means. The biggest problem is not driving your car and letting that crap sit in your tank ,lines,and carb. It attracts water and tends to gell in float bowls etc. Newer cars have a sealed fuel system that solves most of these problems. Our older cars do not. All of my older cars I try to drive on a regular basis to cycle the fuel thru the system. my daily driver is a 56 chevy pick up with a 406 small block 5pd tremec 342 posi 60.000 miles last 4 yrs . No fuel related issues. If you let em sit your gonna have problems, drive your stuff guys…Ill be the guy driving the pink…. sorry thahiti choral 59 lark

[RadioRoy]

I use Sta-Bil every time the Lark gets gas. Since the car is driven infrequently, Sta-Bil keeps the gas fresh - or fresh enough.

I agree with others that, if the car gets driven regularly, no additive is needed. But none of my cars have high performance engines, just plain vanilla 259, 289, and flat head sixes.

[Kurt]

I use Stabil on every fuel up. I try to avoid ethanol, but will use it in a pinch. It's ok if you are driving regularly. Just make sure you have it used up and real gas in before storage.

[63 R2 Hawk]

100LL avgas contains no ethanol and will remain stable for well over a year without any additives. If you're going to store your vintage ride over the winter, run the tank down to almost empty and put 5 gallons or so of 100LL, drive it a few miles to get it into the carb and park it. A little TEL in avgas is good for your engine...and your driving experience too! Last time I bought 100LL it was $5.30/gallon. During the summer when I'm driving more I just buy premium pump gas or non-ethanol laced gas, there are several stations nearby that pump it, but I don't think the octane rating on non-e is as high as they say, I often have to retime to prevent detonation.

[Milaca]

I've used non-ethanol 91 octane with no additives for several years. Despite long periods of inactivity, I have not noticed any issues.