Fuel System: Lead Substitute

[Dylan]

I'm going to be reinstalling the fuel tank in my president today after I had it boiled. Do I run a bottle of lead substitute in the fuel tank? Since today's fuels don't have lead in them. I want to make sure everything I'm doing is correct. Thanks!

Another note, can I run a thing of sea foam in the fuel tank to clean the carb jets? Seems like everything is running right, but their could be a plugged up jet or something in the carb.










Dylan

[PackardV8]

You are going to get a wide divergence of opinions about lead substitutes, Sea Foam and other magic in a bottle.

JMHO, but I wouldn't use any of them if they were free.

I've spoken with a couple of petroleum engineers. One, a good friend of mine has been an engineer with Chevron for forty years. He says, "If any of those aftermarket chemicals were beneficial, we'd manufacture them by the millions of gallons, put them in our oils or fuels and be bragging about it on television and charging more. They're all just marketing hype and wishful thinking."

Your opinions and results may vary.

jack vines

[63 R2 Hawk]

Lead "substitute" is usually nothing more than a light top oil. Lead has nothing to do with the tank or fuel system, it used to be added to gasoline to help prevent fuel knock. It won't hurt anything to run a little 100LL avgas (100 octane low lead) from time to time but not absolutely necessary. The long term affects of today's ethanol contaminated fuel, however, is another long and heated discussion. I would make sure you have a good filter in the fuel system and change it in the first couple hundred miles.

[Dylan]

I just wanted an honest opinion about this subject. My uncle runs the Gunk Lead Substitute in the 63' Blackhawk, and he told me about using it in mine. But then again I was telling him about the zinc additive that I'm running to protect the flat tapped pistons, he had no clue what that was. I just wanted to clarify with the Studebaker forum.

If choose to run it, I'm in no way hurting the engine? Thanks!




Dylan

[DEEPNHOCK]

Best thing you can do is run the snot out of it.
Keep the gas in your tank rotating.
If you drive ten gallons a week....Put ten gallons a week in it.
Keeping your 18 gallon tank full, and then driving a hundred miles in six months is asking for trouble.
Today's gas evaporates the 'good stuff' within a few weeks, and the rest of it (the bad stuff) absorbs water and leaves a boatload of crud in your carb.
Active Stude drivers don't usually have fuel problems.
Casual drivers, and intermittent drivers usually have issues.
HTIH
Jeff

[cutitup]

i think theres some truth in some of the products seafoam does work for seperating water from the gas because of the ethnal alot of people use it in boats ive used marvel mystery oil for years in older cars that arent set up for unleaded gas seems to work

[Swifster]

The only thing I run is a bottle of Techron every oil change.

[RadioRoy]

If everything is running right, then leave it alone.

The urge to tinker can be very strong, but tinkerers aften make more work for themselves than if they had just been content to leave it the H--- alone.

[FlatheadGeo]

If everything is running right, then leave it alone.

The urge to tinker can be very strong, but tinkerers aften make more work for themselves than if they had just been content to leave it the H--- alone.

My father, an aircraft mechanic, always said: "If everything is running fine, DO NOT open the hood!" This has become a standing phrase in my small circle of friends.

[Hawklover]

Go to a marine supply house and purchase a bottle of Starbright..........prevents phase seperation.

Best thing you can do is run the snot out of it.
Keep the gas in your tank rotating.
If you drive ten gallons a week....Put ten gallons a week in it.
Keeping your 18 gallon tank full, and then driving a hundred miles in six months is asking for trouble.
Today's gas evaporates the 'good stuff' within a few weeks, and the rest of it (the bad stuff) absorbs water and leaves a boatload of crud in your carb.
Active Stude drivers don't usually have fuel problems.
Casual drivers, and intermittent drivers usually have issues.
HTIH
Jeff

[jnormanh]

If everything is running right, then leave it alone.

The urge to tinker can be very strong, but tinkerers aften make more work for themselves than if they had just been content to leave it the H--- alone.

It's past time, waaay past time that folks stopped fantasizing about the elimination of lead from gasoline.

Remember leaded gasoline? Spark plugs lasted 10K miles, mufflers and exhaust pipes rusted out in a year or two., valves burnt at 50K miles. Engines rarely lasted 100K miles. Those things do not happen now because gasoline is now lead free.

Not to mention all the children in high traffic areas who were poisoned and suffered brain damage from lead.

Forget it. You don't need lead or anything else. Fantasize about something else. Modern gasoline is the best it 's ever been.

[JoeHall]

I just wanted an honest opinion about this subject. My uncle runs the Gunk Lead Substitute in the 63' Blackhawk, and he told me about using it in mine. But then again I was telling him about the zinc additive that I'm running to protect the flat tapped pistons, he had no clue what that was. I just wanted to clarify with the Studebaker forum.

If choose to run it, I'm in no way hurting the engine? Thanks!

Dylan

Lead substitute and zinc additive (DZZP) are both cut from the same cloth. Nothing supports either are needed, yet many folks use them for, "cheap insurance" or, "peace of mind" against horror stories about valve recession and cam & lifter failure. The horror stories are simply hype, designed to scare folks into buying the stuff.

Fortunately, it appears nothing is damaged if a person decides to use those products. Only side effect is a slightly lighter wallet.

[oldsalt]

It's past time, waaay past time that folks stopped fantasizing about the elimination of lead from gasoline.

Remember leaded gasoline? Spark plugs lasted 10K miles, mufflers and exhaust pipes rusted out in a year or two., valves burnt at 50K miles. Engines rarely lasted 100K miles. Those things do not happen now because gasoline is now lead free.

Not to mention all the children in high traffic areas who were poisoned and suffered brain damage from lead.

Forget it. You don't need lead or anything else. Fantasize about something else. Modern gasoline is the best it 's ever been.

Perhaps, just perhaps, gas has never been better and to believe, in even slight measure, that it is worse is, in fact, fantasizing. Perhaps.

Alternately; believing modern gas is the best thing since sliced bread might be due, possibly, to brain damage received at an early age. Possibly.

[sweetolbob]

Perhaps, just perhaps, gas has never been better and to believe, in even slight measure, that it is worse is, in fact, fantasizing. Perhaps.

Alternately; believing modern gas is the best thing since sliced bread might be due, possibly, to brain damage received at an early age. Possibly.

Realistically today's gas is the best for the purpose it serves, High pressure fuel injected engines controlled by state of the art ECM's. It is far from the best for engines designed to perform on the fuels in existence 60 or so years ago. So for the majority of it's usage it's fine. For the minority, Not so much!!


Bob

[StudeRich]

/Cut/I was telling him about the zinc additive that I'm running to protect the flat tapped (TOPPED) pistons, he had no clue what that was. I just wanted to clarify with the Studebaker forum./Cut/Dylan

Ops, careful Dylan; don't be telling the wrong story here.

The lower level of ZDDP, Catalytic Converter Safe 2008 and on Oil is supposed to damage the Valve LIFTERS and the CAMSHAFT Lobes they run on, which Flat Tappet Engines have.

This is never a problem on the Newer Overhead Cam and Roller Lifter Engines.

It has nothing to do with Flat, Dished or Domed (Popup) Piston style!