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Original 65 engine - lead substitute

Gas_Pumps

New Member
Should a lead substitute be used on an original 65 289 that has never been rebuilt and has the original heads? If so, how much and how often? Where can you get the stuff?
 
No need unless you are going to use the car at sustained high revs. The problem with unleaded gas is that it can lead to recessed valves, but that is rarely seen unless one does sustained racing. [Note: even though someone here on the forum claims to race, it is never sustained enough to warrant the use of leaded gas.]

The next time the engine needs an overhaul, hardened valves can be substituted for the originals.
 
Just to avoid any confusion, it is not the valves themselves that would get replaced as much as the valve seats. Older heads should have new hardened seats installed when the heads are rebuilt. Most times the old valves can be reused.
 
Op it really depends on how much you are driving this car. if it is just a weekend/back up daily driver, then you dont need to add anything to the fuel. if it is a daily driver, you dont need to add anything to the fuel. if it is an all out race machine, then you best be using the best fuel you can afford, AND you need to be going through the engine and freshening it up every couple of races.

modern pump gas has lubricants added into the mix to prevent valve seat recession, even hardened seats can have that issue just not to the degree of older engines.

in the end dont waste your money.
 
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