Re: Leaded fuel

Posted by Fish'n Jim On 2023/11/9 17:25:17

We've been around this horn about as much as the earth rotates on this one.
Valve seat damage was corrected with metallurgy not lead. That's why there's replacement valve seats.
TEL is and was developed as an octane booster which was used because early refineries had issues maintaining octane in fuels. I have some articles from Hydrocarbon Processing about the history of refinery from their 100 year issues. Search, if you're curious. That's where the first "knock" came from, low octane gas. Octane wasn't regulated or even known at the time as it's today. And those were low compression era. Second wave in the high compression era.
Other factors like too lean will cause valve burning issues as well as too rich carboning. In the old lead gas days, we had spark plug cleaning machines because of the fuel deposits. Spec ash content was high. Valves were not easily cleaned but a valve job/lapping on the seats was common. So in my world you're taking a giant costly step backward for naught thinking you're helping yourself.
As far as I can ascertain, ALL, road vehicles can not use lead. No grandfathers. That's why the additive substitutes are non-lead based, sodium, etc. As far as I last heard there's no lead gas in the world for vehicles now. I saw an article of the last country a few years now.
You can do as you please. I doubt the EPA police would know but some plumbophobe may report you and guess what you just went public! Some green peacer is saying "how sweet it is!"
Lead's probably going out of AV gas as soon as they can reliably replace. Already in with SAF (sustainable aviation fuels) jet fuels. Total bogus but it appeases the opposition and climatees.