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BE Fuel Additives/Oil?

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Ted_Merendino

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Hey guys,

My Bugeye is the first car I've owned with solid lifters, and my first car that ever ran on leaded gasoline. (Am I giving away my age here?) I always fill up with premium gas (about 92 octane in my area) and use a Valvoline racing oil, which is "designed for older cars" but does not contain that additive (which I suddenly can't remember, but eats catalytic converters and is being phased-out as such).

Should I be using any fuel additives? Octane booster perhaps? What about oil? Are there any well-liked brands/weights/specific oils?

Thanks!
 
Hi Ted, for the most part fuel additives fall into the category of snake oil. Regarding engine oil there is a preference for Castrol GTX 20/50. Here an additive can be added for the older engines and surprisingly it is zink laced STP. OTOH, I think the so called oil for older engines is a marketing ploy. Valvoline VRI engine oil is acceptible too.--Fwiw--Keoke
 
Ted, if you get the valvoline VR1 20/50, it does contain 'that additive' which I think you might be referring to as ZDDP. This is the oil I use, and needs no additive, not that an oil additive is recommended anyway.
I'm not sure if it's available in CA?
Don't worry about your age, there are plenty of Gen X in here with cars older than themselves.... Like me /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/whistle.gif
 
If You choose to run a Valvoline racing oil ZDDP is retained in their single viscosity oils. Bolstering its content can be accomplised using STP---Keoke
 
Easy way to tell is to look at the rating of the oil on the can, or bottle. Anything rated SJ or later does NOT have the beneficial additives. SH was considered the all around best formulation for the racers of old. But you ain't gonna find it anymore.

So what to do? Go to your local Yamaha motorcycle shop and buy motorcycle oil. It comes with the additive and is a lot cheaper than most racing oils.
 
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif You can also look at the API circle or text on the back of the bottle . If it says "Energy Saving" keep on looking it does not contain ZDDP or the content is inadequate for our engines.--Fwiw--Keoke
 
Thanks for the responses guys. I'm currently using Valvoline VR1, so I guess I made the right decision.

Baz, I was referring to ZDDP. Thanks.

Let's just say my 1960 Bugeye was 23 years old when I was born.
 
Hehe, I was 21 when mine was built.
 
Fifth Gear had a test on Octane boosters on Mondays show, they used Oxford Brooks University to test 4 of the top products, the best one gave a 2% power LOSS at peak power!!!
As far as a lead replacement additive in the fuel: the PO from my first car didn't use it on a standard engine and as a result I used to use almost as much oil as I did fuel! When I took the engine to pieces the piston rings had just discintegrated, and I was lucky there was no damage to the pistons or cylinders.
I'll be getting the work done to let me use unleaded next time it's out of the car, apparently they run smoother if done properly so it makes sense.
 
I doubt the destruction of the rings had anything to do with the lead content of the gas. The effect of unleaded on our engines is to cause exhaust valve recession due to "micro-welding" at the valve/seat interface. Even that effect is very slow and slight.

Glen
 
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