Gas additive, Lead Substitute - BJ8

[SimsBJ8]

I am working on getting my BJ8 on the road after 25 years of sitting. What do people use as a gas additive in addition to using ethanol free fuel?

 

[vette]

I don't use an additive. Just dump 91 or above octane gas in it and go. It's been working well for more than 15 years.

 

[Healey Nut]

Pump in the gas and drive the wheels off her . I put ethanol in mine and she runs fine .

 

[blueskies]

I have heard that the original valves on engines from the '60s and earlier will not last long with lead-free gasoline, and that one should add a lead substitute/additive. For engines that received new valves in a more recent rebuild, that may not be a concern. But what about the original engines? Should one use a lead additive for those engines? Or is that a myth?

 

[Randy Forbes]

I'd expect that any engine that's had a valve regrind in the last thirty (>30) years would've had hardened exhaust seats installed (nice to have, but not so crucial on intake side).

If you are running an original, never updated head, I do not feel there are any additives sufficient to give back what removing the lead took away. The worst that can happen is that the valves will eventually recede into the head, the performance will suffer, and then you get a valve job done.

Depending on what your annual mileage is, that valve job may be a decade away; take Vette's & Healey Nut's advice, and have a ball!

 

[vette]

I have read articles in many of the American hot rod magazines that claim that most collector/specialty cars ,with vintage cylinder heads and valve seats, would never get enough miles on them to see any effect from ethanol gas. One article I read claimed that it would take at least 50,000 miles or more closely to 75k before any decernable seat erosion to occur. Maybe only us 'Old Timers' can remember the Amoco "white gas". I'm pretty sure that was an ethanol gas with minimum additives. I knew guys back in the '60s that wouldn't put anything else in the tank.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

I was a bit dismayed to have had some EVR in my BJ8's head, which I recently had rebuilt. It was overhauled--with hardened seats and stellite exhaust valves--about 115K miles prior. The valves themselves were in pretty good shape.

 

[SimsBJ8]

Thanks!
Your information is very much appreciated!!!!

 

[GeorgeC]

I use unleaded in old "white gas" Coleman camp stove. Works fine.

 

[RA_Healey]

Non-oxy fuel with Redline lead substitute.

I was also told to run a tank of mixed non-oxy and race fuel once a year. That would be enough lead in the race fuel to do the job.