iSnare.com - Free Content Articles Directory
Authors Contents [Advanced Search][Add OpenSearch][Job Search]
Distribute your articles to thousands of article sites for only $2 and below! Read more...

Index  Automotive
 

Using Unleaded Gas in Vintage Cars

 
[ Contact the Author] [ Send to a Friend] [ Article Publisher] [Make PDF] [ Print] [ Bookmark & Share]
 
Read our Terms of Service before reprinting this article. The submitter specified above has claimed the rights to this article.
Tim Leary

At one of the vintage cars websites sites I belong to there was a member who shared an interesting experience to the forum. Below is the Readers Digest version.

The new owner (who we will call John) had seen his dream vintage car advertised on the same website referenced above. John liked what he saw, and it helped that many forum members validated how nice the car was. John set an appointment to test drive the car. When John arrived the car was even better looking than the pictures indicated. The owner decided that John was a serious buyer and wasn't a "tire kicker". They decided to take the car out for a test drive. The car started on the first turn of the key, idled smoothly, and ran perfectly. The owner let John drive back on the return trip. And even though John was taking it easy, he was able to get the tires to chirp easily in 2nd and 3rd gear.

John purchased the car, loaded it up on his trailer, and was now the proud owner of a beautiful 1970 Nova Super Sport. Since the car was almost perfect and didn't need any work, John started driving to a couple of local car cruises and classic car shows to get a feel of the car.

The next car show was about an hour and a half away. After waxing the car, and checking the fluids, John filled the gas tank. A couple of miles down the road John stopped at a red light. When the light turned green, he pulled away, and heard a light knocking/pinging noise on acceleration. The noise grew louder the longer he drove the car. The only time John heard the noise was on acceleration. If he drove the car "easy" like there was an egg under the gas pedal, the pinging was almost non existent and tolerable. If he had to pass another car and was required to accelerate, the noise got worse, and the engine didn't have the same power as his first test drive. Other than the noise, the car performed flawlessly. John drove the car to and from the show, but he was really anxious and nervous because he thought he had bought a lemon. And he wasn't a happy camper.

Long story short, some of the people reading John's story started to ask him questions. A group of them even made a special trip to John's house to take a test drive with John to see if they could determine what was happening. During the discussion one of the bystanders asked John what changes he made to the car since buying it. John replied “I didn't touch a thing, except to wash it, wax it, and I filled the gas tank". The bystander said, "I am going to take a leap here" then he asked “what kind of gas did you put in it"?

Let me jump ahead here in the story, and explain why this is so important.

High performance cars from the 60's and early 70's require high performance gasoline. Unless the engine has already been modified, pre-1971 cars require leaded high octane gasoline to run correctly. Because leaded gasoline is no longer sold in the United States, owners of these types of vehicles need to buy lead substitute additives (around $2-$5 per bottle). A bottle is generally good for one tank of gas. Lead is critical because it acts as a lubricant for the internal engine parts and stops them from wearing out prematurely. Engines built in 1971 and later are built to run on unleaded gas so adding lead substitute is not needed. In fact, lead damages Catalytic Converters, which are required on cars built after 1977, and is more harmful to the environment. Adding a lead additive to a pre-1971 engine will literally prevent the engine from beating itself to death.

John’s experience was something that happens to many vintage car owners. The reason the Nova ran great with the previous owner was because he used a 92 octane gasoline and added a bottle of lead substitute with every fill-up. When John filled the gas tank he used the same 87 octane gasoline he uses for his everyday driver. He never gave any thought to what type of gas he was running. Most people don't buy vintage cars for gas mileage and economy reasons. Therefore it only took a couple of weekends of local driving before John needed to fill up his gas tank again. Now the engine was off of its "design point", meaning it was never intended to run on low octane, unleaded fuel. The engine started to ping and knock under a load, as soon as the new gas was being burned.

When John shared his story on the forum, there was about a quarter of a tank of economy gas left. He added a bottle of octane booster, a bottle of lead substitute, and filled the rest of the tank with 92 octane premium gas. Since then, John's car has been running perfectly.

An original pre 70's engine which has not been modified for unleaded fuel will need a little help in the gas department. Always use the highest octane possible. A bottle of good octane booster and a lead substitute will help maximize performance and the engine’s longevity. You should be purchasing the highest octane gas possible because a high octane rating prevents knocking and pinging. Supreme unleaded (92 octane) is fine and should be used for most engines and everyday driving.

Owners of truly high performance engines, meaning a compression ratio greater than 10.0:1, must use an octane booster to keep their engines running smoothly. Octane boosters will also help if you plan to race your car occasionally or whenever you want a little more power. Remember, racing fuel in the 104 octane category and higher is expensive and sometimes hard to find.

Racing fuel should only be used if you truly have an engine built for racing and is overkill for a street car.

Important NoticeDISCLAIMER: All information, content, and data in this article are sole opinions and/or findings of the individual user or organization that registered and submitted this article at Isnare.com without any fee. The article is strictly for educational or entertainment purposes only and should not be used in any way, implemented or applied without consultation from a professional. We at Isnare.com do not, in anyway, contribute or include our own findings, facts and opinions in any articles presented in this site. Publishing this article does not constitute Isnare.com's support or sponsorship for this article. Isnare.com is an article publishing service. Please read our Terms of Service for more information.

Tim Leary is a serial car nut and likes nothing better to find you your long-time dream classic car! http://www.yourdreamcarfinder.com
Article Tags: car [See Dictionary], gas [See Dictionary], john [See Dictionary]
Got a question about this article? Ask the community!
Article published on December 03, 2008 at Isnare.com
 
Rate this article:

Classic Cars For Sale: Scam Proof Techniques
Submitted by: Tim Leary

Classic cars for sale are big business these days There is no shortage of unscrupulous people who will take your money and vanish...

Classic Car Values
Submitted by: Tim Leary

With prices hitting the silly season about 18 months before every bubble was burst, the LAST thing you want to do is leave money on the table...

Classic Cars Search Tips
Submitted by: Tim Leary

There are no shortages of websites that show classic cars for sale Between private seller classified ads, classic car dealer ads, auto auction ads, it can be almost overwhelming...

Something For Everyone With A Used Audi
Submitted by: Sir Cherrylton

You’ve scoured the internet, spent hours with used car magazines, and finally you’re nearing a decision...

A Used Volkswagen Hits The Spot
Submitted by: Pete J Ridgard

Who can help having a soft spot for Volkswagen Call it a throwback to the days of (possibly) ill-conceived student politics, but there's something about a company that names itself for the 'people's car'...

A* For A Used Mercedes-Benz A Class
Submitted by: Sir Cherrylton

There’s only one word to describe a Mercedes-Benz A Class hatchback; adorable From its elegant nose to delightful posterior, the almost unexpected offering from the well-respected German camp brings with it a zephyr of much needed fresh air to the hatchback category...

Snow Tires - All Season Tires Won't Do
Submitted by: Tim Lehmann

Do I really need snow tires All Season tires are standard equipment on most new vehicles...

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is Made For Extremes
Submitted by: Andy Zain

Jeep is always looking for a way to provide a grand experience to its customers Jeep plans to introduce new models with left and right hand drive...

Tips on How to Buy a Functional and Safe Family Car
Submitted by: Amy Chan

Do you think you will be needing a new family car because of a new addition to the family Here are some tips that might help you choose the right car that not only has style but is also functional and safe...

The Off Road Jeep Liberty
Submitted by: Andy Zain

Jeep has always been a very popular vehicle to buy It was first introduced 66 years ago...

Car & Truck Windshield Repair: What You Need to Know
Submitted by: Stephen A Daniels

The importance of your car's windshield cannot be overemphasized Since the windshield is all that's between you and the road - including wind, rain, sleet and hail; keeping the windshield clean, clear and in good condition is critical...

Benefits of 17" Tires
Submitted by: JJ Green

Because aftermarket items like rims and tires have become so popular over the last several years, 17" tires have become a popular car enhancement...

Troy Lee Air Helmet: A Extremely Competitive Gear
Submitted by: Jem Jamey

Surveys and papers on the total of motorcycle fortuities have indicated that a larger share of it stimulates head and neck accidental injuries...

DIY Auto Repair Troubleshooting
Submitted by: G Jenkins

If there is something wrong with your car that needs to be fixed immediately, what do you do Do you rush off to the mechanic to let him identify the problem...

Beginners Guide For Remote Control Trucks
Submitted by: Chris Azzari

You’ve been giving some serious thought about dabbling with remote control vehicles as a hobby and your attention is pretty much focused on getting a beginner remote control truck...

The Various Models of Jeep CJ
Submitted by: Andy Zain

Human beings have always had a fascination for the vehicles that they drive Man was very close to his first vehicle the horse...

Is the Jeep Wrangler Fun Or Smart?
Submitted by: Andy Zain

An American icon, the Jeep has been around since World War II The ever popular Jeep Wrangler is a spin off and successor of the legendary World War II jeep...

Where to Find Cheap Car Rental Rates
Submitted by: David Patullo

There are many different things that you can do in order to be able to find cheap car rental rates One of the best things to do is to research the different car rental rates for where you are going to be renting your car from...

Isnare.com Footer Divider

© 2004-2009. Isnare Free Articles - An Isnare Online Technologies Free Articles Project. All Rights Reserved.   Privacy Policy