Ok This May Be A Stupid Question But Do I Need To Put Lead Additive In My 292 Y-block? I Don't Want To Do Anythign To Mess My Baby Up. So Please Let Me Know And Yes You Can Tell Me How Stupid The Question Is. Thanks Ahead Of Time.

 

Ah one of the classic debates..
Run the search function here and you will see plenty of opinions. Two sides summarized below

Put it in
1. no hardened valve seats etc that on on newer motors
2. designed to run with lead fuel properties
3. any pinging or other detonation w/o LA can be damaging to hopped up (hot cams, high compression, advanced timing) motors
Dont worry
1. age and use of the heads have hardened the seat area enough
2. no knocking no damage
3. stocker motors do fine with the modern unleadeds and their new additives
that were never around back then
4. LA costs are a little hairy at 7-12 mpg

Put me in the dont worry camp.

 

I am in the don't worry camp.

However, when I had my heads done during the current rebuild, it was only $8 a valve to have hardened seats put in, so I did it.

 

I wouldn't say not to worry, because I do all the time about a lot of things on my truck. However, no way I would go to the expense of a gas additive. Should you choose to use it, it probably will not postpone the need to rebuild heads, whenever that time comes.
Edit Note: I have a 1954 Ford tractor, OHV, which we bought in '94. It is our only tractor and sees major work, especially during plowing, pulling heavy load at 2800-3100 rpm. It only sees pump regular. A year and a half ago I took the head in for a rebuild due to a knock. Everything was in pretty good order and not much had to be done.

 

Another vote for don't worry. Unless the truck is used really hard all the time and a lot of miles are racked up, then it my be worth it, but I doubt it. My old man has a '69 MGBGT that he has owned since new drove it every day 30 miles to andfrom work. From the day that lead was no longer in gas it took over 10 years for a single valve burned. He figured when it burns he will replace valves with hardened seats. Hell, he almost retired before he had to do it.

 

Mummert and other pro builders say not to worry unless it is going to be seeing 5 grand or more for extended times.

Ive yet to see a tear down Y with head damage due to modern fuels.

 

That's not a stupid question, the only thing i ever considered stupid is people that won't ask questions. The answer is no, you do not need a lead additive. People have been using unleaded fuel in leaded fuel cars since 1973 for those that had pre 73 models with no problems at all.


Janet