I just took possession of a '48 F1 with a 221/85 hp flathead V8. I am about to fill it up for the first time and would love some advice on what type of lead additive I should be using and any tips you all might have on fuel type or other tips for keeping it running smoothly!

Thank you in advance for any help you all can provide! This won't be my last embarrassing question...

 

You can buy lead additive at most speed shops. It is a must for older engines with flat tappet cams.
Watch your carb and fuel system for deterioration or leakage, the older gaskets and O ring seals are not compatible with today's ethanol laced gas.

 

I would argue that there is no real (chemically useful) lead additive left - it's been outlawed, the only thing you can do to better protect your flat tappet cam engine is zddp based oil additive products. Gunk out lead substitute is the only gasoline additive lead substitute that I have seen recently, but it is basically just methanol - nothing useful inside it.

 

Do you have any local gas stations with "non-ethanol" pumps ? There are two here, and are the ONLY places I buy gas for the Harley, truck, mowers, etc.

 

you can usually get the non alcohol gas in premium around lakes. and ive never put any lead stuff in my truck with the flatty drove it almost every day i was home last summer.

 

No way. Are you thinking of zinc additives for oil?

Lead was BAD for valve seats, oil, and exhaust systems. It was a band-aid for poor combustion chamber designs and primitive ignition systems.

A '48 would have hardened valve seats anyway, nothing is needed.

 

You are right Ross, I was thinking of oil additives.
A senior moment. Nevermind.

 

OK, FWIW. I recently tore down the virgin 272 Y block engine in my '56. I got a fair set of records with the truck and I believe the truck to have about 100K actual miles thereon. The valves were original Ford script and showed no signs of recession. I would imagine the truck has been run on unleaded gas since the '70s when lead was outlawed as a fuel additive. Lead was believed to serve to cushion / lubricate the non hardened valves and seats.
Hardened valves and seats were design mandated with unleaded fuels that came on the scene in the '70s. Most anything prior to that did not have hardened valves or seats.
Now to the cam. The cam and lifters showed considerable wear, required replacement. Lack of ZDDP or other suitable antiwear ingredients? I don't know, just reporting what I found
Crank required nothing but polishing and std bearings.
Reason for tear down? Cracked head, coolant leak into a cylinder and etching in that cylinder.
Another FWIW. I've been playing with Ford tractors for years and yet to find one that looked like it had valve recession.
Another FWIW. I walked into my friendly machine shop quite a few years back and there stood a couple MOPAR heads where the valves were recessed way below normal. I asked about them and was told they had been run hard on an irrigation pump with propane fuel.
IMO, the lead as a valve lubricant cushion is not required most engines, most environments. On the other hand, if you're running the engine against the edge, you may have a problem.

 

I love this place. I info here is second to none. You guys are awesome.

 

I would expect a tractor (if it didn't have hardened seats) to be a potential candidate for problems. Running at high constant load is one of the cases where valves can overheat.

 

the guys put me wise to not needing it in mine and to be honest i drove the daylights outta it for what 2-3 years every day on the cheapcrap fuel and my valve seats are just fine , and i know that for sure as the truck and driveline are kinda in pieces all over the place in the garage and some hidden in the house she don't know about yet ............ and i believe it was ross who informed me that i don't need the hardened seats unless it's being hammered on all the time i.e raced etc. or towing heavy loads so they aren't in the near future unless i really do something stupid and spend a years wages and build my dream flatty !!!!!!! worst thing i have noticed in all my vehicles including her 08 chitty uplander , my 95 4.6 bird , the 52 customline with a flatty and my 53 effie while it was together was how crappy they all run and the detrimental effects all that alky has on the efficiency and power and mileage of them . one station nearby i have been meaning to get too with the bird and try there uncut stuff and it do cost slightly more ......... can you guys see a whole new line of dope dealers evolving selling all us gear heads the good stuff on the street corners ?????????? race gas is way too pricey now or i'd run it !!!!!!!

 

My 239 was rebuilt in 1979. I do not know if hardened seats were used in the rebuild. About 20 years ago I worried about it and bought and used a lead additive. When FTE first began as a list serve back around 1998/9 this was brought up. The consensus was lead additives are not needed unless, as noted above, your truck is hauling heavy loads every day or racing a lot. My engine is running fine now nearly 33 years after its rebuild.

What I do add to my truck is this: I add something to the gas (I forget the name now) to fight the effects of the stupid ethanol in our gas. One ounce per 5 gallons.

I also do the zinc additive with every oil change. I was having timing problems a couple of years ago and a classic car nut friend of mine told me that the gov't took the zinc out of oil. He said classic car racers were replacing cams all the time. We think the timing problems may have been due worn cam lobes.

 

Fantastic responses guys and I really appreciate the help. Sounds like for regular around town light use no additive is needed. Hugely helpful and I will keep an eye on it and report back if I see anything changing.

Thank you again!