Unleaded Fuel
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 93
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From: South Africa
Unleaded Fuel
I am sure this question has been asked a million times. I was wondering if a 351 Cleveland can run on unleaded fuel? Or what has to be done to make it compatible. Looks like they are trying to do away with leaded fuel here in South Africa.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Unleaded Fuel
There is no leaded pump gas sold in the USA that I am aware of, so all of our old Fords run just fine on the no lead. Lead is corrosive so spark plugs, valves, exhaust systems, all seem to run longer. I have 80,000 miles on my 97 Taurus and the same plugs from the factory. 
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John
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In the cool still quiet of night, you can hear chevies rusting away.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,557
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From: Texas
Unleaded Fuel
Lead was added to "lubricate" the valves on the seats in order to help keep from burning them up. Like John said though, almost all cars run just fine on UN-leaded. If a rebuild is in the near future, you will get hardened seats and valves to provide a better seal.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
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From: Waterloo, Iowa
Unleaded Fuel
Tetraethyl Lead was added to fuel as an octane booster here in the US for many years. The lead also provided lubrication to the valve guides and seats. Typically engine rebuilders install hardened valve seats to allow trouble-free use of unleaded fuel. Low speed, low RPM use, puttering around town - don't worry about it.
If you want to use the truck at sustained highway speeds you'll want the hardened valve seats. There are "lead substitutes" available to add to a tank of gas but are more expensive in the long run - one of the auto mags here ran a test on them and found them effective but only when running 4 to 6 bottles per tank each and every time. That would add about $15-20USD every tank in addition to the price of the gasoline.
Keep 'er between the ditches.
If you want to use the truck at sustained highway speeds you'll want the hardened valve seats. There are "lead substitutes" available to add to a tank of gas but are more expensive in the long run - one of the auto mags here ran a test on them and found them effective but only when running 4 to 6 bottles per tank each and every time. That would add about $15-20USD every tank in addition to the price of the gasoline.
Keep 'er between the ditches.
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