Gas additive

Is anybody putting lead additive in their gas for the Cubs or SC's? Had a mechanic tell me that it is important for 50's cast, flat head engines.

All that lead stuff is a way to part you with your $$. Doesn't even have any lead in it any how. I've been running old tractor for over 38 years and have yet to ever used the lead stuff. Ya once In a while I will mix 1 quart of ATF to 5 gal of gas to help free up things and clean out carbon build up

Thanks...I had never heard of that in any of the forums before either. He did recommend Rislone to dump in the oil to get rid of build up in rings and valves as well. Figured it couldn't hurt for $4

I agree with Old, I have run non leaded gasoline in my tractors, and other vehicles since we could no longer get leaded gas. Our farm co-op has an option at the pump for non ehtanal gas that some choose but it is pretty pricy. I have heard stories of the ethanal gas eating rubber hoses and the diaphrams on number series JDs but I haven't had an issue with it in any of my old tractors ranging in manufacture from 1938 to 1960. I do use non ethenal fuel in 2 cycle engines as it seems to stay good longer when mixed with oil.

Been running the 10% blend for40pluss yrs in everything with NO problems tractors mow yds work in garden and have been on 19 three day tractor rides this yr will be the 20th the local station has sponsored ride is around 175mi over the three days. Cars and pickups have many thousands of mi since we started using the 10% blend

One thing I would just warn you about using Rislone or other such engine cleaning products. I?m
pretty sure Rislone is a fairly thin product with paint thinner smelling qualities. So strong enough
you can?t open the can and not take a good whiff without a cough response from your lungs. I
have nothing against the product and have used it before. Here is the warning I would not dump
this in one of your tractors and expect to leave it in there the duration of an oil change if you have
not had it apart and know the inside of the engine is already pretty clean. The reason is the
engines in the tractors you mentioned have bypass type oil filters and not the modern full flow filter
systems found on newer stuff. So if the stuff goes to work cleaning a bunch of deposits from spots
it has been hiding for years that gets suspended in the oil. Which in turn is now being pumped
through your engine bearings which is not necessarily good. I will go with good ol Old on this one
put a quart of ATF in there to replace one quart of oil when you change it. The if you really feel like
giving it additional cleaning before changing oil dump in your Rislone and run it 15-20 minutes
then change your oil. Just my honest opinion. Best of luck with your tractors.

I appreciate the input. I wouldn't want leave it in for a season. I would more like put it in and run it for an hour and then change the oil.

I have been running all 6 of my antiques on unleaded with no issues for over 15 years..Kenny

I agree with Hayfarmer, I do not use ethanol in small 2 cycle engines. When I bought my Mantis 2 cycle tiller in 2011 the instructions said it was OK to use gas with up to 10% ethanol. However the latest instructions are "do not use ethanol gas in small engines" They must have had a lot of fuel related problems. My Quick Trip station sells non ethanol gas at red handled pumps. It's about 50 cents higher per gallon but who cares for a small engine.

(quoted from post at 11:51:42 04/16/18) I agree with Hayfarmer, I do not use ethanol in small 2 cycle engines. When I bought my Mantis 2 cycle tiller in 2011 the instructions said it was OK to use gas with up to 10% ethanol. However the latest instructions are "do not use ethanol gas in small engines" They must have had a lot of fuel related problems. My Quick Trip station sells non ethanol gas at red handled pumps. It's about 50 cents higher per gallon but who cares for a small engine.

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E10 gasoline worked just fine in my Yamaha dirt bike. Stihl chainsaw didn't know the difference. Niether did my Stihl and Poulan weed eaters.

Valve-seat recessive was a problem when unleaded gas came out in many engines built early 70s and back. Car, truck, and tractor. So that
part of what the guy told you is true. I have my doubts that any "elixer" sold as a lead-substitute does much though (just my opinion). Old
engines without hardened valve-seat inserts (seats part of casting) were induction hardened at the factory. They also work-harden after a lot
of use. Excess seat wear tends to show up on engines with recently ground valves that are soft when reground. Back in the 70s when leaded-
gas was no longer sold - it was a common practice to machine engines to accept hardened inserts. In the case of your flathead? If it has
not had any valve-work recently and you don't use it hard 8 hours every day, you have little to worry about.

There is a very slim possibility that leaded gas is needed in any engine.

You "could" get some valve seat wear if the seats are original and you use it many hours a day every day.

I run unleaded in everything.

When these tractors were built, there was no lead in gas. As long as you run your engines and do not let them set, 10% is fine. I have a 325 JD lawn mower that I taught the grand kids to mow with. I has set in the shed for three or four years,the gas tank looked and felt like chewed bubble gum. I put two gal of E-85 in it and hauled it around in the back of the truck for a couple of weeks and it cleaned fight up. The mower runs good after a carb cleaning and fuel filter,now I just have to fix two flat tires. Take an old grass jar and put an inch of 10% in it, and let sit on the bench,check it in two weeks.

Well let me put it to you this way NO , it is all SNAKE OIL . Even the socalled BEST is nothing more then SNAKE OIL as many years back will tryen to address a problem we were having we spent big money having gas and a SNAKE OIL product tested at a lab and the lab results came back with some vary interesting data and Info . But on your Cubby or Super C myself i would try and find real gas with no Al-Ki-Hol and use that . I am sure that you will never spend 10 12 hours a day everyday for two weeks plowing or other chores that will have your engines working at max output . So there fore if your engine is fresh and you use good oil change oil regularly and use a low ash oil it will more then likely out last you , your kid and his kids.

good thoughts.....BTW what are some "low ash" oils that I can get at say TS?

Use the E-10 in everything that I have with no problems too. Get the gas at local key troll.

My Craftsman 2 cycle tiller can sit for a yr. at a time and will start right up,no problem with E 10 in it.