The only reason tetra-ethyl lead was added to gasoline was it was the cheapest way known to increase the octane level of gasoline which the higher compression engines needed to prevent pre-ignition. It had nothing, NOTHING, to do with protecting valve seats. That might have been an advertising claim, but it was all about increasing octane. AMOCO sold theitr ''white gas'' which was a highly refined gasoline that was as clear as water, high octane, and no lead, but it was expensive. I understand that they're refining it again at their refineries in Texas and Virginia and it will soon be available at their midwest stations. I remember when a lot of the aircraft the military flew were powered by reciprocating gasoline engines. The military decided to go to one grade of fuel in everything. Because some of the big stuff required 115/145 avgas that became the gas used in everything. US government contracts go to the lowest bidder. Lowest bidder had to use lead to achieve 115 octane. That fuel had so much lead in it it would turn our fingers white when we took fuel samples. Which was every day. Some of the aircraft didn't need high octane. One of them was a Hiller helicopter that required 87 octane. That particular helicopter used engine oil to lubricate the transmission. The engine oil, after using the new 115 octane fuel, started leaving lead deposits in the transmission. The first thing that failed was the Borg-Warner over-running clutch, which made auto-rotation possible. The entire fleet of Hiller helicopters had to be grounded and a seperate transmission lubrication system installed. The lead deposits were fowling the clutches with a gray, gloppy substance. These old tractor engines came out when low octane fuels were the norm. They didn't need any lead then and they don't need any lead now.
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Today's Featured Article - Harvestin Hay: The Early Years (Part 2) - by Pat Browning. The summer of 1950 was the start of a new era in farming for our family. I was thirteen, and Kathy (my oldest sister) was seven. At this age, I believed tractor farming was the only way, hot stuff -- and given a chance I probably would have used the tractor, Dad's first, a 1936 Model "A" John Deere, to go bring in the cows! And I think Dad was ready for some automation too. And so it was that we acquired a good, used J. I. Case, wire tie hay baler. In addition to a person to drive th
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