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Unleaded gas

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kevin

07-05-2001 15:51:48




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I just purchased a 1958 International Harvester 300 Utility tractor it seems to run pretty well. so My first question is about what type of fuel to burn the previous owner burned unleaded gas. Should I add a lead substitute? and should I run high test or just 87 octane? Any suggestions are welcome.




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Dave

07-10-2001 16:18:58




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 Re: unleaded gas in reply to kevin, 07-05-2001 15:51:48  
There is a lead substiture for lead. It is organic manangese.Read the label carefully as many lead substitues don't use manangese. It is getting hard to find but is still out there for dragsters and provides a 6 octane number boost besides protecting the valve seats. You will know when you are using it as the spark plugs will have an orange colored deposit.



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Kendall

07-10-2001 08:47:35




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 Re: unleaded gas in reply to kevin, 07-05-2001 15:51:48  
Octane requirements are based on compression ratio. Most older tractors are low compression engines and dont need anything past 87. Car engines today are 8.5 to 8.7 and run on 87 octane. The hot-rod engines of today are 9.5 and need 91 octane.Your tractor is 6.6:1 compression so it should run on anything made today. Valve seat wear on the exhaust side is proportional to how hard you are working the engine. If you're just putting around, as most folks do with antique tractors, it will be a long time before you need a valve job. If you're dragging a plow had have the throttle up, building up engine exhaust heat, the seats will wear faster. I would do a compression check once a year and keep records. Check valve lash at the rocker arms. As the valves recess into the head the clearance will diminish. You will then have a better idea of when its time to do a valve job.

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ferrell freeman

07-07-2001 06:04:25




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 Re: unleaded gas in reply to kevin, 07-05-2001 15:51:48  
I,have found that the lead sub. cause more carbutor gumming if you donot run or use your tractor regularly .Like Dean,Paul and Rod MI,said you can find a two cycle oil with a gas stabilize in the oil. These type oils will do two things one it help lubercate valves and valves ,the second thing is it help to prevent gum of the carbutor .



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Rod MI

07-06-2001 22:24:53




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 Re: unleaded gas in reply to kevin, 07-05-2001 15:51:48  
Kevin my tractors seam to run better with out the lead substitutes and I will never use them agene but if you insist on using them you will have better luck with 2-cycle oil instead



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paul

07-05-2001 19:56:10




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 Re: unleaded gas in reply to kevin, 07-05-2001 15:51:48  
Most older tractors are slow-turning, low compression, work-all-day-long engines, and do not require high octane.

These old tractors were built with softer (than today's standards) valve seats and used the lead to lubricate/ dampen them. Without lead in the gas, the seats will wear out slightly faster. However, lead substitutes are not lead, just substitutes. So, their value is iffy.....

You can spend $200+ over the next 10 years buying lead substitutes, or you can save your money & use it to do a valve job sometime in the next 10 years & have hardened seats put in at that time. Then your tractor will last another 10 - 20 years, and you will be money ahead WITHOUT the bother of lead substitutes.

--->Paul

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Dean

07-05-2001 16:22:09




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 Re: unleaded gas in reply to kevin, 07-05-2001 15:51:48  
Get a manual for your tractor. Some, like mine, require 91+ octane. No, you don't need to put lead in the gas, unleaded works just fine.



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the tractor vet

07-08-2001 08:51:59




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 Re: Re: unleaded gas in reply to Dean, 07-05-2001 16:22:09  
Vary good Dean you were smart enough to read about your tractor first , most of the IH's have harden seats in them from the factory on the exhust side . I have a lot of customers that have gas tractors and we get along just fine with them they are all using the high test with no alcohal or mtd or mtb's added we have two sorses for this good gas . There is one guy that swares buy moth balls in his gas ????? ?.

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Kendall

07-10-2001 09:08:13




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 Re: Re: Re: unleaded gas in reply to the tractor vet, 07-08-2001 08:51:59  
Moth balls are made of naphthalene. (C10 H8) and the theory is that it raises the octane rating. Now if someone will just do some dyno test to find out for sure,



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