Re: Unleaded gasoline in older tractors

Posted by jdemaris on March 14, 2005 at 07:01:34 from (209.23.28.183):

In Reply to: Re: Unleaded gasoline in older tractors posted by Rod in Smiths Falls, ON, on March 14, 2005 at 04:48:09:

Where did you come up with that information? Leaded gas has been around since the 1920s in this country. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General denounced it as being dangerous ca. 1922 and tried to get Standard Oil Co. (now Exxon), Dupont, and General Motors to stop promoting it.
Tetraethyl lead was found to be a cheap way of raising the octane level in gasoline so higher compression ratios could be used, in the 1920s. There was lots of public attention and headlines complaining about the lead additive being a poison - the dangers were handled in the same way cancer and cigarettes were handled.
Many early headlines during the 1920s called high-octane gas with lead "loony gas", that based on reports of fuel processing plant workers getting brain damage from the lead - sort of like hat makers working with mercury (i.e. Mad Hatters).
I was a working as a mechanic when unleaded gas was phased out. There was all kinds of hype alleging that the valves and valve guides were going to burn out unless either a lead-additive was used, or the entire valve train was updated. We pulled a lot of heads off and replaced valves, seats, and guides due to the hype. Since that time, I've got several vehicles that have not suffered at all (including a 1968 Dodge Power Wagon, 1949 Ford truck, 1965 Chevelle, 1918 Ford Model T, two Ford Model As, Deere 1010 dozer, 1966 MG, 1969 BSA Rocket III motorcyle, 1970 Triumph Tiger motorcyle, 1959 Royal Enfield Meteor Minor motorcyle, etc.). None have been updated, none have had trouble. My neighbor has a 3020 gas engine Deere tractor he's owned since new. He refused to update his valve train when the unleaded scare came out. He has used that tractor daily since new (late 60s). I recently did the first motor job on it, and did the valves. They showed absolutely no signs of abnormal wear.

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