Leaded gasoline?

[benlange]

I purchased a boat with a 1972 Mercruiser 165hp inline 6. Do I need to run gas with lead additive, or can I use regular? Ideally I would like to hook my kicker (07 yamaha 4 stroke 8hp) up to the main gas tank.

Thanks!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

Ayuh,... Just burn Regular...

 

[ziggy]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

if i remember from past threads, the general consensuses is that no you don't need to. reason is that something else will break before ya get done in for not having lead in the fuel to soften the blow as the valve seats. myself, i waste my money on a lead additive. my reasoning is that it wanted lead back then, so if i can, i do my best to give it what it wants. i'm more of a by the book fella since i don't know any better than what the book tells me to do. probably something else will go wrong for me too. but at least i did the best i could and thought was right.

another option is get a valve job done and have hardened seats installed. then ya don't need the lead.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

Regular gas is fine. I doubt a guy could even get a real "lead" additive this day and age and why would you want to be burning that poison anyway ?

I drink the water I boat in and don't approve of Johns Manville dumping asbestos into Lake MI and don't care for BP putting Mercury into the pond either.

How does your 165 run ? I have a 165 myself, what a pleasure these motors are to work on.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

Run it till the valve seats burn, then if the boat is any good have a machine shop install hardened exhaust valve seats. And burn they will but considering how many hours you put on a boat motor it may take a while.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

its not just the seats, its the guides themselves that need the lead for lubricant.
I think Ziggy said it best. I have an oldie to that I do run lead additive in. I get it at Napa.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

My previous boat (1966 150 Mercruiser) ran on unleaded gas for nearly 39 years and never even had the head off.

Just run it.

Cheers,

Rick

 

[benlange]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

I love it, so far. Bought the boat two weeks ago and have spent about 10 hours putting in new water pumps and a water flapper valve in the exhaust. Runs beautifully now! Can't wait till the salmon are in!

 

[cheburashka]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

I run lead substitute in my '72 4-cylinder. It's basically just a light oil of some kind that mixes with the gas. No lead in it at all. I don't know if it does anything, but I'd sure feel bad if my valve seats went south and I *hadn't* used it. I figure its good insurance, and it gives me some peace of mind.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

I run lead substitute in my '72 4-cylinder. It's basically just a light oil of some kind that mixes with the gas. No lead in it at all. I don't know if it does anything, but I'd sure feel bad if my valve seats went south and I *hadn't* used it. I figure its good insurance, and it gives me some peace of mind.

Well,

If it makes you feel good, it did it's job. (if it's job is to make you feel good)

Oil in gasoline will lower octane, foul plugs and leave combustion products behind......nothing really good for the engine.

Snake oils do a great job increasing the profits for the companies that make them and the retailers that sell them.......they don't do much for the people who buy them (except maybe make them feel good)

So, if it makes you feel good........Well, go for it.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

Don't bother with the lead substitute. You would have to run it a LONG time before you will see a problem.

 

[sdoomaha]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

Think I may be dating myself....but I remember when you had regular and premium and then came along the catalytic converter and good 'ol unleaded gasoline. Course back then there were still stations where an attendant filled up your vehicle for you.

Just kinda funny hearing guys talking about "regular" gas and refering to unleaded, doesn't seem that long ago it was the other way around. My how times change.

RTL.....

 

[mkast]

Re: Leaded gasoline?

I purchased a boat with a 1972 Mercruiser 165hp inline 6.

Hardened seats were installed in 1972.
Unleaded 87 is fine.