Do you guys run fuel additives in your old cars??

In the '60 Ponti, I have an Aluminium  Headed 455 and run on BP Ultimate only.

In my '60 Caddy which is all stock....  I ahve been running only BP Ultimate,   But don't know if I need that fuel, or if I should be running additives when I fuel up.

Greg, I can only say from the 200,000 miles I put on my '64 Bonneville, 99% of that was on LPG.  
When I tore the engine down, the heads were pretty good.  You could have serviced them and got another 200k out of them.  
BTW, that 200k was milage I put on that engine. It was a used engine when I got it.

The only reason fuel additives required in early 60's engines because todays fuel no longer contain lead. Early engines do not have hardened valve seats and lead in fuels acted as a cooling agent. Your alloy headed Ponti is late model head with the hardened inserts alreday installed. Running higher octane fuels in early engines will have no added benefit unless you are using additive as well. Additive gives you protection against burning valve seats.

Cheers, Chris.

Quote from: sms777 link=topic=3453.msg21020#msg21020The only reason fuel additives required in early 60's engines because todays fuel no longer contain lead. Early engines do not have hardened valve seats and lead in fuels acted as a cooling agent. Your alloy headed Ponti is late model head with the hardened inserts alreday installed. Running higher octane fuels in early engines will have no added benefit unless you are using additive as well. Additive gives you protection against burning valve seats.

Cheers, Chris.

Hi Chris,

So in my stock Caddy,  I will be fine running the normal unleaded 91 or 95 with the additive?
I can't remember what the additive is called.

Greg

No problems Greg, one day when you decide to do a freshen up on the top end of your engine just get hardened seats fitted to the exhaust valves and you will not have to use any additives again.

Cheers.

Greg , i use 91 and 95 with the lead additive in the olds , these old motors don't have much comp so really a waste of money using the 98 , just make sure you don't use E10 or if it says 91 with ethenol as it can eat at the gaskets in the carby , The nulon lead additive comes in a 100ml bottle and a 1 litre bottle , i keep the 100ml bottle in the glove box and just refill it from the 1 litre bottle as needed.
cheers chris.

http://100megsfree4.com/cadillac/cad1960/cad60d.htm

1959 - 1960 was the start of the high compression era.  I'd be putting high octane fuel in it.  I think the lead additive thing is snake oil, but that's just my view - or do Pontiacs just have better quality heads than everyone else??:gotya:

Quote from: bonnevista link=topic=3453.msg21036#msg21036http://100megsfree4.com/cadillac/cad1960/cad60d.htm

1959 - 1960 was the start of the high compression era.  I'd be putting high octane fuel in it.  I think the lead additive thing is snake oil, but that's just my view - or do Pontiacs just have better quality heads than everyone else??:gotya:

Wow didn't realise they had 10.5.1 comp , yep premium it is , as for the additive i think its cheap insurance at 1ml per litre it can't hurt , our 55 olds only has 8.5.1 so premium is not going to make a difference.