LUCAS fuel injector additive

[fordraised]

I posted this question on another forum and not getting very many response, I try my luck here and hope that I posted it the the correct discussion thread.

I pick this LUCAS product up to treat the fuel injection system in my other vehicles. I was reading the side of the container and noticed that it is also a lubricant for the upper cylinder and can also assists the fuel system stay clean. Has anyone used this product in their vehicles? I'm still running a lead motor and currently using premium fuel and occasionally adding a lead substitute.

[simplyconnected]

Joe, most of those additives are unnecessary because gasohol will naturally clean your injectors. Most fuels are 10% alcohol now, but if yours isn't, run a tank through your engine. 10% gasohol doesn't run as well (or deliver as many BTU's). In fact it runs pretty bad. When you go back to gasoline you will notice a big improvement.

Some brands here in the States put STP gas treatment inside their formula. It's probably not much, but with gasohol, they really don't need any (other brands don't include STP and they run just fine).

I am curious as to why you want additives. - Dave

[fordraised]

Dave, I this case I was going to add the LUCAS for the lubrication aspect of the additive. LUCAS claims to lubricate the upper cylinder, pump, carb and compression rings. If I'm to understand correctly, are you suggesting that I stick with using premium fuel for TBird and not worry about adding any lead substitute occasionally? To add to the beginning of the question, I used this product on occasion in all my other vehicles because I thought I was being pro active and maintaining/cleaning the injectiors. Intesesting, please carry on Dave. Thanks

[simplyconnected]

It's true, today's gasoline was not made for cars of the '50's. BUT... there's still a whole lot of ponies in unleaded gas. We're still seeing modern engines pumping out in excess of 400-hp on unleaded.

Go by your owner's manual. It should specify an octane minimum. If you really need 93 octane, it is very available in most Premium Grades of gas. Most engines don't require their octane to be that high.

If you buy more octane than your engine requires, you are wasting money. The same goes for synthetic oil; if you don't have extremely high heat (like turbo chargers produce), fossil oil will not break down and it will work as well at less than half the price.

I have never heard of a fuel pump that broke down because it lacked lubrication on the fuel side. Upper cylinders are just a space, no different now than fifty years ago. If you use your engine for long distance travel, I suggest you have hardened exhaust valve seats installed, but that is the only preparation for unleaded gas.

Some folks find that high concentrations of alcohol attacks their synthetic carb floats. Back in the day, they were all made of brass, so yours is probably ok the way it is.

Keep your gas fresh. Alcohol sucks up water faster than Scotch. Actually, this is a good thing because if your tank has any water in it, gasohol will help clear it out. If you don't drive very often, I do not suggest keeping a whole tank of old stale gas. Try filling to 'half' when it gets down to a quarter tank; the idea is to keep your gas no more than a couple months old.

Additives cannot substitute or help stale gas. All the good stuff in gas evaporates first. What's left is varnish, and you can smell it... it's bad. So if an additive can stop evaporation, the mixture won't burn correctly but it will last in your tank. Forget additives and keep your gas fresh. Keep your air filter clean and change your oil every 3,000 miles. Your Thunderbird will last a very long time.

How many miles are on your engine, and has it ever had an overhaul? - Dave

[fordraised]

Dave, sorry for the delay with this response. The engine has never had and overhaul but runs fine (knock on wood). The mileage is 64,000 according to the odometer. The car has been in the family for approx. 25years and my dad has driven it to Florida and back on a few occasions but pretty much kept it as a seasonal car. So the question is what is the true milage?? 64 or 164??

[Joe Johnston]

If you are certain the engine has never been rebuilt and still runs I vote for it being 64. Hard to believe no problems or oil consumption if it were 164,000. With a long family history of seasonal use, there is no reason not to think the mileage is correct. Enjoy!

[simplyconnected]

fordraised, there is a tendancy to buy the more expensive stuff in hopes that the old saying is true (you get what you pay for). This isn't always true. For example:

* If you mix the new 'orange' antifreeze with the old conventional 'green' stuff, it will turn to mud, your pump can't move it, and your engine will overheat and come to a very early death.

* If you mix DOT-3 brake fluid with DOT-5, it too will congeal, it may bloat your seals, and your brakes will be forever stuck on.

Follow your manufacturer's suggestions. If they call for additives, then buy them. Otherwise you are deviating from the efforts of teams of Ford engine engineers.

I realize that products and methods have improved over the past 50 years, like electric wipers, radial tires, seat belts, disk brakes, etc. Some products have gone 'the wrong way'.

1960 Ford Engine Engineers could not have predicted unleaded gas, and our oil has far less zinc for your flat tappets. These are topics classic car owners talk about extensively all over the Internet.

Do we need lead? Modern cars run fine without it. The addition of lead boosted octane numbers. We can still get 93 octane in unleaded gas. Zinc? Some motor oils still offer 1,200 parts per million of zinc and phosphorous (ZDDP).

Maintaining a classic car can be complicated but not if you do your homework and shop for the correct products. I agree with Joe Johnston; back in the day, if you got 100k out of an engine it was mighty tired. You probably have 64k on your engine.

My hat goes off to you for doing everything you can to help extend your engine's life. - Dave