Originally Posted by BcudaChris
When I was a practicing A&P in the late 80's/early 90's I was running a 10.0:1 (via milled 302 heads) 318 with headers, AFB, dual plane Wieand, 284/.484 purpleshaft. I'd run 25% 100LL with 85 unleaded (4 gallons of 100LL in a 16 gal tank). Engine really liked that with 37* (6kft) and I could bring it all in by 2500 without problems. I'd have to back off to 34 for 91 unleaded, and couldn't stand on it off the line to avoid detonation. Sure smelled good. I could fill it up with that combination for $15.

I have no performance metrics to share.

So, when I was working in a repair station on Continental and Lycoming airplane engines that ran 10LL exclusively, at 2500hr overhaul we'd knock the plug out of the crank snout and from behind the plug back to where the cranks got solid right before No.1 brg, would be packed with lead. Leather aprons, rubber gloves up to our elbows and face shields were worn while we used aluminum scrapers to literally get the lead out and it all had to go into a hazmat bin.

Lead in the blow-by mixes with the oil and through some act of physics and engineering would accumulate in that part of the crank. I was always told that there is too much lead in 100LL to run it uncut in an automotive application, and that its exclusive use (uncut) on the street would cause long term durability problems due to oil formulations and no place for the stray lead to collect, which would cause it to pack piston ring grooves as well as mucking up the PCV system.


I know I'm late to the party here, but I'll share my experience - and my advice is stick to formulas meant for automotive applications, even just store-bought additives.

When I was flying a lot, I ran a mixture with aviation 100LL (LL stands for Low Lead) in my stock '67 2bbl 383. I didn't need the octane, I wanted the lead. After about 1,000 miles I started getting detonation on hard throttle or steep uphills. Only then did I talk it over with my A&P mechanic who told me to stop immediately. He explained even "LL" aviation fuel has FAR higher lead content than automotive gas ever had. The formulations are really out of whack with what a car needs. He borescoped a couple of my cylinders and found a lot of lead deposits - which would naturally create hot spots and be prone to the detonation I was experiencing. I've never used aviation fuel since.

My lesson was if it ain't formulated for a car, don't put it in.
- Art


65 Satellite hardtop 361/4bbl console 727 2.76
67 Satellite convert 383/2bbl column 727 3.23
67 Lancia Fulvia Sport 1.3 Zagato. Alloy body, 1.3L V4 DOHC 4-spd
67 Lancia Fulvia Rallye 1.3. Alloy panel, 1.3L V4 DOHC 4-spd
71 Alfa Romeo GT Junior 1300 Zagato, 1.3L 4cyl DOHC hemi 5-spd
82 Alfa Romeo GTV6 2.5L SOHC hemi V6 5-spd transaxle
75 Maserati Bora US spec 4.9L DOHC hemi V8 5-spd ZF
77 Maserati Khamsin Euro spec 4.9L DOHC hemi V8 5-spd ZF
07 Aston Martin DB9 6.0L DOHC V12 6spd transaxle