Gasoline Recommendation

rstreet

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 17
I have a 61 SS with a correct 623 single 360 HP 409 and a 62 SS with a dual carb 409/409.(I am not certain if this engine has dual SS head gaskets) Also a 61 348 dual carb but is a lower compression engine. I have always used racing gas in them as they aren't driven just show only but in my area racing gas is becoming more difficult to get. It's almost getting to be less hassle to load up containers and drive down to Tommy Nolen's!! I am currently using ethanol free 91 (mid grade) in my small engines and boat motors with good results.
I don't want to mess up anything in the above carbs but am facing I might have to change to ethanol free. Any comments? LL100 avgas is also available to me currently.
Robert
 

1964SuperStocker

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
Don't forget that AV gas doesn't contain the conditioners that auto fuel does. There is a reason they are formulated differently. I would say buy the gas that you can get and tune your car for that. No need to go to the airport and get AV gas or race gas. Not to mention, if you got caught with LEAD in your gas for your car it wouldn't pass any DOT inspection. (they would have to test the fuel because I don't think their equipment can pick that up unless it is actually calculated to find it. :winner
 

Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
In Roberts area,non-ethanol fuel is very difficult if not impossible to find.I would not put that ethanol laced stuff into either of his dedicated show cars due to the fact that they never run even long enough to get the engine even warm much less up to temprature.I'd doubt that DOT is going to test the fuel in a trailered car.I've had friends that used AV gas in their track cars for years and never had any issues even after sitting all winter.
 

1964SuperStocker

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
We all have to measure the risk. I for one don't understand why the AV fuel industry hasn't stopped making LL fuel anyway. There is no reason to use it in this day and age but they are fearful of every poor pilot that "can afford to buy a plane" just "can't afford to retro fit the parts to modern standards" so LL fuel isn't needed. They simply don't want pilots or tiny mom/pop airports to have to carry two kinds of gas for X amount of years so they keep spraying the LL poison.
 

Don Jacks

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 3
The only reason for the lead is to protect the valves and seats.FAA doesn't allow any changes from stock,as produced from the OEM engine supplier even though there are improvements available for them.
 

our1962

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
I've been using 90 octane non ethanol for the 409/409, 409/425hp and all of my small engine equipment with no issues (they call it recreational fuel here) they also sell 110+ octane race fuel (I'm not racing).

None off the BB engines have had any pre-ignition or pinging on shutdown.

You'll be fine using your 91 octane non-ethanol.
 

409gang

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 1
I have a 67 corvette with a 300hp/327 that I drive about a half a dozen times a year, I only put NON ethanol gas in it. Alcohol becomes corrosive after time and the old fuel systems (tank and lines) don't like it. I know its a pain in the butt but I fill jugs up when I am away from the big metro areas. A good web site for ethanol free gas is pure-gas.org it has a list of stations by state that sell ethanol free gas.
 
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