To burn; or not to burn, (unleaded gas) That is the question

[opsirc]

I bought a 71 Starcraft with a 120 hp merc cruiser inboard. The guy I got it from, purchased it a few years back and only put a couple hundred hours on it. He said that he burned unleaded gasoline in it without aNY problems. A friend and I were thinking about it, and in 71 unleaded gas was just comming into being. Leaded gas was used in everything. Question should I be adding a lead additive to the unleaded gas or will unleaded work without causing any problems. Would hate to damage the motor.

Thanks

O

[Surface Tension]

I wouldn't worry about adding a substitute. The alcohol in the fuel would be more of a concern. Being that old cleaning out the gas tanks and replacing fuel lines wouldn't be a bad idea.

[Wishin2BFishin]

I have a 1978 Penn Yan with a 4 cylinder Mercruiser I/O and I've been using lead sub. whenever I gas it up. I've heard you can also use Mistery Oil as well. I agree with Surface Tension about the fuel lines needing to be replaced as the newer fuels will eat into the old lines and you don't want to have a leak. The only other way to use unleaded is to pull the cylinder head and have the valve seats replaced with hardened ones.