Technical Read plugs with a lead additive?

Since it's almost impossible for the novice to read plugs with the modern unleaded/corn fed gas. Would a lead additive for a few tanks help me see the burn any better?

I'm not running a converter or any O2 sensors so I don't see what harm it would do.



Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I would be interested in an answer on this also ,
But I do know pump gas will give you fale reading ,
Must use a O2 gauge set up , Automete plug and go on wireing with 3 wires groud ,Hot,light it can be removed & weld a bung in

 

This site is very confusing to me. Do I have this question in the right place?


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

This thread reminds me of the poster we had in Auto Shop in High School. It was a chart the showed spark plugs in various condition and the cause.

 

no - not only problem with current gas mix, modern plugs are not made the same either - pull a couple of plugs and post some pics here - what is the problem?

 

I have just been through this with a new engine ended up putting it on an exhaust analyser which showed it was running slightly rich well worth the effort

 

I install a O2 sensor bung in everything I build/own.

There is nothing like tuning the right way, with a wideband O2 sensor, once, and done.

 

Yes you do ,, The only way to tune with pump gas off the pump is with an O2 sensor but your question states can you read plugs with lead additive , I would like to know that myself modern gas is not the same as 20 years ago so I'm wondering if the lead will give a different Reading by sight,
Modern Pump gas allways look Rich when it's Not !

 

28 Ford. My experience is the porcelen will turn orange and will be hard to read. Good luck

 

There are no "lead additives"; that are legal, anyway. There are lead substitutes purported to protect against valve seat recession. Don't bother.

Not sure if 100LL avgas would work for you but the way to go as mentioned is with an O2 sensor aka "Lambda".

The wideband lamda sensor kits are about $135 now, pretty inexpensive. I've been saving my green stamps for one. So far, by just following proper ignition setup, distributor curving, and careful carburetor tuning I practically doubled (It was bad) fuel mileage with my V8 equipped effie. Haven't checked it on a highway run but it just clocked 13 mpg in city driving. I expect 14 or 15 would be doable for highway with O2 tuning. Going too lean is dangerous, I wouldn't attempt it without real data. The old school way was to jet down until "lean surge" on the highway at cruise, and then go back up a jet size or two. This assumes pump shot and power valve is correct, etc.

Looking over my 2009 Ranger docs it's listed as 14 city 18 highway, and has a V6. Hm. Costs me almost $600 a year to insure, full coverage. That buys a lot of gas....