Conference vicki::boats

    The way I measure the 2 fluid ounces is really simple. By testing in
    the kitchen I discovered that the little coffee scoops that come with
    most coffee's holds almost exactly one fluid ounce! Filling the scoop 8
    times and pouring it into a 1 cup measure came up *just* less than a
    full 1 cup. I mean less than 1/4 of another scoop! 

    So I keep a coffee scoop in the back of jeep in same box where I stash
    my outboard oil and bottle of STP lead treatment! 
    
    (BTW - Maxwell House coffee is cheap, they don't give you a scoop!) 

    This has also presented a problem with my pickup truck - a 1978
    F-150 which has run very well on leaded gas. Up 'til about a month
    ago I could still get regular, but...not anymore! I've started to
    notice ticky-ticky valve noises lately, and will probably have to
    start using a lead additive.
    
    I'm now wondering about the boat. It's a 1988 (purchased in 1987)
    Glastron I/O and fuel requirements say either leaded or unleaded.
    I prefer leaded, even though the valve seats are probably hardened
    and can take unleaded. Is it worth it to use a lead additive on
    a late model engine?
    
    Jon

    Bill . Your force outboard and any other outboard (except honda's) are
    2 cycle engines and usually have no valves (reed valves don't count).
    Therefore they will not be affected by not having lead in the fuel.
    
    The performance differance is most likly due to an octane differance in
    fuels. NOT lead or Lack of it.
    
    4 Cycle engines like most cars have and inboard gas boats and I/O 's.
    normally have valves (I don't usually talk like this, just want to keep
    nit pickers happy). Therefore you will find the fuel additive is
    obtaining more performance due to additional octane rather than simply
    from the addition of lead.
    
    Try to use good fuel and adjust your timing to compensate for lower
    ignition/combustion tempetures of unleaded fuel.
    
    P.S. Haffners fuel, Lowell,Tewks and methuen still have lead gas. They
    must have hoarded millions of gallons of it. The station on bridge st.
    will not let you fill fuel cans though? Wierd?
    
                                     Walt
    

    I asked the same questions when I took delivery of my boat with
    a 150 hp Yamaha outboard. The dealer wip'd out a book of specs for
    the Yamaha outboards which indicated the use of EITHER leaded OR
    unleaded as long as the octane rating was above (?) - I forgot this
    number. I think it was around 92..94. Anyway, I topped off the tank
    with the best Sunoco grade before she hit the water last week. I
    wonder what I'll see at the gas dock.?
    
    /MArk

    New boat owner....is there within these notes files any
    
    conversation or ratio charts around OIL to GAS and now
    LEAD into GAS etc.
    
    I found that two of the OIL containers I had showed the
    ratios differently and one was not clear at all.
    
    I fumble thru OK (I think) but I can the use of having
    a printed chart somewhere in close proscimity to my boat
    that will give me the right ratios without having to
    use my calculator or god forbid my thinking cap .
    
    Lloyd

    I did a DIR/TITLE=CONVERSION without any luck !
    
    Thanks again, Lloyd

	I use REALEAD.  While it is more expensive it is REAL LEAD.  It is
available at most ADAP stores and thru most mail-order boating supply
mags. That and SUNOCO 94 octane make my OMC 260hp purrrrr like a kitten!

garry

    Welcome aboard Lloyd.  I had an old Chrysler that used leaded gasoline
    last year.  I'm in the process of having an 90hp Mercury outboard
    installed on my boat, so I hope that I don't have to worry about this
    problem any more.
    
    								Rob.