Is there any way to tell if the head has been rebuilt for unleaded gas?
My engine in my 54 is not original. There is a tag on the side that states "REMANUFACTURED ENGINE/PRODUCTION NO./239546/REMANUFACTURER/CODE 1.
I've read a couple articles concerning this. Some say the valve seats will burn up if not rebuilt, others say its not a big concern if it is not a daily driver. Also see the parts stores sell "lead substitute". This doesn't seem economical at $7 a bottle.
So what can I expect if I drive the old gal about 50 miles a week? How long before she gets mad at me and breaks down?
The only time you'll have a problem by not installing hardened seats is if you work the engine hard for extended periods. 99.9% of drivers will never have a problem using unleaded gas. In fact there is some documentation that installing hardened seats can cause problems if the seat comes loose. I've been running unleaded in my stock head 38 with no problems. I put many thousands of unleaded miles on my old pre unleaded '70 HD without problems.
