BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - Leaded or Un-Leaded?

ost (FRANKWBELL) wrote in message ...
In article , Jeepers
writes:

I thought Leaded fuel went out in the mid 70s. Why then do I need Leaded
fuel on a 1985 motor?

I don't know if this applies, but I have a 1985 Merc in-line 6. I don't know
if this is a mechanic's urban legend of what, but here goes:

Shortly after we got the boat in 1995, one of the pistons came up pitted.
$700.00 later, the mechanic told me that the pitting was from the use of
unleaded regular (87 octane) fuel and that the motor had been designed to use
regular leaded fuel (which was still available, he said, for marine use at that
time).

He recommended using premium fuel to avoid future problems. As of the last
tune up, last year, everything was still okay.

He is probably right about useing premium or at least mid grade but
for your 2 stroke its not about lead its about octane...

I had a 68 Merc I6 and it ran great on mid grade. Also make sure not
to use fuel with alcohol or octane boost.

Matt