this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2024
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Lead in gasoline was a stop-gap solution. If I remember correctly , it was added because we didn't have the technology at the time to refine gas sufficiently to get the octane levels necessary to prevent pre-ignition of fuel (which causes rod knock) at a reasonable cost. Tetraethyl lead effectively increased the octane level/resistance to pre-ignition. As a side benefit, the lead slightly lubricated the valves and valve seats so that they lasted for tens of thousands of miles, instead of needing to be reground every few thousand miles.
It was a stupid stop-gap though, esp. since the dangers of lead were well known by then.
You're mostly correct. It was an additive to raise the octane rating and did lubricate. However, it wasn't a gas refinement issue that caused the need. An octane boosting additive has been needed ever since, right up to today. Now the octane booster used is ethanol, mostly.
Race cars and many airplanes still use lead. We're still making people dumber. Just at a lesser scale.
If you want a sad rabbithole, look at the cancer rates around small airports, which are often much closer to where people live.
While it’s no consolation to these current people, they are trying to make the switch to lead-free aviation fuel. It’s partly a regulatory nightmare, and partly a genuine safety challenge; mandating a fuel change in aviation without adequate research and understanding can result in unexpected engine malfunctions.