Fuel Question-Turbo Blue alternative?

[93formulalt1]

I have a quick question regarding fuel. . . The Monte Carlo has a 454 BBC bored out to 468, and is running very high compression, 12.5:1. Dad always told me it HAD to run on leaded fuel, at least 105 octane. We've been using 110 Leaded "Turbo Blue", but there aren't any places around here that sell it. My question is, can I run 94 octane unleaded with a leaded "octane booster"? I've seen that they sell products like that at Autozone, I figured if I put a few gallons of the highest octane unleaded I can find, then add a bottle or two of the Octane Booster, mixed in with the turbo blue already in the tank, I should be fine until I find a new gas station. Is that safe to assume? I need to refuel the car before the funeral today, so quick responses are appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!

EDIT: Disregard, the Sunoco station that had a Race Fuel pump that was never working since sold out to BP, who keeps the thing operational year round and stocked with fresh 110 leaded. . . I'm heading up there in a couple hours. Just sucks that it's $6.99/gallon, that means 10 gallons is gonna run me $70. . . And I'm gonna need every bit of 10 gallons this weekend.

Is it safe to mix premium unleaded with 110 leaded? Just wondering if I could get away with doing that, I don't think we need to run straight race gas in it, and the cost of fuel is going to prohibit us from driving it as much as we'd like to.

[9T8W66]

Nick you should be able to run a mix for a short time but be fore warned that the performance will suffer.

[1BADAIR]

the number you posted (12.5) is called static compression. Which is the an actual measurement but actually doesnt me much since a camshaft also controls compression(dynamic compression) DCR above 8.6 or so(depends on head design) needs higher octane than pump gas.
I have seen 13:1 engines run on 93 without issues with the right camshaft

[Lucky SOB]

Don't know about compression, but I know in our three older cars, we always dump a bottle of lead substitute in with 87 octane.

[93formulalt1]

the number you posted (12.5) is called static compression. Which is the an actual measurement but actually doesnt me much since a camshaft also controls compression(dynamic compression) DCR above 8.6 or so(depends on head design) needs higher octane than pump gas.
I have seen 13:1 engines run on 93 without issues with the right camshaft

I wish I could tell you the cam specs, but I don't know where Dad put the cam card. It's probably with all of the reciepts and invoices that he kept (literally every purchase he made for the car since he bought it in '93). I'll see if I can find it. It's got a big cam though, you will see when Ben posts the video in my Prayer Request thread.

[98blackbeauty]

Nick the real reason for lead in the gas was to coat the valves and keep them from burning into the heads. When they stopped putting lead in gas 1973-1974 engines went to stainless valves and seats. So if your monte is newer than mid 1970's any additive or octane level that doesn't ping should be ok.

[JoeliusZ28]

the other thing that comes into play is how good your spark/ignition timing is set

[93formulalt1]

Nick the real reason for lead in the gas was to coat the valves and keep them from burning into the heads. When they stopped putting lead in gas 1973-1974 engines went to stainless valves and seats. So if your monte is newer than mid 1970's any additive or octane level that doesn't ping should be ok.

The Monte is a 1970, but the engine is not original. I'm not sure exactly what year the block is, but the whole motor was built with no expense spared, Dad wanted a streetable car that was REALLY fast. So much so, in fact, that he has told me he wished he would have built a more mild engine, because the thing gets like 2mpg. I'll start looking through the reciepts and see if I can find out more about it.

the other thing that comes into play is how good your spark/ignition timing is set

What do you mean? The car runs like a top, I don't know what you mean by how good it's set. The motor was tuned and broken in by a master mechanic that worked at GM for 20 years.

[JoeliusZ28]

What do you mean? The car runs like a top, I don't know what you mean by how good it's set. The motor was tuned and broken in by a master mechanic that worked at GM for 20 years.

the less octane you have the more precise your fueling and ignition timing has to be to prevent knock/ping. sounds like you should have nothing to worry about.

[1BADAIR]

the less octane you have the more precise your fueling and ignition timing has to be to prevent knock/ping. sounds like you should have nothing to worry about.

correct
fuel with an octane rating much higher than what is actually needed will hurt performance. basically, the higher the octane the harder the fuel is to burn

[93formulalt1]

Alright, found the Cam Card while I was looking at the reciepts. . . Dad kept EVERYTHING from this car. I still have the original bill of sale for both the car and the motor, all the way down to the reciept from the filter and oil he bought when he did the first oil change on the 454 back in '96. His records are immaculate.

Cam Specs are (posting as shown on cam card)
Lift: Intake @ Cam: 3334 @ Valve: 567
Lift: Exhaust @ Cam: 3468 @ Valve: 590
Rocker Arm Ratio: 1.70
Advertised Duration @ .0136 Tappet Lift: Intake: 314 Exhaust: 324

It's a Crane Cams CC-314-2. The card describes the cam as: ROUGH IDLE, MODERATE PERFORMANCE USAGE, GOOD MID-RANGE H.P.

Mom said that Dad was positive the car had to be run on at LEAST 110 Leaded, she said he was adament that nothing less was run in it. I think I'll stick with the race gas until I talk to the person who built the motor.

[c0ncEpT]

Doesn't even matter who built the motor. Take the car to a real tuner and they will tell you what fuel you are going to need to run safely. Like Larry said using a fuel with to high of an octane rating than needed will hurt power. But then again to low will cause the motor to detonate.

[1BADAIR]

put a compression gauge in it and check cranking compression.

many things will affect detonation including sprak plugs

[JoeliusZ28]

put a compression gauge in it and check cranking compression.

many things will affect detonation including sprak plugs

agreed, thats the best place to start IMO.

[93formulalt1]

Alright. I'll see what I can do about checking compression next time I'm home. I have to go back to Korea on the 15th, but hopefully I'll be reassigned to the recruiting station back here in Adrian for a year. Just have to wait for the logistics to get worked out.