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Leaded fuel in a 3.0 flex-fuel v-6


ImReady

New Member
Joined
May 30, 2013
Messages
2
Vehicle Year
2003
Transmission
Automatic
Hello
I need to know if "leaded fuel" is ok to run in this 3.0 flex-fuel v-6. I almost filled my gas tank with more expensive, leaded fuel. I filled it up to about 3/4 full. Now, before I did this, the motor started running poorly, I thought that since it was way low on fuel, maybe below the "E" that it might be the problem. SO, it had regular, unleaded fuel in it, all I have ever run in it, and it started loosing power, then it started "Ticking" on the passenger side of the motor. Instead of stopping the motor, I went on to the gas station and put "Leaded" gas in it, thinking it might run better. However, on the way home from the station, (4 miles) it started really knocking. After I got home, I killed it, had a mechanic friend come over and listen to it. He felt, as I did, that a valve was hitting the top of a cylender. So,I killed it again, and in a few minutes my brother, another mechanic came by, and when I tried to start it for him to hear, it knocked really loud, and locked up. Water in the oil now. SO, I have it in a shop, they're installing a used motor for me. What I need to know is whether I need to drain the leaded gas out of the tank before running the new motor. The shop told me that the motors came from the factory with Bosch plugs in it, which were known to break up, and destroying the motor. This sounds fishy to me, I would believe that Ford motors come with Autolite plugs in them.
This is my first Ranger, I have always ran Chevys.
The shop is going to furnish a motor, install it, change the oil, and, supposedly, change the plugs too, if they are Bosch. This is going to cost me $1200.00, plus tax, plus "Less than $20.00" for the plug change.
If it is not true about Ford coming out with Bosch plugs, then, I see it as a lie, designed to get the shop just a bit more money. As with most shops, I've heard both good and bad about them.
I appreciate any information I can get about this problem.
 
Drain it. the leaded gas will destroy your catalytic converter (if it hasn't already done so) I don't know why your motor croaked, but usually 3.0's are pretty near indestructible if you keep oil and coolant in them...they may not have enough power to pull a full tank of gas up a 5% incline, but they are pretty reliable.

AJ
 
And next question... where on earth did you find leaded gas? I thought they quit selling that in the 80's and 90's...

AJ
 
No, Ford did not use Bosch plugs. It would have Motorcraft plugs from the factory - which technically are Autolites.

Sent from the can
 
The only leaded fuel available in the US that I know of is 100LL avgas

As stated above, lead is bad for the catalytic converter but other than that shouldn't be an issue, you had internal problems before that...
 

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