T/A Heads and Lead Additive

[72 Challenger]

Hi Guys!

I Just picked up a new to me car, I will post up some pictures once it is shipped home. It's an A body but it has T/A heads on it so I thought I would come and ask the T/A experts a question about leaded gas.

The seller of the car picked a set of T/A heads off a totaled car some 30+ years ago and put them on the 416 stroker he had built for this 1970 Duster. This engine is still in the car today. He did not install hardened valves or seats at the time of assembly and mentioned that the car requires a lead additive.

Three questions:

1. Is this true?
2. If so, how often do I have to put in lead additive? The internet is full of talk but nothing really affirmative. Some say every tank, some say every second tank, some say once a season. I understand lead acts as a lubricant/ cushion to the valves and seats. How quickly does this barrier wear off and need to be replenished by addition of another bottle of lead additive?
3. Can you over do it with the lead additive? Will too much be a problem?

Thanks again!

[Chryco Psycho]

Yes it is true , the exhaust valves are the problem , they hang in the 2000* air flow & weld themselves to the seat when they close & rips away at the seat surface when they re-open , I have seen the seats recessed over 1/4" into the head .
I depends how much you drive your car , on a daily driver ti will still take years to eat the seats away , most of these cars are not driven a lot though .
The best solution is to pull the heads & have the hardened seats installed , then you never have to worry again .
Lead is poisonous / harmful but how much to add is hard to say , never is fine if you plan to pull the heads over the winter & have the seats installed , anything is better than nothing , the lead coating will not last long on the valve seat for obvious reasons .
My choice would be having the hard seats installed 
Congrats on the purchase 

[72 Challenger]

I agree that taking them out and having proper seats put in is the way to go. However, this car is completely rotisserie restored so I am not super interested in taking apart the engine and ruining the paint under the hood just yet. I want to drive it for a few years while I keep making progress on the 67 Mercury Cougar.

I'd say I put 1000-1200 miles on my car each year. I don't race them. Just spirited driving and the occasional highway pull.  Majority highway mileage though. 3.55 suregrip, 4-speed car. Super excited to get it home.

[Chryco Psycho]

I would put in some additive maybe every 3-4 tanks , it would take decades to really hurt the heads at 1500 miles / year

[FlatlandTA]

Heads are easy to swap out on a restored car,if oem TA heads they're worth decent coin to a TA or AAR owner,pull them sell them get yourself something up to date maybe.
Just a thought as a TA owner


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[72 Challenger]

Heads are easy to swap out on a restored car,if oem TA heads they're worth decent coin to a TA or AAR owner,pull them sell them get yourself something up to date maybe.
Just a thought as a TA owner

I agree they are worth more to a T/A owner than to me. If I pull them off I am more likely to sell them and get something else but for the time being the car runs like a beast. 

Thanks for the advise @Chryco Psycho 

[Chryco Psycho]

Have fun with it !!