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Fuelling up my 70 Challenger #442851
08/19/09 01:07 PM
08/19/09 01:07 PM
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 10
Belgium
J
JanDT Offline OP
member
JanDT  Offline OP
member
J

Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 10
Belgium
Hi,

After a month of extended repairs, I'm finally able to drive my 70 Challenger!
Only problem left is now: gasoline is in Belgium since 1985 lead-free (because of environmental damage), but back in the seventies when my Challenger was built, gasoline of course still contained lead.
My question to you is: is it safe to just use the nowadays lead-free gasoline or should I add some lead additives/substitutes? And if yes, what kind of product and in which quantities should I add to my fuel?

Thanks a lot!

Last edited by JanDT; 08/19/09 01:10 PM.
Re: Fuelling up my 70 Challenger [Re: JanDT] #442852
08/19/09 01:31 PM
08/19/09 01:31 PM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 843
Suffolk,VA
I
ireland383 Offline
super stock
ireland383  Offline
super stock
I

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 843
Suffolk,VA
Do you know what heads are on your car? Some had hardened seats which would allow you to run todays gasoline. If they do not have them you can run a lead additive and it should tell how much to add per tank. As far as brands I'm not sure how many are out there.

Re: Fuelling up my 70 Challenger [Re: ireland383] #442853
08/19/09 01:56 PM
08/19/09 01:56 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,373
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
D_C Offline
pro stock
D_C  Offline
pro stock

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,373
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
I would be more concerned about octane rating than lead content.

Typically, lead-free gasoline works fine and valve-seat wear is not excessive.

Granted, the pre-smog era engines were designed to run on leaded gasoline, and yes, flame-hardened valve-seat cylinder heads were the early factory "fix" when lead was banned ('452 heads,) but most people who run the earlier non-hardened valve-seats, wear is not excessive.

There are exceptions, but it's not as if you drive for 5,000 miles and need a valve-job.

Quote:

From 1974 to the end of big-block production in 1978, several different castings were used--the 902 in 1974, the 975 in 1975, and the better-known 452 from 1976 to 1978.

All these heads were minor variations on the 346 casting from 1971, with differences associated with durability details such as hardened valve seats, improved crack resistance, and an enlarged guide boss in the valve seal area.




True, to be 100% safe, you would need to have hardened valve seats installed in the earlier style heads, or you could use artificial lead additive or low-lead aviation gasoline, but I sincerely doubt you'll see any significant wear issues using unleaded gasoline.

Here is some information on Factory Mopar Cylinder Heads:

Mopar Muscler Magazine Cylinder Heads Information



Re: Fuelling up my 70 Challenger [Re: D_C] #442854
08/19/09 03:17 PM
08/19/09 03:17 PM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,312
SoCal
68HemiB Offline
master
68HemiB  Offline
master

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,312
SoCal
Quote:

I would be more concerned about octane rating than lead content.






Some good information posted above.

I don't imagine the amount of driving you are likely to do will make lead an issue. In the United States, the lead has likewise been gone from pump gas for quite some time. The octane numbers here in the U.S. might also differ from Europe. Here, the pump numbers are generally the average between the "Research" and the "Motor" method of rating octane

(R + M) / 2

There are a few globe-trotting members here who might be able to share some insight into differences and concerns when comparing gas from both side of the Atlantic.


Down to just a blue car now.
Re: Fuelling up my 70 Challenger [Re: 68HemiB] #442855
08/19/09 03:43 PM
08/19/09 03:43 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,471
renton, Washington
ph23vo Offline
I Live Here
ph23vo  Offline
I Live Here

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,471
renton, Washington
dont worry about it just drive it!@! dan







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