1971 charger ....leaded or unleaded fuel??

[dburkett8]

I am working on restoring a 1971 charger . It has a 383 engine 2 barrel carb and a 727 torqueflite tranny.Everything is coming along and i realized i dont even know what type of fuel the car is supposed to take. On the vehicle there is a tag that states that the vehicle is in accordance with the clean air act of 1967. Does that mean my car can only take leaded fuel? If so are additives already placed in our un-leaded fuel or do i have to buy thoose?

 

[oxytousc]

Well, you aren't going to be finding leaded fuel anywhere, unless you're planning to buy racing fuel or live at an airport. You can run unleaded fuel without a problem...you can use some of the ethanol additives to compensate for the lower quality gas that is available. You can always run a car on unleaded gas, even if it's made for leaded, you'll just wear out the valvetrain more quickly...at least that's my understanding. Again, I doubt that your 71 is a leaded motor.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

You need to find out if your heads have hardened valve seats,they are what's needed to run unleaded fuel.You either have to mix race fuel for the lead content or shoot the dice with snake oil additives:icon_idea:

 

[Ron 73]

You can pick up a bottle of Lead Substitute at a Auto-Zone store, I would imagine that any parts store would carry it..

 

[moparmarks]

71 383 should have the 346 heads which don't have hardened seats and used leaded fuel. In 73 and 74 they used flamed hardened seats which aren't much better. The best head is the 452 from 76-78 which can use unleaded.

 

[Ron 73]

My engine is a 73 318, (supposed to be) not being sure of it i use the lead substitute just in case, i don't think it should hurt anything?

 

[moparmarks]

Lead was mainly used to lube the exhaust seats. Usually takes 30-50,000 miles to really were them without lead or another top end lube. Pushing forty years since they went unleaded. I've taken apart many old motors that had exhaust valves sunk down in the head from years of no lead.

 

[Randy73]

Lead was mainly used to lube the exhaust seats. Usually takes 30-50,000 miles to really were them without lead or another top end lube. Pushing forty years since they went unleaded. I've taken apart many old motors that had exhaust valves sunk down in the head from years of no lead.

Not quite, 1980 is when it converted to unleaded only, I remember because I was 17 and working for Tenneco. I was told when the leaded ran out, to lock the leaded pumps.

Damn, I am old. :sad7:

 

[moparmarks]

Not quite, 1980 is when it converted to unleaded only, I remember because I was 17 and working for Tenneco. I was told when the leaded ran out, to lock the leaded pumps.

Damn, I am old. :sad7:

True but by 1980 very few place still sold leaded. I remember cause I was 20 and trying to find leaded for my 69 Charger R/T. So were still talking 30 years