Driving the 426 Street Hemi - Thoughts

[Cranky]

For all of you guys that frequently drive a 426 Hemi car, what type of fuel are you running in them?

Not really any different than any other high performance engine with higher compression ratios.....gotta satisfy the ping gods.....

is that reg oil or hd

'Regular' oils with ZDDP is a thing of the past so you either have to add in the additive or buy the not so regular oils that has it already in it.

 

[Cranky]

Heavy duty is usually associated with heavier weight oils so it depends on what weight you select. Rotella 15W40 is definitely considered a heavy duty oil. Rotella is marketed for Diesel engines but is an excellent oil for older type motors needing additional protection additives for flat tappet cams and high stress components. Driven HR in 15W50 would be considered heavy duty due to its weight. I’m not sure if HR in 10W30 is considered heavy duty or passenger car oil.

I also run Rotella 15-40 in my stuff and the ZDDP is pretty much gone from it too but I think it might still have a little bit in it. Been awhile since doing any research on it so we probably need to look into that....

 

[Jerry Hall]

I run the Rotella 15-40 in my diesel trucks, but I use Valvoline VR1 20-50 in my old 440's, 426's, 413's, and 383's.

 

[Cranky]

Looking at the 66-67 cars with the Street Hemi and had an overall question about road manners - basically. Does anyone have any thoughts on how these cars drive around town in their factory stock, solid lifter configuration? Always loved them but was curious if they are too temperamental to be an occasional driver at stop lights, in traffic etc.

If you know how to tune an engine, they run pretty good....but if you don't, they can be dogs like any engine. Back in the day, most that I ran across were being piloted by some rich kid that didn't know squat about them and they would be easy pickins. My car as as fast as my room mate's (mid high 14's) Mustang Fastback with a cammed 289 with headers, intake and Holley and one night while out in his car, we ran across a Hemi roadrunner. We expected to get the snot beat out of us but low and behold, that little Mudstain put more than a car length on it. Probably ran less than 1/8th mile but after that we were ready to go someplace to run a 1/4 mile and the Hemi guy didn't want any part of that.

 

[64 Sportfury]

93 Octane and Valvoline VR-1 10w30, 35 psi at idle in the warmest FL weather. 472 cu solid lifter with a crossram and Holley carbs. Mopar Perf electronic ignition with a chrome box. Rock solid reliabile. I carry a spare ECU and ballast resistor. I believe the inline intake may be easier to tune but I don't have any experience with one on a Hemi. I did have one a sbc with Carters and it was a much easier engine to tune but it was a milder engine.

 

[64BEL]

what type of oil? for street hemi ??

I run Valvoline ZR-1 20w50

 

[gtx6970]

I run 91 non-ethanol premium unleaded with a few gallons of 110 mixed in from time to time.

Same here.

Ive driven it to Northern AZ last summer. put between 6-700 miles on it that weekend

I run straight 40 weight Rotella T with a bottle of lucas ZDDP zinc additive
Next oil change I plan to change to Delo straight 40 wt

Mine is approx 11.5 - 1 compression solid lifter motor . I went thru the valves right after I bought it.
And plan to go back thru them again here before summer

 

[joe smith]

I have run VR1 20-50 in my 440 since its rebuild and no problems.. Being in Florida the 20-50 is OK, but I have thought of finding a 10-40 or 15-40.... Sold the car so no longer have to make that decision..

 

[Dave6T4]

My friend, Richard, has a 1966 Hemi Charger that he has driven in the Hot Rod Power Tour once, and the Route 66 tour to California and back twice. Used to drive to Mopar Nationals in Columbus, Ohio as well. We live in southern Ontario, half way between Detroit and Buffalo.

 

[INTMD8]

For all of you guys that frequently drive a 426 Hemi car, what type of fuel are you running in them?

E85

 

[AR67GTX]

E85

5 or 6 mpg?

 

[Dave6T4]

5 or 6 mpg?

On trips and cruises, Richard's Hemi gets about the same mileage as the 440 in my '67 R/T. About 15-16 mpg. Can., or about 12 mpg. U.S.

 

[Cranky]

On trips and cruises, Richard's Hemi gets about the same mileage as the 440 in my '67 R/T. About 15-16 mpg. Can., or about 12 mpg. U.S.

Never got that kind of mileage with any RB engine but did get 16-17 on the road with a 383 Challenger with 2.94 gears. Dad said he got 17 on the road with a late 70's New Yucker 440.....but dad liked to embellish a little bit. Let's round the numbers up some lol. Back in the day, never really did care much about mileage but did check on a 383 66 Belvedere with 3.91 gears and it was usually 9-10.

 

[AR67GTX]

Even my 64 Sport Fury with 383, Torqueflite, 3.23 only got 10 - 11 mpg back in the still leaded gas days. I was a bit lead footed though.

 

[Dave6T4]

When we used to drive our cars to the Mopar Nationals, another friend, Gerry, came with us with his 1970 340 Swinger. We all had automatics. Richard (Hemi), and myself (440), had 3.23 gears, while Gerry (340) had 3.55's. At fill up time, we were always within a couple of bucks of each other.

 

[dadsbee]

My 340 Dart gets exactly 10 MPG ! It's the pig of the pack as my 383 and 440's do a lot better than it! We'll see what a Hemi does in the months to come...

 

[Cranky]

When we used to drive our cars to the Mopar Nationals, another friend, Gerry, came with us with his 1970 340 Swinger. We all had automatics. Richard (Hemi), and myself (440), had 3.23 gears, while Gerry (340) had 3.55's. At fill up time, we were always within a couple of bucks of each other.

My 71 340 Cuda with a TQ got 17 with some highway and in town going to work every day...even with 3.55's! The only time the mileage went down was with 4.10's and it was only about 10%. Now 4.56's made a pretty good dent but they were fun!

 

[Cranky]

My 340 Dart gets exactly 10 MPG ! It's the pig of the pack as my 383 and 440's do a lot better than it! We'll see what a Hemi does in the months to come...

What carb do you have on the 340?

 

[dadsbee]

What carb do you have on the 340?

Holley 750 double pumper.

 

[Cranky]

Holley 750 double pumper.

Had a 650 DP on a 289 Mudstain 4 speed car and it got 10 in town but, highway mileage was pretty dang good! The plugs even cleaned up on a highway run.