Lead replacement and unleaded heads

[hallsie]

Im not completely convinced that my car has had the heads done for unleaded fuel, although there is an 'E' stamped on the drivers side rear exhaust manifold, and I have got paperwork to prove that a new/recon engine was fitted in 1998.
I cannot think of any problems in continuing using the lead replacement redex that I have?
I would rather be safe than sorry TBH, but if it will end up damaging the heads anyway Ill leave it out...

your thoughts oh wedge massive!?
yo can just make out the 'EN' on the manifold..




Stu

Edited by hallsie on Saturday 6th November 19:03

[keatsie]

The only real way to protect your engine is to have the valve seats replaced with hardened seats, unfortunately the lead replacement mixtures aren't that good. The only way to really tell if you don't have a receipt for the work is to remove the head and check - something you don't want to do unless you have no choice.

Usually when the engine is rebuilt the valves woud have been recut hopefully the seats were replaced.

[grahamw48]

With the amount of miles most Wedges do I wouldn't worry to be honest (keep using the additive though, unless you find that they ARE unleaded jobbies....which should have inserts in them I believe).

I can't recall any 280 owners on here ever reporting that they'd had any problems relating to this.

I wouldn't have thought taking one of the heads off for a look would be a major job either.

[mk2 24v]

those cast marks arent the signs of unleaded seats in the head, there will be an E stamped on the top of the exhaust flange

and do you have to regularly adjust the valve clearances? exhaust clearances always closed up? that'll be the valve seats being eaten away

[hallsie]

mk2 24v said:

those cast marks arent the signs of unleaded seats in the head, there will be an E stamped on the top of the exhaust flange

and do you have to regularly adjust the valve clearances? exhaust clearances always closed up? that'll be the valve seats being eaten away

Thanks Paul
Are you saying that the latter engines and unleaded heads would have had a stamp rather than a casting?
The pic shown above is the drivers side exhaust manifold, and the 'EN' casting is the only mark that is legible!

I think Ill keep using the additive until I need to take the engine apart, which, as Ive just taxed it for another 6 months will hopefully not be in the near future!!!

Stu

[mk2 24v]

i got another engine out of a mk3 granada (2.8 with efi) and that wasnt fitted with unleaded seats.

the markings on the heads for unleaded seats are actually stampes in to the head and not cast

if the leaded replacement stuff is working then keep to it

[Wedg1e]

mk2 24v said:

there will be an E stamped on the top of the exhaust flange

I've seen this stated a few times, but in my experience the unleaded-ready engines actually had an E stamped after the engine type code (PR) where the engine number is... so it'd be 'PR E ******' where the asterisks are the number. If it doesn't say PR it's not a 2.8, it's a 2.3... can't recall what the 2.3s code is at the mo, few too many Black Sheep

[grahamw48]

Mentioned in SH's Wedge Bible I'm sure (gave mine away with the 280 )