engine manufactured to run on leaded fuel

[rick88blaze]

The title is what I read on a for sale description on a '84 or '85 3/4 ton Suburban yesterday. This is on a military base so I can understand if the owner modified it if he was stationed in a country that still runs leaded fuel. But why would someone do that here in the states? The 'burb has 145K miles on it and some rust and good tires. He only wants a couple grand for it. I know if I bought it I would have to change the heads for unleaded fuel. Would there be anything else I would need to change on the engine to run on unleaded?

Rick

 

[1979jimmy350]

If it is the orginal engine you should have no problem running unleaded with a tune up, the guy might have just changed the jetting and timing for leaded fuel, If it is a older engine you might just need hardened valve seats installed

 

[ryoken]

sounds strange to me for that year... its just hardened seats from my understanding and that stuffs been out since the early 70's iirc... and no shouldn't affect anything else...

 

[sandawgk5]

If it ran on Leaded then it will not have a Cat as leaded fuel and cats dont work at all together. Not sure of the physics behind it but I know if we take a vehicle to Europe when they only had leaded you had to remove your cat. All that said to say you might have to put a catalytic converter in your exhaust.

Ira

 

[rick88blaze]

No it doesn't have a cat on it right now but it does need a new exhaust system. I would like to buy it but can't afford it right now. If anyone around Omaha, Neb is looking for a tow rig this would make a decent one.

Rick

 

[davesanrn]

'85 is when trucks became required to run unleaded, ie got catalytic convertors.

 

[pauly383]

Many had them before that , depended on GVWR .

 

[K5er4Life]

Yup my friends '83 3/4 ton pickup has a cat, but my '86 K30 crew cab does not have cats. Yeah, dual exhaust and no cats from the factory.

 

[kgblazerfive]

78 was first year for cats or unleaded fuel option on chevy trucks. If your gas cap is behind a door then its a unleaded vehicle.