ATTENTION: All Postings that advertise items for sale will be deleted from the Discussion Forum. You may post sale items for free in the Classifieds section. Sign up now.
Do I need to retrofit catalytic converter on a 1977 Dodge Tioga Motor home in order to make it run properly on unleaded gas? Or is there another process I should be aware of? I need to Move this from Washington State to California and I just bought it. I know nothing about motor homes. Could use any advice any one wants to tell me about and any parts places in Western Washington State, the Oregon coast, and Coastal Northern California.
NO, THE CONVERTER CHANGES CARBON MONOXIDE TO CARBON DIOXIDE(WHICH PLANTS CAN BREAK DOWN)LEADED GAS COATS THE CATALYST AND RUINS THE CONVERTER. THAT'S WHY WE SWITCHED TO UNLEADED. LEAD WAS USED TO CUSHION THE VALVE SEATS AND RAISE THE OCTANE LEVEL OF THE FUEL. I PERSONALLY HAVE NEVER SEEN VALVE SEAT DAMAGE IN AN OLDER ENGINE THAT COULD BE TRACED TO USING UNLEADED GAS. CHECK THE CURRENT LAW IN CA. ON EMISSIONS. IT WAS, THAT YOUR UNIT HAD TO MEET THE STANDARDS IN EFFECT IN CA. WHEN IT WAS MADE(1977) AND WAS BASED ON THE CHASSIS WEIGHT RATING.
I have seen valve damage in a 440 motor from unleaded gas. IT WAS MY MOTOR. The 77 does not have hardened seats. They will get pounded to nothing. But you can have the seats installed. AS for parts. They are getting hard to find for the 440-3. Be very carefull with the thermostat. They are not the same as a car 440 and are unavailable.