1979 Chevy Malibu fuel change from 96 to 95

TAMIRT

MEMBER
1979 CHEVROLET MALIBU

Engine Mechanical problem
1979 Chevy Malibu 6 cyl Two Wheel Drive Automatic

HI

I live in Israel and from now on our government has decided to stop selling the petrol my card run on that is 96 octane that has a potassium as lead substitute so they will only sell only 95 octane that is unleaded and they will sell a potassium in a bottle that you can add to the petrol

now today I have a new engine the 4.3L that the GMC safari has but with my old carburetor, so my question can I move to the 95 octane that is unleaded
or do I need to add the potassium as if I will not do it my engine will die.

update me

Yours

Tamir

3 Replies

2CARPRO JACK

MECHANIC
11,533 POSTS

You shouldnt need to add anything to your fuel. The engines after mid 70's have hardened valve seats for the unleaded fuel. You will be fine

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Tuesday, January 6th, 2009 AT 8:28 AM

TAMIRT

MEMBER
27 POSTS

Thanks for your answer
but I am still concerned that sens my engine is use to run on a petrol that has potassium that use to lubricate the valves
how it will react to that suddenly I give it a petrol that don't have any lubrication material
won't this do any damage if not in the short run then in the long run?
As this is a big change in spite of what you say that all the engines after the 70s was built in a way that you can run on a petrol that don't has potassium