Hi Scotty, my wife did a long trip in her 2018 rav4 with 35000 miles and accidentally topped off the fuel with leaded gas. She did this 3 times with the fuel gage between half and 3 quarters full. Do you think the car will be ok? The car still drives fine. What else could get damaged besides the catalyst?
Leaded gas does serious damage to catalysts and O2 sensors. If you can, drain it out immediately and stop using it! Where in the world are they even selling leaded gas still?
Modern engines are not really designed to run on leaded gasoline. Leaded gas can potentially damage the O2 sensors, spark plugs, and catalytic converters, and possibly fail emissions testing (in states that require smog testing). You’ll have to keep an eye on these things, but hopefully you’ll be lucky and no damage will be done.
Where can you get leased gas these days? What did leaded gas even do vs unleaded?
tetraethyl lead is an octane booster. It reduces engine knock.
I didn't even know you could buy leaded gasoline. Was it a gas station for tractors or something?
That or they are from a country where leaded gas is legal
My wife says that all the gas stations in Iowa and possibly Illinois had the choice of leaded or unleaded in regular.
Oh wow, I guess one learns something new every day.
Make sure to drain or siphon the tank. Put some good gas in. And pray nothing is compromised. Only time will tell.
keep us updated if anything or nothing happens.
Are you sure your wife poured leaded gasoline? How could she? There is a requirement that filler neck for unleaded gas has to be restrictive, … smaller hole - leaded gasoline pump nozzle won’t fit into it.
F.S.
I heard a story about a woman who pumped diesel into her gas car. Of course the nozzle didn't fit, but it didn't stop her from hovering over the filler with the nozzle and just spraying at the hole.