Hi everybody,

I introduced myself in the newbe area, and now I have my first question: I have a 1981 L300 as a motorhome, and it has the gasolin engine, with needs the leaded fuel. OK, here in Austria it is a prolem, to get leaded fuel, and so the price of this is very high. Is there any chance to rebuild the engine for unleaded fuel, or can I swap any other engine in my little L300? I think, the newer L300's must have the same engine mounts and the same gear box, am I right?

I hope, anyone here can help me,
thanks Roby from Austria.

Sorry, I forgot, its a 1,6 Liter engine with 48 kilowatts

Hi Turbomx5
This is Hal from Australia to Austria. I have an '84 L300 with the same engine as yours - I just fill up with unleaded and drive it, though you may need to dropback the ignition timing just a few degrees to stop pre-ignition or that pinging engine noise that you get when accelerating. Here in Australia the Auto Parts Shops have a petrol additive for engines designed for leaded petrol, which you add each tank fill to the unleaded petrol in your tank. Comes in a small bottle and you only need a few ml each time. An easy solution until you re-build the engine or whatever.
Cheers, Hal

As far as replacement engines for L300 Mine is an 84 SC and Cordia engine upto 98 I think, have the same engine block and drop in OK You will need a small adapter for the engine mounts to make it fit perfectly though and you will need to swap your old water pump and flywheel over to the Cordia engine as these components are smaller on the car or do not match up to the radiator, alternator and fan at the front and the starter motor at the rear- sounds complicated but you will have fun if you can do it yourself
Hal

I've been using unleaded (here in Australia in my '81 L300) without additive for a couple of years without any noticable problems.

Hal, do you use the additive, or reckon it's necessary?