Fuel and modern vehicles

[Marsipoforo]

Hi everyone,i am planning on buying a small 4x4 like Jimny or Terios and traveling through Russia to Mongolia sometime...I have already browsed through the forum and cannot yet understand the following:How can cars like these travel through those countries having catalytic converters but with no unleaded fuel available over there?Do i simply kill the catalytic converter or maybe disconnect it somehow...?Also would those cars run on fuel like 76 octane petrol or generally below 92 octane(i read that sometimes this is the case in Mongolia for example)?Does anyone have experience over this subject?(I posted this thread in the Northern Asia topics but maybe it fits better somewhere else?)

[Frank Warner]

Do i simply kill the catalytic converter

Yes. You could remove it before the trip.

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However more imortant! Most of the newer vehicles run a closed loop system .. with a lambda (CO2) sensor .. screws into the exhaust sydemt somewheres. That too will be poisioned by the lead. And the EFI system will go into a 'limp home mode' probably with highter fuel consumption. Suggest you talk to someone who knows the vehicles you are considering with regard to their fuel systems and the consiquences of running them on leaded and low quality fuel. If they have a 'knock sensor' then they'll be fine with the low quality .. you 'just' need to worry about the lead then!

Possibly the 4WD section might be better?

[Marsipoforo]

Thank you very much Frank i didn't know the English terminology for those terms ''closed loop system'' etc your remark has been of great help.I finally talked to a mechanic and it depends on the brand and model of the vehicle about the modifications and finally i get it why so many people prefer old diesel vehicles to make such trips.Maybe i have to speed things up about getting that motorbike license...Thanks again!

[Matt Cartney]

Can you not get a small 4x4 in deisel?

One option might be to get a Toyota Hi-Lux. A bit bigger perhaps, but not huge.

Matt

[arunp]

It all depends which countries you will be visiting and how deep you will go in those countries.
we just finished our Around the world trip and we took 2007 model of small Suzuki saloon car with no problems. the only issue we had was Fuel. In Russia, even though it says Octane 93/95 but we still got cheated and the "Check Engine Light" showed up. but we kept driving till USA. no problems.
Take some octane booster with you.

arun
drivearoundtheworld.net

[Jake]

Have you considered a lada niva for your trip they are very popular all over russia and area so spares, fuel type etc are not a problem they are also very basic to work on which is handy, As fuel is very cheap in russia then the fuel consumption should not be so big a worry. Jake