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1986 Chevrolet K-Series Pickup

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1986 K-Series Pickup.

The 1986 Chevrolet K-Series Pickup is a Chevrolet-built pickup truck whose engine requires five quarts of oil, with acceptable viscosities spanning 20W‑20, 15W‑40, and 5W‑30. This oil capacity and viscosity range provide a clear maintenance reference for the vehicle’s powerplant. With only a single owner complaint recorded—focused on tires—and zero recalls, the 1986 model year sits at a notably low‑complaint point in the K‑Series reliability history, indicating a largely trouble‑free ownership experience.

Model year1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1986

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-20 / 15W-40 / 5W-30OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 25160561. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	25160561 alt 12737090
Engine air filter	08996118 alt 08997890
Fuel filter	5651803 discontinued · alt 25011765
Spark plug	19300382 alt 19354432
Front wiper blades	15184702
Serpentine belt	09433719 alt 09433722
Thermostat	14077122 alt 10207373

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5 qt of 20W-20 / 15W-40 / 5W-30 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Differential Gear Oil	80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	4.6 qt
Engine Oil	20W-20 · 15W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	5 qt
Engine Oil	20W-20 · 15W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	5 qt
Engine Oil	20W-20 · 15W-40 · 5W-30

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 12,000 mi.

At 5,000 mi	Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Exhaust Pressure Regulator (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 5,000 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Transfer Case Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 6,000 mi	Choke System (inspect) · Distributor Vacuum Advance (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Idle Speed Control Motor (inspect)
Every 6,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate)
At 7,500 mi	Carburetor Mounting Fasteners (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Early Fuel Evaporation System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 12,000 mi	Air Cleaner Manifold Heat Control Actuator (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Radiator Fan Assembly (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Underbody Splash Shield (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust Pressure Regulator (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 24,000 mi	Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1986 Chevrolet K-Series Pickup dominate in one area — the tires, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the tires pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Overall★★★★★

Frontal★★★★★

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Tires1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
000601019	2000-10-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION AFTER A GM GOODWRENCH REMANUFACTURED 4.3L…
000604002	2000-01-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	SUBJECT REGARDING A HARD, NO START OR EXCESSIVE GRAY OR WHITE SMOKE CONDITION ON START UP…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific K-Series Pickup. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Vehicles taking 5 qt Engine oil filter 25160561 Engine air filter 08996118 Fuel filter 5651803 Spark plug 19300382

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1986 K-Series Pickup take?

5 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1986 K-Series Pickup have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.