Mitsubishi›Montero›1985›2.6L/mitsubishi/montero/1985/2-6l/

1985 Mitsubishi Montero — 2.6L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1985 Montero 2.6L.

Engine 2.6LTransmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1985 Mitsubishi Montero 2.6L arrived as a rugged, body-on-frame SUV pairing a carbureted 2.6-liter four-cylinder engine with a 3-speed automatic transmission. It required 4.6 quarts of oil, with a viscosity range spanning 20W-20 to 20W-50 depending on ambient temperatures, and delivered EPA-rated fuel economy of 15 mpg city and 16 mpg highway. While the Montero’s documented complaint history begins in 1990, later years saw a peak of 174 complaints in 2002 and a low of just 1 in 2005, positioning this 1985 model well before the nameplate’s most problematic stretch.

Model year1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.6 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type20W-20 / 20W-40 / 20W-50OEM · verified

EPA fuel economy15/16/16 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter MZ690116. 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.

Tire size4WD:P225-75R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	MZ690116
Engine air filter	MD603071 alt MD603360
Fuel filter	MB129591
Spark plug	MS851238
Front wiper blades	MB196744
Serpentine belt	MZ690294 alt MD180581
Thermostat	MD972903 alt MD184011

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 3-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	15 / 16 / 16 mpg
Drivetrain	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.6 qt of 20W-20 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 engine oil, 85W-90 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3 · DOT 4
Differential Gear Oil	85W-90 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	3.2 Pints,
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	ABOVE 32 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity	4.6 qt
Power Steering Fluid	Use Mitsubishi PS fluid

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi.

Every 7,500 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect)
At 15,000 mi	Throttle Position Sensor (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect)
Every 50,000 mi	Air Injection System (inspect) · Air Injection System Solenoid Control Valve Air (replace) · Carburetor (inspect) · Distributor Assembly (inspect) · EGR Valve (replace) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect)
At 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’02 ’04 ’05 ’06

No owner complaints on record with NHTSA for this vehicle.

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 5 of 5 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
TT253	2019-11-26	Equipment	This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-19-00-008	2019-07-30	Equipment	This is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes…
TT237	2018-02-26	Equipment	This is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-13-42A-002	2013-01-29	Structure	This Technical Service Bulletin updates the door adjustment procedure in the Body Section…
TSB9711003	1997-05-01	Unknown Or Other	VALVE LASH ADJUSTER PROCEDURES - SERVICE MANUAL REVISION. *TW

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 Montero. 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 4.6 qt Engine oil filter MZ690116 Engine air filter MD603071 Fuel filter MB129591 Spark plug MS851238

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 1985 Montero 2.6L take?

4.6 qt of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-20, 20W-40, 20W-50, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30, 10W-40, 10W-50, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-20, 5W-30, 5W-40, per the factory manual.

Does the 1985 Montero have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the 2.6L get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 16 highway / 16 combined mpg.