non intercooler

[J.Larr]

My Z is a stock 1982 Turbo. Here in Phoenix during the very hot summers can I use regular unleaded gas with out an intercooler? Also has anyone installed or used a J&S Electronics "SafeGuard" engine knock controller? I just bought my Z this winter. I love these cars, and would be thankful for any help or information. I can be e-mailed at [email protected]

[boomstriker]

WOW.. an old 82 Turbo!! These are getting to be classics.I did a swap many years ago when those were nearly new--that engine in a 260Z with lots of mods.I had an intercooler from a Mitz Starion on mine. I made custom brackets for ZX discs in the back and had the 5sp too. What fun that car was.

To answer your question, even if you are running stock boost (6.5 psi), I wouldn't run 87 octane in it when the temps are high. That old L28 wedge head has a lot of heat soak to the intake- hence the fan- and is prone for knocking. You could retard the timing a little to prevent it. In 81-82 they had a crank angle sensor on the front cover, 83 had it in the distributor base like the 300.

Instead of spending to safguard the knock, I'd add an intercooler and a big free flowing exhaust to prevent it and give more power.In cold weather, I ran up to 12 psi of boost on 93 octane.

Kirk

[gsxtasee]

I agree with boom. I would NEVER personally run anything less than premium in a turbo car. EVER. but that's me... I just care about my cars and have seen what knock can do over time. it's not always catatrophic but it always causes latent damage which compounds over time. I agree with the intercooler and exhaust idea but another little thing you could do is get a new thermostat that is a little cooler and add water wetter to your coolan (or the cheap-o version.. 2 tsp liquid dish soap)

[gsxtasee]

Stock Side mount intercooler, good cond. $50.. from my DSM friends... it's about 8x6x3 or so with plastic endtanks but for $50, who cares, it's still better than nothing. or you could score a stock supra ic.. little bit better but costs a little more usually.

[gsxtasee]

Stock Side mount intercooler, good cond. $50.. from my DSM friends... it's about 8x6x3 or so with plastic endtanks but for $50, who cares, it's still better than nothing. or you could score a stock supra ic.. little bit better but costs a little more usually.

[AZ-ZBum]

You guys freak out too easily. I don't know what the owner's manual says on the 280ZX, but on all Z31s, it recommends 87 octane. Retarding your timing is just insane and totally unrequired. I'm also in Phoenix, and run 87 octane with 33 degrees btdc (13 degrees advanced) timing at stock boost and have ZERO problems. With 91 octane, 10 psi only becomes a problem after repeated 1/4 mile runs.

If your car is stock, cunsult your owners manual. If you don't have one, ask the people on http://www.zcar.com or any other message board where the people own a 280ZX what their manual recommends.

[boomstriker]

Bum- while yours doesn't have an intercooler either, the vg30 has a completly different head/valve layout and lower compression than the L28- apples/ oranges. The old ZX turbo has a sticker that says 'premium only' and the book says no less than 89 octane.Every turbo I've seen has a built-in spark retard system to guard against knock if cheap gas is used when premium is recomended.It kicks in if the knock sensor hears it, if the coolant temps get too high or if something goes south with the waist-gate and it builds too much boost. On top of that, most factory systems retard the timing a degree or two when a set boost level is seen by the sensor.On the NA cars that I've installed turbos and blowers on, I've used MSD, HKS and Greddy aftermarket timing controllers to retard the spark at a set boost level. Retarding the timing to prevent knock is the 'norm' - it's not insane.If you advanced the timing 13 degrees, have no cooler and are running the cheap stuff in Phoenix heat, who's insane????I would suspect your Harmonic balancer has slipped giving you false readings- it would be hammering like a diesel in those conditions otherwise.