I assumed I was certain by giving my 1979 280zx Leaded fuel. However I'm seeing the labels on 1980's+ zx's saying - UNLEADED FUEL ONLY.


Should my car take Unleaded fuel?

 

yes..

 

my 79 tells me unleaded fuel only.

this is a silly/strange question

 

It takes unleaded. the last Z I can think of that can use use leaded was around the 77 or 78 280Z.

I'm not 100% sure but if you dont have a cat you can run leaded if you really want to, but its not required in any ZX

EDIT: Fixed a stupid typo...

 

any car with a catalytic converter should use unleaded. only thing leaded fuel does is help some with octane rating, but it can also leave lead deposits on spark plugs and combustion chambers that can fowling OR hot spots in motors (since lead retains heat good) and cause detonation/pre-ignition.

 

for the record. my 76 has a unleaded sticker. and a cat.

 

They stopped using leaded gas in like the late 60's early early 70's

 

You could buy leaded gas up until the early 80s. I had a '78 Jeep Cherokee when I was in high school and I had to use leaded gas unless I wanted the thing to sound like it was going to throw a rod. After they stopped selling leaded at the pump I always had to make a trip inside for a bottle of lead additive.

But, this is a Z thread. No one cares about my old Jeep... that I sold in 1990 for parts because I couldn't afford to rebuild the engine....

Actually it was more like '86 when I sold it.

 

and in case anyone is wondering, you can still buy led additive from walmart..

 

I use that for the cold days in my fuel. since theres no cold start or air regulator. it starts easer with it.

 

My '79 2+2 used leaded gas until it disappeared in the mid '80's.

 

where can you even buy leaded fuel now a days?...

 

Somebody that can find their camera should take a pic of the under hood emissions sticker on a leaded 79. All this about unleaded not being available then, and "unleaded only" dash stickers. I've had at least 2 speedo heads ion mine, NEITHER of which sez anything about unleaded. The fuel filler neck makes it pretty obvious too, The old leaded nozzles won't fit into a unleaded filler pipe. So, if your fuel filler doesn't have the trap door in it, it can burn leaded, if you can find it. Not that it matters much either way.

 

I just do it the easy way. You have a cat on the car, unleaded only. No cat, Unleaded or Leaded.

 

they didnt say it on the dash in 79, it says it right above the fuel fill

 

my '79 doesn't say it anywhere...

 

do i need to take a pic?

 

Nope.