memmert

That slays me. Was that an option for my 83 too? if so I am definately hunting the junkyard for a donor.

Well even if you don't recognize anything take off the heat shrink and start just staring down wires and comparing them to the schematics. Even if you don't know what it is you at least will know what it's NOT which often times is just as helpful. You can usually tell what is aftermarket wiring by the look and feel of the wire too. that should help narrow the field a bit. Start back at the tail lights and physically trace the wire all the way back to the battery. The cool thing is that the wire HAS to end up back at the battery AND it HAS to go through a switch, in that discovery you will likely find a fuse or a relay or a short that is the problem. When you approach it that way it will be a brain teaser for sure but easy all the same. Lastly draw it out on paper as you trace it you will never rememeber all the details so write it down as you trace it and you can study it later when your in the house. Wires that don't go anywhere weren't an issue before so they likely aren't now so don't get too hung up on those.

I don't know if this happens with Imports but it occasionally happens with old Chevy's where an air bubble will get trapped in the heater core and not let water pass through (not sure how this is physically possible but it's the truth none the less) I think you detect it by hearing a faint gurgling noise under the dash. First things first though I would agree with the vacume post. The more I read about heating on this board the more I realize what a frustration vacum tracing can be but it is almost always the culprit.

If you are hearing a click the only thing I can think of that does that is a Relay and a relay ticking when you don't expect it to can only be a short. You should be able to see if there are any relay's in the general vicinity of the noise you hear. Once you do that (and if you find one) Identify it's purpose then trace the circuit on both sides of that relay, one should go to the battery and the other should go to it's destination. Lights, dash, etc.

First off... testing fusible links. Take an Ohm meter and turn it on. with the red and black leads just in the air you should see infinate resistance. touch them together and you should see zero resistance. Now, touch one end of the fusible link to each lead of the ohm meter, you should now have a big loop of wire... Red wire-fusible link-Black wire (a fusible link is a short piece of wire or that's what it looks like to me of a lighter gauge than the rest of the circuit). With the Ohm Meter on and the loop intact you should still have zero resistance or almost zero and it shouldn't jump around too much if you are being still. Second hold the fusible link in "the loop" and wiggle it around, you still shouldn't get wild sweeps on the resistance some just from moving the leads on the link around but nothing drastic. Second, testing relays. Put your finger on them and get power to them (usually by turning the key) if you feel them click under your finger then they are working. A relay is just a heavy duty switch that completes a circuit, two or three tiny wires go up to it to turn the relay on and off and one big one goes IN the relay and another goes OUT the relay. When current is applied through the tiny wires pull the metal post together it completes the big wire circuit inside the relay and lets power flow to the Fuel pump, headlights, whatever. The sole purpose of a relay is so you don't have multiple feet of heavy guage wire running through the car which will eat up voltage. If you think of the shortest path between two points lets say a starter and the battery the easiest way to remotely control that circuit is via a relay that is In line between the starter and the battery you simply activate it from where ever it's convenient (in this case the ignition key). Like you I had a real hate/fear/distain for all thinks auto electric. I just had a bugger of an electrical problem that turned out to be incredibally simple. So simple in fact that I didn't spend a dime to repair it (well OK I bought some sand paper and dialectric grease) I just kept thinking about the problem and trying new things until I worked it out. Though I can't tell you anything specific about your problem I can offer this. Definately get a repair manual I forget the brand of mine but it's the super common soft cover big book for $19.95 or whatever most importantly i has to contain the wiring diagrams (or download them off the Internet) which you probably already have done. What I did was to literally stare at the friggin things until they made sense to me and held the schematics in hand at the car identifying the green wire and the red wire, etc. The point is I wasn't absolutely sure what was what until I proofed it against the schematic. Once I knew that I started cleaning connectors (like you have started doing). The one thing I always do at work (and home) is troubleshoot problems from one physical (sometimes logical) end to the other and the issue ALWAYS comes up if I look close enough. It may take multiple passes but with each increasing dose of scrutiny I figure something out. What I mean to say is auto electric is not any scarier than any other electric task, in fact i'm finding it's easier cause it's typically well documented if all things are stock. Simply put I knew I had to figure out when and where juice should flow and when it should not (and how much). Once I figured that out I realized that there were only a few parts in between one end of the car and the other. The long strands were easy to troubleshoot cause either current went through with enough voltage or it didn't and long runs of wire rarely go bad in a car. So we easily enough have removed the long runs of wire from the equation, next is fuses or fusible links, even if they LOOK good test them. this again is easy enough as they either have minimal resistance or they have infinate resistance (meaning they are bad even if they look good) the same applies with fusible links. Next we have Relay's (not sure this applies to dash, brake, and turn lights but probably) and since your stuff went out at all the same time look for a relay somewhere in the schematic. It may be sticking. The easiest way to test a relay is turn the key with your finger touching the relay box If it clicks and you can feel it the relay is working. About the last thing that can get in the way of current flowing from the battery to the lights is a switch so verify each switch works (like A fuse or fusible link I would think, some resistance when engaged and infinity when closed). I am sure you are already light years ahead of me on all this i'm just saying that this is the approach I took and it worked for me. Looking at the whole thing as a problem sucks but looking at each small component is not so daunting. the hardest part is locating or identifying each component and what it does. I've kicked around doing up a quick DVD series on the 280zx since that's what I have on actual fly throughs if the wiring or fuel delivery or whatever systems and identifying each piece and how to troubleshoot it. I am definately not guru but using the same approach it's easy to ask someone about an indivual part but nearly impossible to ask for help on an entire system. Sorry so chatty, I am just thinking about your problem and know your pain. Good luck

OK so I have finally decided to put a few bucks into my 83zx. I really sat on the fence for a few weeks about buying some diamond wheels and putting the recommended 225/50/15 etc. setup on them but since I want to stretch my money as far as I can this is what I am considering for the short term (details below) till I get paint on the car, just waiting till spring to shoot it. BTW, I have been lurking and searching this site for months I am asking about the tires instead of searching because tires seem to be very subjective so searching may not always give me what I want for THIS particular size but if you know of a thread pass it on i'd love to read it. Heres the tire choices and am adding the rest of my shopping list just for fun in case it matters to anyone where I am going with it. Will this size combination work? This is a daily driver/fun project so it doesn't have to haul butt totally but I want to feel a definate and positive change in handling. Oh, and it has the stock spoke looking rims on it. If this size combo works (I could go with a single size as well) I am hoping the new shocks/struts and lowering springs will help fill the wheel well a bit and firm up the ride, I can't be sure but I think it's the orginal shocks on the car. Right now it's a worn but complete 1983zx NON turbo 5 speed, it runs pretty decent, I just put a clutch in about a week ago, troubleshot a painful wiring short issue that took the car down for a couple weeks (the usual stuff). It has tick in the valve train that I think? is a sticky lifter? I will rebuild them this summer, and a sticky spot at about 3100 RPM so I have a rebuildable dizzy on the way that i'm going to rebuild without the vacum on it per some of the Internet instructions as well. This should not have an impact on a MegaSquirt correct? I should be able to control timing through the MS anyway yes? There is a ton of other projects to do like take apart the heating system and recondition it since I live in the Northwest and start replacing suspension bushings etc. but I still haven't decided if I'll keep it or if I do keep it if I will put the 400 SBC in it I have sitting here at the house. I am considering turbo but it looks to be about a $4000 investment by the time I rebuild the motor and get it all lined out. While it's exotic and compelling to go that route I can use the Megasquirt to fuel inject a v8 too and still reach a respectable 400 RWHP for about the same cost (assuming the running average of $10 to $11 per horsepower) The difference here is I am tapped out with the original motor unless I spend big money or I can go the v8 route and still build power without mortgaging my house. I'm sure this has been debated thousands of times on here I will search and read some of the arguements. Sumitomo HTR 200 www.TireRack.com unless I can get them locally (60's up front % 70's in the rear obviously) 205/60 HR14 89H SL Weight 19 Lbs. Rim width rang 5.5 to 7.5 inches Section width 6 inches Tread width 8 inches Overall Diameter 23.8 inches ## Wheel well hight is currently at about 25 3/4 inches front and back ## 205/70 HR14 95H SL Weight 23 Lbs. Rim width rang 5.5 to 7 inches Section width 6 inches Tread width 8.2 inches Overall Diameter 25.4 inches ## Wheel well hight is currently at about 25 3/4 inches front and back ## Here's the rest of the shopping list. Black Dragon parts KYB Gas Shocks at Black Dragon Automotive 62-801 Front Strut $54.95 each 62-904 Rear Shock $69.95 each 87-802 Lowering spring set $279.95 54-914 14” Electric Fan $99.95 54-919 14” Electric Fan Thermostat $24.95 85-252 Rear hatch strut $19.95 each 53-600 Valve cover gasket $9.95 94-103-LL Dash cap cover $69.95 Speedo Cable 69-101 Speedo cable Lower $12.95 69-102 Speedo cable Upper $39.95 Weatherstripping 59-844 T-top seal-Door side LH $19.95 59-845 T-top seal-Door side RH $19.95 59-866 T-top seal-Front Edge LH $19.95 59-867 T-top seal-Front Edge LH $19.95 59-868 T-top seal-Rear Edge LH $19.95 59-869 T-top seal-Rear Edge LH $19.95 Summit Racing APC blue/black sport seats complete $360 (including rails and shipping) DIY Auto Tune MS230-K MegaSquirt 2 kit $250 MSStim21-C Assembled $69

Holy moly, what an ordeal... So the car runs albeit I still have some work to do. Here's what I think happened. And it's all due to the @#%(*$ weather. So first what happened is that the lights started going all screwy (still not totally fixed I think but I at least have an idea where to look now). Then I disconnected the battery overnight and the thing wouldn't start again because the Fuel pump wouldn't get any or enough electricity. I think because the car is so old and I live in the Northwest water leaked into the cabin and corroded the connections on or by the ECU. I cleaned every connector I could find from the fuel pump forward to the Air Flow Meter. The car would then start but wouldn't stay started for more than two seconds (that two seconds was dead on exact everytime) that kind of told me a signal was not getting to the ECU or a false signal was getting there but I couldn't find it. I just kept removing connectors and sanding them down and adding dialectric grease, reconnecting them and then trying to start it again. Same result... %)#$Y)(* frustrating is an understatement. I had just about convinced myself the module screwed onto the side of the distributor may be flaking out (you can tell I was grasping at straws by this time) when I was really working to get the second lower connector off of it (which I never did and I still can't get the friggin thing off) but that's beside the point. While I was all hunkered down over the distributer my nose was just a few inches from the rubber boot on the AFM that connects it to the intake manifold, well as it turns out there was a small gap letting air into the intake that the AFM wouldn't be able to read. I wrestled to get it back on but since it's about 30 degrees out the rubber boot isn't very pliable so I just kept working and taking crap off until I finally ended up with the AFM in my hand so I thought Hmmm I wonder if it will stay started with the AFM totally out of the picture. It did... It was rough but it stayed running so I knew I was about to get it fixed. I have the boot on securely and everything reconnected and it runs as good as it ever did now. While it was down I put a new clutch in it as well. I still have a ways to go, I still don't know what is draining the battery? As it stands the car is completely dark so unless a light is coming on intermittently in the night it's a draw somewhere else. Regardless I am happy that that nightmare is over for the time being. Thanks to everyone on the board who has ever posted information about these 280z cars it made this 100 times easier to troubleshoot, and especially thanks to all who replied to my thread I appreciate you all taking the time. Peace out, memmert

The battery is actually back by the firewall and the AFM is up front by the nose. I think one of two things are happening either I just haven't discovered the right connector yet (and re finished it) or an electrical component somewhere in the system finally just gave up the ghost. I have a test ECU coming (not to leave in just to swap out and diagnose with) and I found a couple more connections that may be a factor (block temp sensor, etc.). In doing this and considering the frustration involved i've considered doing a few HTML pages of the wiring schematics with clickable links so when you see a "EFI Relay" with certain colored wires going to it the link would take you to an actual picture of where the $()%^#(* is so people don't have to rack their brain for so long. Well see if I ever get around to making it. It would only take maybe 5 hours or so.

I am going to mount a fuel pressure guage under the hood this week but I still think it's getting fuel. I did turn the key on and leave it and now can hear the pump prime then quit I also put a voltage doohickie (the pen with a light in it) on the fuel pump circuit in the back and watched it while the car was started and it stayed on so I know i'm getting current back there. The car does actually start but won't stay started unless I really pump and feather the throttle even then it smells really gas heavy (I forget the right term lean or rich). I did just read last night that the O2 sensor does not kick in until the car is warm so maybe your right that there is something else going on. I will keep tracing connections. b__sosick - Yeah, i've had wierd light issues lately too. my high beam/turn signal switch is all fubar and needs rebuilt. I am guessing though that things will settle down somewhat after the labor i've put in lately. I'd recommend you do the same thing I did. I took off every connector I could find and sandpapered the blade and opposing connector where I could then put dialectric grease in the connection before putting it back together. This is time intensive but I know the car a whole lot better now and have also spent hours looking at wiring and comparing it to the schematics. Time well spent as far as I'm concerned with these old frustrating cars.

OK, so I finally took the tried and true advice of a bunch of posts on the board and took apart every connection I could find. I can get the car to start now but it does after about two seconds every single time which tells me it's either loosing a signal somewhere or it's getting the incorrect one. Anyone with an opinion please chime in but I think it would be one of two things. 1. I broke off a bolt trying to get the exhaust pipe unbolted from the exhuast manifold and only got another a couple turns loose. I ended up just leaving it there and getting the new clutch in anyway. I wonder if the O2 sensor is now getting the wrong signal and passing it back to the computer because of the leak? 2. The computer is defective after all these years maybe? The problems started when leaving the battery disconnected overnight so I maybe blew something when re-connecting the battery. Odds are the simple and obvious possibility is the likely one. I need to get the exhaust leak fixed anyway so that will rule out #1 soon. I just can't decide whether I should buy a header since I am going to have tear into that spot anyway or just leave it stock for now?

OK so... I checked the relay by the battery by putting my finger on it and having a friend turn the key on and off and I could hear/feel the click of the relay so I believe it to be OK. I looked at all the fuses in the passenger side kick panel (in the car) and nothing is blown. I also checked the fusible link and found that it is breaking up so I put a solid piece of copper in it's place but still no joy. (I check this fusable link by testing the resistance on it and it would bounce all over from zero to lots of resistance where all of the other fusible links all read zero). Is there another relay hidden somewhere? The parts house lists two different relay part numbers and they both have different pin configurations so is this different models of relay for different cars or does this mean there are two relays? It doesn't make sense to me that there would be multiple relays in the Fuel circuit but then again I don't know the first thing about electricty really and definately not much about fuel injection. Can I put power directly to the fuel pump and see if it triggers? it seems that I should be able to...

Or so I think anyway. If I squirt starting fluid into the airbox it kicks over but won't stay started. I can't hear the fuel pump but I could never really hear it before either so I'll next check the Chilton's manual and this evening see if I can find the fuses or relay's? to the fuel pump and see if I get anywhere.

It's so hard to tell with electrical components if anything got buggered or not until you trace it out. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary when I pulled the the cables off the posts (and just left it). I will pick up some starter fluid on the way home tonight. Thanks.

OK so I have this electrical problem. Well that's not what i'm writing about exactly it's the turn signal/dimmer switch going crazy but I found someone to fix that on eBay I think. I have an 83 280zx NON turbo 5 speed. The problem is that I disconnected the battery last night because I didn't want the lights to come on in the middle of the night and drain the battery like it did at work the other day so.... I get in to start it and it cranks over but won't start. This car has NEVER even hesitated to kick over on the first crank and now not even a tremor of firing. What's up with fuel injection? with a carb (i'm an old camaro guy) i'd just pour some fuel in the carb and it'd kick right over. Now what do I do? Maybe i'm over complicating things and maybe it will start right off when I get home tonight but does anyone have some advice on the first few things I should look for/try? Many thanks. I have searched a little but but not sure how to phrase the question. Assuming nothing drastic has changed or components have broken overnight the logical conclusion is that the fuel pump just isn't getting fuel all the way to the injectors and i'm not sure how to prime it. Am I completely out of my mind?

Of all the things running through my head that that cable could possibly attach to the speedo wasn't one of them. The idea of that cable dragging along on the ground for a couple months until it was just a ragged piece of plastic sheath and THEN someone taking the time to wire it up so it didn't drag anymore somehow makes me laugh. Well laugh until I have to track down another one and figure out how to get it installed anyway. Hmm Well at least now I know. Thanks a million for crawling around and tracing that thing for me. Soo... you have an 83 parts car ehh.... does it happen to have a speedo cable on it? wanna part with it? you don't happen to have a spare distributor you want to part with either eh? I want to rebuild mine but I don't want to do it on my working dizzy in case I muck it up.