auxilary Posted August 22, 2002 Share Posted August 22, 2002 Drove it Sunday, ran like a champ. Parked it, went home. Tonight, went to start the car...nothing, not even the interior lights turn on. I figured I drained the battery, so I pulled my neon up, ran some jumper cables, waited about 10 minutes with the neon running to charge it up, and...nothing. no lights, no crank, nothing. My car set me up the bomb... what's the reason Johnny 5 is not alive? This isn't an emergency, I have a backup car, but I still don't want my Z to turn into one of those piles of metal sitting for ages rotting away. It's too dark to check anything now, but when I looked, everything seemed to be intact. I am guessing fusible links? Were are they located on a 240? Any input besides that? thanks, -alex, now a proud owner of a dead Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dp351zcar Posted August 22, 2002 Share Posted August 22, 2002 On a 76 280 they are (I think) on the right side of the engine compartment between the shock tower and the battery. They look like plastic modules that you can remove the top. I think that is what these are as I had the same problem on my parts car. It stumped me until I took the caps off and wiggled the wires someone had wraped around the clips insted of the fusable links. Did that and I had power. Hope it helps Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaime240z Posted August 22, 2002 Share Posted August 22, 2002 on my 240 there is a fusible link in the form of 14 guage wire between the starter and 12v power. I would check there first. If it smells burned or feels soft to the touch, then it's shot. Otherwise I would check the whole electrical system when it's light out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxilary Posted August 22, 2002 Author Share Posted August 22, 2002 jaime: i checked that one when i had some light out, it seemed to be intact. just weird as hell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted August 22, 2002 Share Posted August 22, 2002 Do all the standards, staring with battery terminals. Next make sure ground is good. Sometimes battery corrosion can get into the cables and you can't see it but it has destroyed the connection. Check the fusebile link where the 10ga wire attaches to the starter. Then check same wire where it screws to the fuse box. An ohmeter will hope check continuity. If you have modified the wiring system for a 1 wire or internal reg alternator, you should check that as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Shasteen Posted August 22, 2002 Share Posted August 22, 2002 Akex, As Mike said, you need to get an Ohm-meter and also a circuit tester (ice pick w/a small bulb in it that lights up when current is detected). When you buy an Ohm-Meter, make sure it comes w/a detailed instruction booklet; this way you dont have to be an expert when operating an Ohm-meter; just follow the instructions to a tee. Make sure you buy a decent one (somewhere around the $35-$45 range). As far as jumpstarting w/jumper cables; three issues-1) Smaller cars w/smaller engines dont always have an alternator w/an amp discharge high enough to jump off another car when its battery is dead 2) Jumper Cables w/too small of wire gauge will not allow enough amp's to pass through them to jump off another dead battery 3) If your Battery is truly dead, then-DEAD is DEAD and cant be charged regardless of how long the other car is hooked up to yours. So, How do you know if its your battery or something else? A circuit tester will detect if your battery has any juice in it at all while an Olm-Meter in the Volt mode will indicate how many volts your battery is putting out. Also, follow the instructions in your Ohm-meters booklet & it will tell you how to test the battery, battery cables, coil, Ignition Module, Starter, Alternator, Inline fuses.....basically anything that has voltage coursing thru its veins: and the second thing on each item whose voltage has been checked would be its resistance....simply follow the instructions in your Ohm-Meter's booklet. Dont panic, buy an Ohm-Meter, Circuit Tester and a Factory Service Manual which will give the EXPLICIT power flow chart which gives a specific order in which items should be checked; the factory manual also gives you instruction on what voltage & resistance each item should be flowing thru it. It really isnt that hard; just take your time, take your time, take your time, take your time! Dont let anyone rush you-and if/when someone comes around to talk to you while you are testing; just put down your tools-talk to them until they walk away, then resume your testing. Dont try to test & cary on a conversation-too distracting. If/when you get stumped-ask any question here & someone will give you the answer. You car is not hopeless-simply sleeping: its time for you to go wake it up! With a little patience & diagnostic trial and error-you can fix the problem & save yourself the money you will have spent by taking it to the shop. Kevin, (Yea,Still an Inliner) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73BOTIZ Posted August 22, 2002 Share Posted August 22, 2002 Alex, One thing you can check quickly is the amp gauge.I have had two go out on different 240's. I have switched over to a volt gauge on my current 240. Mike D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LIghtningZ Posted August 22, 2002 Share Posted August 22, 2002 Hey Alex whats up if you still have no luck by saturday( Remember the meet in Antioch is friday i wont be able to make it after all )give me a call and i can come out with my tools to help you out!! P.s. where you be at Doogg!! (209 915-1117) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxilary Posted August 22, 2002 Author Share Posted August 22, 2002 hahah oh man.. Well, i feel pretty stupid. To eliminate all possible causes, I took the battery to Kragen for them to charge and see if it holds a charge. While that was being done, I crawled over the engine compartment, checked all possible leads, everything's intact and not burned (except for my fuse box, which is mostly molten). Confused, I decided to go get the battery, and if that wasn't hte problem, whip out a voltimeter and a dummy light to start tracing. I go to Kragen, and the guy tells me that the battery I bought in may (with new cables, et al) is dead. So i got a new battery and the engine cranked no problem. I guess my neon's alt. doesn't generate enough cca to crank the Z starter, and the battery wouldn't hold any charge when i was letting it charge up w/ jumper cables. On a side note, I cranked the engine, it idled for a minute, but i killed it when I noticed that my gas tank rubber flap thingy was outside of the fuel door, and not in it. I got all paranoid, checked the filler neck for traces of sugar or what not...crawled on the ground to see if anyone spilled any,....and quite honestly I'm not convinced - I might drain the tank out of paranoia. I couldn't tell if I saw sugar crystals on the ground, but ... you know, paranoia = awareness -alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auxilary Posted August 23, 2002 Author Share Posted August 23, 2002 thanks for the input, guys, i'll try them today or tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted August 29, 2002 Share Posted August 29, 2002 Sugar! Talk about someone set us up the bomb! All your Z are belong to us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted August 30, 2002 Share Posted August 30, 2002 Gravy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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