Read only if You have a lot of patience and know about starters

[Guest Navy280Z]

Okay guys, I'm sorry to post such a stupid thread. I left my books back at home, and I've done searches on here without much result...so here it goes:

 

Finally got the new engine into the '78 Z. Just another 2.8L, but she's running again... kinda.

 

My dad drove it up from Atlanta to Annapolis and had troubles with the starter. Now it's completely out. If I can start the car one last time (had to hit it with a hammer yesterday), I'm off to pick up my new starter at Advanced Auto.

 

Here's the question: Is the starter pretty much plug-and-play? What difficulties can I expect to encounter, etc.?

 

Thanks very much for everyone's input beforehand. Have a great weekend!

[JMortensen]

Plug and play. Should be a 10 minute job.

[AK-Z]

Thats about how long it took for me to put mine in. Are you sure its the starter. Mine had a problem also. but it was the connection to the starter that was corroded. It wasn't that corroded for the viewable part but when I took it off, it was all green (copper-oxide or whatever it is) where it was connected to the starter. Wire brush fixed it all up.

[qwik240z]

Just had a mojor problem with the starter on my Datsun 510. It turned out to be a bad wire from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid. Here is a post from a guy on the 510 list that I think may be helpful for anyone with starter problems.

 

>Here is pasted my step by step how to diagnose your starting system (long

>post) I sent to the list for the other guy. Do this and you will find the

>problem 100% if you test fully as outlined. Will probably take you longer to

>read it than actually find the problem using the method.

>Peter...don`t drive anywhere without a DVOM in my toolkit

 

 

> First thing. Get a DVOM (digital volt ohn meter). Radio Shack can help you

> there for around $10-$20 for one that`ll work fine. Next, get a helper.

> Unless you got aligator clips and longish leads with your meter, in which

> case you can do this sans help.

> Set meter to read Volts DC,attach the negative meter lead to battery

> negative and the positive meter lead to battery positive. Crank engine and

> note battery voltage while cranking. You`ll need to know this. Now move

the

> postive lead to the battery positive clamp. Crank and observe voltage.

> Should be the same as first time. If not, you need to clean your battery

> terminals. Move posive to starter end of battery cable. Crank. voltage

> should be the same as previous. If not, replace the cable. Move to starter

> main stud. Crank. Should see same voltage and first. If not, clean

> connection at starter to main cable.

> Move postive to starter activation terminal. Crank. Voltage will be lower

> here than previous( has to travel further through smaller wire to get

there)

> but should still be with 2 or 3V of battery. If it is and the starter is

not

> cranking then check ground to the starter using the same method described

> but with the postive lead staying on the battery and moving the negative

> lead from pint to point in the ground side of the circuit starting with

the

> body of the starter and moving closer to the battery until a test fails or

> you are back to the battery pole negative. If it all checks out the probs

is

> within the starter.

> If the test at the starter activation terminal shows low volts (or likely

> no volts under load..the under load part is important) then move to the

> ignition switch. Back probe the starter activation wire where it comes out

> of the plug on the switch (black with yellow stripe on a 510 AFAIK).

Should

> see within about .2 of a volt of what you saw at the other end of the wire

> at the starter. If not, fix wire between starter and switch. Note here,

> there`s a plug under the passenger side of the dash (RHD) that this wire

> passes through on the way to the starter and is likely corroded if the

first

> test at switch failed. Check it first before rewiring the whole thing.

> Moving on, if nothing has been found so far. Back probe battery supply

wire

> at switch (White with red on 510s). Crank. If you show higher voltage here

> then at wire coming out (B with Y) then the switch is bad. If not, then

> there`s a prob between the switch and the battery. Choices there are ;

plugs

> under right side of dash where the wires come through the firewall (look

for

> melted/discoloured plug); two splices hidden within the harness that may

> have corroded (oh joy!..not), one inside the car the other inside the

engine

> compartment, more testing using the "voltage drop" method I`ve described

> will tell you which one; and finally the fuse link, or it`s splice, at

the

> main starter terminal. Since you already checked everything else up to

that

> point process of elimination leads you here.

> Final note. Regardless of what you find I recommend installing a starter

> relay to carry the load for the switch and get full volts to the starter

> solinoid. The nissan switches are not great and the wiring is old. I note

> that the later Nissans we get our gear reduction starters from seem to use

> much heavier wire than the 510 activate it. If you haven`t burned out a

> switch yet, you will without a relay.

 

 

I hope this helps.

[Guest Navy280Z]

Guys,

 

Thanks for all your input.

 

I checked for corroded wires, and last night at advanced auto we used their ohmeter to look for continuity and voltage. It all looked good, and four of us agreed it was the starter.

 

"Pluged and played" this one. Was a twenty minute job, mostly because my girlfriend wanted to turn wrenches with me. Kinda cute.

 

Okay, thanks one and all for that. I'm off to advanced auto to get my core charge back. Have a great weekend!