galloguy05 Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Well i am having some trouble with my z. Im sorry if this has been covered before, but frankly i dont know how to word this situation to search it so please dont flame me for not searching first. My problem is as follows: My car starts MOST of the time with no issue. But random times while driving it (after driving to local togos and parking to grab lunch for exaple) the car will not start. Its almost as if the battery is dead but it isnt. It doesnt click or any of the telltale signs of a dead battery. The voltage guages is at about half way and when i go to start it, it drops to abou 1/4, but no clicking as if the battery is dead and also no power to the starter. I took the battery to autozone and they said the battery was bad, so i then go to return it at kragens and they test it and say the battery is fine. So i take it home and put it back in the car and the car starts (i had to get it towed home the previous night after trying to jump start it and push start it) I had the altenator, and starter tested as well and they are both fine. Is this an altenator issue to where its just not charging ENOUGH power consistantly to where i should upgrade the altenator? again i'm sorry for not searching but i'm just not sure how to word this in a few words for the search engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rolling Parts Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 EFI or Carb? Dirty battery cables? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galloguy05 Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 if it was efi though the car would still turn over, And when i have this problem it doesnt even do that. The battery cables are new as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rolling Parts Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 OK, let me rephrase: What YEAR/MODEL is your car? More to the point, did you use a wire from the battery to the solenoid to bypass the starting circuitry as a test? That's the easy way to see where the problem is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rucus01 Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Well i am having some trouble with my z. Im sorry if this has been covered before, but frankly i dont know how to word this situation to search it so please dont flame me for not searching first. My problem is as follows: My car starts MOST of the time with no issue. But random times while driving it (after driving to local togos and parking to grab lunch for exaple) the car will not start. Its almost as if the battery is dead but it isnt. It doesnt click or any of the telltale signs of a dead battery. The voltage guages is at about half way and when i go to start it, it drops to abou 1/4, but no clicking as if the battery is dead and also no power to the starter. I took the battery to autozone and they said the battery was bad, so i then go to return it at kragens and they test it and say the battery is fine. So i take it home and put it back in the car and the car starts (i had to get it towed home the previous night after trying to jump start it and push start it) I had the altenator, and starter tested as well and they are both fine. Is this an altenator issue to where its just not charging ENOUGH power consistantly to where i should upgrade the altenator? again i'm sorry for not searching but i'm just not sure how to word this in a few words for the search engine. Lots of things could be going on. Next time it happens have a volt meter handy. connect it to the +,- Lugs on the battery and have someone hit the key and try and start it. If the voltage drops below about 9.0 you have a supply problem. If it does drop do the same test again but connect the meter to the battery. If it drops at the battery then your battery is toast. If the voltage stays up even when the key is engaged but the car doest start its most likely an issue with the starter. You say it happens after a short drive, does it only happen when the car is hot? If so you could be running into a heat soak problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galloguy05 Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 Rolling Its a 75 280z. and no i did not use a jumper wire from the battery to the solenoid. I can try that next time it happens. rucus01 It seems to do it randomly. Sometimes I can drive it 80 miles and start and stop it as much as i want with no issues and then another day it will be fine but then just not work. For example I had some guys come look at the car when i wanted to sell the car (a mistake I know but dont worry I didnt go through with it) and it started perfectly fine and ran great, the guys left and I went to move the car and nothing. let it sit and the next day it started up no issue. So maybe it is after the car warms up that it happens? just so everyone knows the CAR DOES START as of right now because it happens randomly. Im just looking for trouble shooitng advice as to of what to fix so hopefully it will stop happening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galloguy05 Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 Also rucus i will do the battery test as you said. I had already planned on doing that before posting, just waiting for my friend with a voltmeter to wake up because i do not own on. Will be investing in one soon though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rolling Parts Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 The wire to the starter will tell you if it's battery, a flakey keyswitch, or simply crusty fusible link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galloguy05 Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 if I try that while the car is starting normally, will jumping the battery like that still tell us anything rolling parts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rolling Parts Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 if I try that while the car is starting normally, will jumping the battery like that still tell us anything rolling parts? No point in doing it if everything is working fine, it won't tell you a thing. Carry a length of wire in the glovebox if it happens again. Be proactive and check the fusible link terminals for corrosion, the battery resting voltage and specific gravity(~1.265), and reclean battery posts & associated wiring connections. All the simple stuff hopefully will eliminate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybear Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 if I try that while the car is starting normally, will jumping the battery like that still tell us anything rolling parts? In my opinion, if it starts, then you will know it is at least not the battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galloguy05 Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 Smokeybear I agree with you there. Im just confused because it happens so randomly. Im going to go out and check the fuseable links and what not and possibly drive my girl to the doc in it and see what happens. she probably wont be very happy in riding in the lil z rather than my comfy yukon but she can deal with it. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rolling Parts Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 In my opinion, if it starts, then you will know it is at least not the battery. Maybe. It depends on the battery failure mode. If it was a simple failure mode then the battery would not test "good" at one parts place and "bad" at another. You may have either an intermittent shorting or a break internal to the battery. If the battery is over 4 years old I'd just replace it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galloguy05 Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 The battery is brand new....Bought it in may of 2009. Sorry i forgot to mention that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galloguy05 Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 Alright so yesterday I drove the car extensively and it ran fine up until I was on my way home for the nght. The car started sputtering and acting as if it was missing. When I first got this car it did this very same thing and replacing the battery fixed the issue. How can my battery be bad already though? I was searching and come to a conclusion that maybe my fuseable links are bad and need replacing? From what I ready they are what allows the current to the battery to charge and other things as well. If I'm incorrect on this please set me straight. But if I am right, how do I check them? Also does anyone have a site to where I can buy them to replace them if they are bad? On my way home yesterday the car died in an intersection and did the same thing I originally posted. I was able to push start it and get it home though. So that's why I'm thinking it's the fuseable links. Maybe they are gettig too hot and not allowig current to the battery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norstar Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Had basically the same problems you describe. Ended up being a faulty ignition switch. Replaced it and I have not had a problem since... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest replicaplanet Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 The same problem I am facing, On the show there is no problem but still there is a problem. when i am with the mechanic there is no problem, and when i am alone there is always a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galloguy05 Posted October 12, 2009 Author Share Posted October 12, 2009 Yeah exactly. I think I have it narrowed down to a point to where I think maybe the fusible links are gettig too hot and my letting the current get back to the battery to charge it so it's draining the battery and slowly ruining it. I'm just waiting for someone to confirm or set me straight on this and let me know if this is a possibility because I'm not all to familiar with fusible links. So if this does happen I'll first just replace them for the time being and then possibly go to one of those painless harness kits and reside the entire car and do away with the fusible links all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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