josh817 Posted December 27, 2010 Share Posted December 27, 2010 (edited) Drove over to my lady friends house Christmas night, car ran like a champ. Next morning later it doesn't want to start. I think I lost spark, but I don't know how that would happen considering I parked the car... and that's it. Curious if the cold somehow kills our electrical stuff. Typically in this cold weather, I crank it over for 2 or 3 seconds and get a little blip, then next time I crank it fires up. I'm using Weber's without the chokes hooked up. At my friends house though, I didn't get a little blip at all. Managed to troubleshoot as much as I could on the street and the coil wasn't sparking to the block when I held the wire to it. Maybe I couldn't see it with the sun. Anyway it's back home now and I'll check for 12v. I always try to trivialize a situation so this time I'm telling myself now I can dig into projects I had backing up since the car isn't running. When it was running, I didn't want to mess with it! The blue goose has landed and is ready for maintenance. With a dead car, I can take of the carbs and test fit all this stuff, tear the wiring out and prepare for Megasquirt, and do the brakes FINALLY. Edited December 27, 2010 by josh817 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted December 27, 2010 Share Posted December 27, 2010 I hate Gremlins! Possible the ignition problem has always been there and the cold has uncovered it? I know on my old 70, the colder it was the harder it was to start. Of course once going it was great. This was with SU's and no choke cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted December 27, 2010 Share Posted December 27, 2010 The cold causes LA batteries to output less, insulation to harden up, and resistance to drop (a little). But what makes you sure that it was the cold that caused it? I got a new coil for Xmas. Want my stock one? Still within spec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted December 27, 2010 Author Share Posted December 27, 2010 (edited) Sure, if it's a 12v. My dad may have some spares at the shop that I can test with first before I snag yours. I just figured it was cold because it was the first time I had parked it outside on the street and two nights ago it dropped into the 20's. My car hasn't seen that crap in a while. I thought it was the battery at first because it sounded lazy but we hooked jumpers to it and still nothing. I tried for a while and decided to stop before I fry something expensive... Unfortunately, the flatbed/tilt bed tow truck nearly maimed the car since it sits so low. I heard the front air dam crunching but the damage is just on the underside so I don't care. Then he decided to push it from the rear spoiler so now that's all loose. I'll have to find a new way to mount it. Edited December 27, 2010 by josh817 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZR8ED Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 The only trouble I am having is that its too cold. I go out in the garage, shiver, then come back into the house and watch a movie in front of my fake fireplace. I think it is going to sit a while with only my other car to talk to. I may go back into the garage near spring. I have nothing critical to work on, and "while I'm at it" is something I have to watch out for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 -35 makes a nice working climate. If you slip and bust your hand open, it only oozes and clots/freezes pretty quickly so as long as you stay outside you won't loose a lot of blood... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Nothing like cold busted knuckles on a winter day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAG58 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Mine is bone dry, clean, and winterized in a heated, de-humidified garage. ...and it's still trying to rust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Mine's actually better than ever. It runs now. But it's still a rusty piece of ****. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 I'm thinking maybe my HEI module went out on me. Coils usually pitter out before they die. I haven't even looked at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsun723 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 My Z just broke down on me last weekend 10 miles into a New Year's Day cruise Winter ain't easy on cars...wish I had a garage to store mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Winter ain't easy on cars...wish I had a garage to store mine Location: Orange, CaSomething's not right here but I can't put my finger on it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Winter here in the N.E. and Z's don't mix. So mix your own. The only electrical problem I have, resulting from the cold weather, is from mice chewing the wires. That problem has been resolved, thankfully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mario_82_ZXT Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 It was -20something-ish F at my parent's house. We forgot the turbo Z had a low anti-freeze to water ratio because of water wetter. The water in the waterpump and radiator froze (and possibly in the block). Luckily getting it into the garage where it thawed slowly we seem to have not damaged anything. No popped core plugs or busted radiator tubes. My $300 parts car cranks really slowly even with a new battery in the cold mornings (36F woot!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsun723 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Something's not right here but I can't put my finger on it... Hahahaha, it gets into the 20's at night at my parent's house (where the Z is) since they're more inland. We don't get snow but we sure did get a lot of rain...and my windshield leaks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneStarS30Z Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 I have very drafty driver's side window. Its not enjoyable at the very least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 (edited) It's going to be 20 degrees today. Celsius. Edited January 7, 2011 by BLOZ UP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kce Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 It's about 5 degrees (Fahrenheit) right now with winds at 30MPH, with gusts up approaching 70MPH. My truck has developed all kinds of new suspension noises, my *brand* new battery has a hard time turning the engine over and my seat isn't cushy anymore. My Z's in storage... in Oregon. You know you are messed up if you think Oregon or Washington is nice climate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) Just got back from the north east... Pennsylvania claimed 2 tires, Virginia claimed a 12 pack of Reeses, and Arkansas claimed my glasses. Even the poor little Honda cranked over slowly up in Rhode Island. Luckily it had enough to start up without a fuss. My cheap $160 travel cost vacation turned into at least a $500 trip... plus all the time driving in a Civic with my sister and brother in-law which is hell. They trashed my poor baby, I will never let family assume responsibility for my vehicle. Stupid me, I went in suspicious and they swooned me into trusting them. I still haven't worked on the Z. I'm trying to avoid it and focus on other things, mostly brakes. Cygnus I like your wood stove. I want one when I have my own house. Is that a little Sterling motor powering the fan? Would make sense to utilize one rather than an electric fan. Edited January 15, 2011 by josh817 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B00STDZ Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Lol @ all the people from az and cali acting like 30's and 40's is cold... Here we are lucky to get above freezing DURING the day. But it mostly stays in the teens and twenties... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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