mistah mofro Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 (edited) Sometimes the wire that goes to the amp-meter likes to start smoking time to time, and the needle is never in the middle. This, i have no idea how to diagnose since its spontaneous and never have the tools on hand to check when it does smoke. Any ideas or common problems? Since I'm rebuilding the motor now, i would like to get this out the way before i step back in the car. Thanks! Edited February 22, 2011 by mistah mofro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 so.....what car is this for? what mods have you done? when did it start? and like a thousand more questions since you don't describe anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistah mofro Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 so.....what car is this for? what mods have you done? when did it start? 73 240z, only mod i've done is the updated fuse box (non glass fuse)other than that its stock, started a few months ago but comes back spontaneously. I also notice if i remove the flasher fuse the engine idles alittle higher, other than that im started to remove the taillight harness to check for anything unusual and i have to i'll remove the dash and check everything else. Where does power come from for the parking/brake lights? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 One possible reason for the engine to idle higher with the flasher fuse out is that the alternator is not working as hard (burning up your wires). Did the ammeter wire smoke before the fuse box upgrade? There's a pretty good wiring diagram at this link, in the FSM - http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistah mofro Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 yeah i looked at the fsm, quality sucky but illl try it again. I got the fuse box to because the glass fuse type burnt a hole straight threw the plastic. Yeah the smoking happened before the fuse box issues. Maybe if i print it out it will look a little better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhm Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 If the ammeter wire is smoking, you can start by disconnecting it immediately (if not sooner). You should be able to do this by unplugging the small plug (with the small-gauge wires) on the shunt (mounted on the passenger-side of your engine compartment. Yes, it will disable the ammeter, but it may prevent a fire in your dash while you're trouble-shooting the problem. You could have a short in the gauge itself. Consider replacing it with another ammeter, or swap it out for a voltmeter. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistah mofro Posted February 24, 2011 Author Share Posted February 24, 2011 ^ YEAH,Definately gonna do that one. Just to add-on my battery has been dying multiple times Im pretty sure i went through 3-4 batteries this past year,i replaced the alternator earlier this year to see it would help. Battery lasted alittle longer but ended up dying again anyways, then i replaced my already bad fuse box and then nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 " i looked at the fsm, quality sucky but illl try it again. I got the fuse box to because the glass fuse type burnt a hole straight threw the plastic. Yeah the smoking happened before the fuse box issues. Maybe if i print it out it will look a little better. " You have a dead short. You don't need to unplug your amp meter. You need to find the short. What circuit does the fuse that burnt through the plastic serve? Look at the plastic fuse cover and it will tell you which circuit the fuse goes to. This will be your starting point. Get both Haynes and Chilton 240Z manuals. They both have schematics. Find the offending circuit on the schematic and trace it in red pencil and then go find it in the car. Then go point to point until you find where the circuit is shorted. Unplug things to see if the short goes away. Note some of those fuses share more circuits than what they are labled for. So you will have to use a schematic to find all possible conductors on the shorted circuit. In my experience chasing shorts, it is usually something that got moved/changed such as removing lights for paint and then pluging them back in backwards so the power goes to ground instead of to the bulb. A paint shop did this to one of my Z cars and the first time I drove it at night my marker lights went out and kept blowing fuses. Turns out the paint shop plugged in the right rear marker light backwards. So what did you do just before you started blowing fuses or seeing smoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistah mofro Posted February 24, 2011 Author Share Posted February 24, 2011 yeah i figured it was a short to ground somewhere, i think it was the parking light fuse that keep frying my stuff up I'll check it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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