fusable links, battery

[28Zero]

Howdy all,

I'm new to this (great site, btw), bought my first car ever this past spring, a refreshed 280Z, manufactured in 12/77 (so is it a '77 or '78?) and had great fun driving it around this summer. Silver gray with black racing stripes (some love it, some don't). Been doing maintenence stuff to it since. ANYWAYS, the dilemma:

Had difficulty starting (would start great 1/2 the time, grind the other 1/2), so I took the starter solenoid apart, then took off the starter itself to look at the gear: normal condition. Put it back on, and wired it the same as before (or so I think) & started the car and then turned it off. 2 hours later, the car wouldn't start- thought perhaps I switched the pos. and neg. cables to the starter from the battery. switched it (yeah, I know! ) and bang, melted a fusible link, was likely faulty to begin with. Came here, found that no-one has a clue as to the rating (30 or 35)? Put in a 30 via a add-in, that blew two days later, put in a 35, that lasted a week.

Coming home one day, my replacement fuse (for the fusible link) went out again (the one to the interior lights and all) and then I couldn't start up the car - not enough battery charge. Got it jump started and then:

As I was driving up to my house the entire car died just before I got to the driveway! Been sitting in my driveway for weeks while I try to hunt down a short. Can't find it. Replaced the battery - still drains. Was at 12.78v, now at 12.48. So I've disconnected the neg cable.

Current Wiring of the Starter: Negative cable from battery runs to the top bolt that holds the starter to the housing, the positive to the top bolt on the solenoid, on top of the wire that connects the solenoid to the starter. The smaller side wire on the solenoid goes to the fusible links.

Anyone have clues or suggestions? Help! I've got the '77 color wiring schematic from this site, a multimeter, a Haynes manual & two others, basic tools. Planning on getting a FSM soon (want the CD version, but I refuse to use PayPal).

28Zero, currently stranded in a western suburb of Chicago (anyone close by who can help?)

[28Zero]

Other things that could have an influence?

- windshield wiper motor kept blowing its fuse - taped up the holes in the protective bag (is that normal?) and now the motor doesn't short due to getting wet in the rain

- the driver side signal light at the front doesn't work

- temp/oil pressure gauge never worked (no resistance across the connectors from the oil pressure sensor?!)

- Naturally, when the stand-in fusible link is blown, the clock doesn't run when the car is off (elapsed drivetime clock, hey!)

- I still can't tell if I should use the '77 or '78 wiring schematic (I don't have the '78 one)

- I can access the FSM online, so that's available for me, but hasn't helped so far

Cheers!