Electrical Problem

[omega Z]

My 1971 240Z has been in storage all winter. Today I tried to start it, but it wouldn't turn over l..The battery is new, the horn works, I have no headlights but the brake lights and the flasher lights work..has any one every had a similar problem.. Help me.:hurt:

[Zs-ondabrain]

try the fusable link that is connected to the starter.

I personally haven't run across this particular problem before but give it time and "BUMP" the post now and then. Till then, start checking all your connections, fuses and don't forget the harness plugs on the upper right side of the dash.

If you fix the problem, be sure to repost what you did to fix it.

good luck,

Dave.

[EScanlon]

Dave;

If the fusible link by the starter blows, the COMPLETE electrical system in the car is rendered inactive. That's it, zip, nada, kaput, "She's Dead Jim!"

Try it yourself. Go disconnect the fusible link and try any one of the items he's mentioned. None of them will work. The Positive pole of the battery connects directly to the Starter, the fusible link also connects to the same point. If the link blows, there is no other connection for the Positive pole of the battery that connects to the rest of the electrical system of the car. NONE, period.

If there is, then it's a connection made by an IPO and not part of the car's standard electrical system. Heck, even your harnesses will not work if that fusible link blows even though they have a separate power connection to the + terminal. They use the car's electrical system via relays to be actuated. Cut the car's electrical and your relay's can't be actuated.

Now, when Omega says the battery is "new", is he referring to a battery bought in the last few days...or back in October?....and the car hasn't been started since? If so, then even though there is some power left in the battery, it isn't enough to power the starter, the headlamps or any one of the higher amperage items. Granted the horn working can be deceptive, but even with that it is the battery that should be checked first.

So Omega, go have the battery checked....even if it's brand spanking new. I've seen clerks grab batteries right off the shelf and presume that it's fully charged (it happened to me!) when it wasn't since it had been sitting on the shelf for several weeks (odd size battery).

Once that's been addressed, and you know you have a fully charged battery, THEN start checking other items.

The fuses are a good item to check, don't just visually check them though. Pull them, run a continuity check on them OUTSIDE of the fuse box, or simply replace with new ones.

As far as connections....unless you've been working with the connections either directly or near them, then they're more than likely okay. They can go bad due to corrosion and general fatigue of items, but that's a long-shot.

2¢

E

[Zs-ondabrain]

well see there, I just haven't run across that particular problem before. My fusable link has never been bad and I've never dealt with it being unplugged. So like they, "you learn something new EVERY day" Thanks for the info. "Click click, Stored" :classic: :classic:

If I miss-informed, I do apologize. I've been up since 3am this morning (Wed.)

and I normally don't get up till 8:30 or so.:nervous:

Dave.

"but Master, where did the pebble go? "one day Grasshopper, you will know"

[EScanlon]

Don't laugh, but the way I found out about it was some years back when I was in the Air Force and we were working on the first Z I worked on. We were just connecting the battery "enough" to start the engine...i.e. just the positive and negative cables....and then spent several hours trying to decipher what we'd messed up such that NOTHING would work! Continuity checks, resistance checks, independent power would actuate stuff....the gamut went wild, after all we had several "mechanics" who were into this kind of stuff and several pieces of test equipment.

It wasn't till I went to use the cigarette lighter since, after all they're "always" hot that we realized that it wasn't.

So we caved in, hunted around and finally found someone with an electrical diagram (this was in 1987 and we couldn't just log on to the internet)...and found our answer.

Hooked up that fusible link and VOILÁ the car worked again!

That was a story to live down in the MWR garage for a few weeks until the next bonehead mistake...thankfully by someone else.

E

[ggarrard]

Another possibility is the battery connections themselves....the clamps may be croded enough to restrict the heavy draw from the starter, but will still allow the lights etc to work. Try cleaning the battery cables and battery posts.

GWGarrard

croded should be spelled corroded (I need a spell-checker!!)

[omega Z]

Thanks guys, I'm going to try eveything that is written and I'll let you know once I have found the problem..:nervous:

[FREE-Z]

hello! could the selnoid freeze up during storage? i have a nasty wire leading to mine and sometimes on start up i just get a click and it wont turn over. i jiggle the wire and pinch it and then it will turn over. i know this sounds hack but im still waiting to really dig in here. i realize im probably the least experienced here so sorry to confuse the issue. just wonder'n:stupid:

[omega Z]

The fusable link to the starter was burnt I replaced it but still car want turn over.. no electric power.. the battery is one month old..Any suggestions. Omega Z

[jmanz6]

The spade terminal going to the starter from the ignition switch. I had mine crud up and stop making contact. I ust went over and wiggled it to get the car started. I later replaced it with a new female spade terminal. It's the small wire going to the solenoid on the starter. Unplug it and squeeze the terminal together slightly to get better contact and reinstall.

[omega Z]

OK I'll try that.. I know there is one fusable link connected to the starter, is there another one, if so, where is it located..

[Zs-ondabrain]

You can also try and do a straight JUMP on the starter.

turn the ignition on

choke the carbs if it's got S.U.'s

put it in Nuetral

Use a screwdriver to make the connection between the starter terminal on the silenoid and the power wire from the battery, on the silenoid.

That should jump the starter. if that does'nt work, Your battery is dead or the starter is bad.

Plain and simple. If it does turn over, your starter wire coming from the ignition has a problem or there is no power to that wire from the ignition switch.

That's it, thats all

Dave.