Starting Problems -

[e_racer1999]

does the 260Z have fusible links?

anyway, fusible links are on later S30s; they are in little plastic pods attached to the passenger side (US) fenderwell.

i too am thinking alternator/VR. double check all your plugs. also, there is a funky little square plastic plug that attaches to the starter. did this come disconnected? that will prevent the car from starting.

[KDMatt]

I imagine there is a simple way to determine what kind of draw you're dealing with...

This reminds me of an experience my mom's Honda recently went through. I could get the car to start with a jump and everything was fine, but once I tried to get it to work under its own power it was a no-go ... turns out the battery only had 12 amps worth of cranking power (whereas it was rated to about 400) ... The difference there is that I replaced the battery with a better one (now 500 amps strong) and all is right once again... however that's not doing it for you.

Personally, I don't imagine the alternator necessarily being the problem. When mine died and the car was left to run on the battery alone, it was dead in about five or ten minutes... and I can't remember does the 260 have an Ammeter in the dash or a Voltmeter? Either way, you'd probably know if your alternator was going south.

Regardless, a lot of shops and some auto-parts stores will do free diagnostics on your charging system, this was how I found out for sure that all my mom's car needed was a new battery. Just make sure you have somebody along who can jump your car again, just in case.

Just out of curiosity, is your new battery the correct replacement? 'Seems like a dumb question I know... but if it's not supplying enough cranking amps I can see how that might be a problem (or if something is sucking away your cranking amps)...

[Nissanman]

If you accidently put the new battery in backwards, i.e. postive to earth, negative to car, that will rupture any fuseable link the alternator.

From then on it is zip, zero, diddly squat until that link is repaired:tapemouth

[gbabcock]

Well, finally figured it out. After checking about everything possible without having any electrical testing tools, I brought it back to the auto parts place where I got it and agrued over the cause of my problems, they tested the battery to find it was defunked somehow!?!. Got a new battery, installed it and everything peachy-keen (which is a good thing, cause I was starting to feel a bit stupid, triple checking whether I had the cables hooked to the right places). Thanks all for the help -

[Nissanman]

All's well that ends well:)

Something like that tests yor patience AND your sanity:tapemouth

[e_racer1999]

All's well that ends well:)

Something like that tests yor patience AND your sanity:tapemouth

indeed!

glad you got 'er figured out!!!!

[SteveJ]

Well, finally figured it out. After checking about everything possible without having any electrical testing tools, I brought it back to the auto parts place where I got it and agrued over the cause of my problems, they tested the battery to find it was defunked somehow!?!. Got a new battery, installed it and everything peachy-keen (which is a good thing, cause I was starting to feel a bit stupid, triple checking whether I had the cables hooked to the right places). Thanks all for the help -

One of the key things the owner of a vintage car should have is an electrical meter. It's too inexpensive to do without.

[e_racer1999]

One of the key things the owner of a vintage car should have is an electrical meter. It's too inexpensive to do without.

you can get them at your local radioshack as well

end shameless plug