turn signal and gauges help...

[usafdarkhorse]

OK, so I've searched around and done what I can so far, but I think this is bigger than I can figure out myself.

First, I bought my 76 280Z about 2 and half months ago with some minor problems. Some have been addressed. Some have not.

I realized quickly that my turn signals did not work, however, that my hazard lights did. So, after some quick searches, I found a few things which could be the culprit: the ignition relay, the turn flasher unit, the turn signal switch, etc.

Ignition relay: switched in another one, car ran horrible, no gauges still

Turn flasher unit: switched in another one, still no signals, no "click" either indicating it was on.

Have NOT cleaned the turn signal SWITCH yet ( the stalk with the contact slider ), however, are there any other issues which could be the culprits I should know now?

Also, another tidbit of info: There are 14 fuses in a 280Z fusebox, 2 columns of 7 rows. On the 1st column, 4th row, the fuse continues to blow VIOLENTLY which is linked to the gauge circuit. Any reason for this?

I replaced the fuse there the first time, started the car up, tach worked for about 3 seconds before it blew so I KNOW the power is getting to the gauges.

Any ideas? Should I search more?:stupid:

[EScanlon]

Well, not to berate the obvious...but you have a short in the wiring someplace.

That the fuse blows tells you for a fact that something is sucking up such a large current draw that it is causing the fuse to melt.

Please take note of the following:

DO NOT PUT A HIGHER AMPERAGE FUSE IN THERE!!!

That will NOT solve anything and may in fact, destroy your wiring harness, switches heck....the whole car. Hope you can understand the subtle hint there.

Take a look at what "mods" have been done.

New stereo? new wiring of any kind? Any "improvements" by you or the PO?

Any and all of these are immediately suspect. Review, and rewire if necessary and if in doubt...do not reconnect any of them. But definitely look to see what you have had added.

Next, start looking at grounds that aren't grounding properly. That may involve removing and cleaning contact points and then replacing the wiring.

However, unless I'm mistaken, the Hazard Flasher is also present as a separate unit from the Turn Signal Flasher in the 76. They function independently.

Here are a couple of pics courtesy of other members, (Nissanman and Big Oak if I recall properly) of the fuse box covers for the 280. Note that though you may have one "year" of car, yours may actually be a previous or later year...that's where you need to be careful.

Hope this will help.

Take note that the 3rd & 4th fuses on the left side switch between the 75 and 76 years.

E

[usafdarkhorse]

OK, after considering these conditions, I have a little more to add.

The PO installed a Pioneer head unit with Sony 6X9 speakers which, though are decent, are gaudy and I think draw too much current. The two gauges that DO work are the speedo and voltmeter ( intermittently) but while the voltmeter did work, it showed a current of 15V indicating it was charging a little more than normal.

The alternator has also been swapped out for a more generic alternator which makes it easier to replace should it decide to quit. Also there is the resulting wiring change because of the alternator.

My plans were ( and are now even moreso important ) to take out this head unit and the resulting speakers and at that point I will check if there are any difference.

But even still, the turn signals are on another circuit.

I have the original fusebox covers and I wasn't planning on putting any higher amperage fuses in there obviously because it's too much current. I'm an engineering student and am familiar with this decently, but I'm having trouble identifying what might fix all this.

Are most of the grounds for the gauge circuits located inside the dash?

[fuzze]

I fixed my signal problem when i bought my Z this past summer by making a brass shim that engages the switch with more pushing pressure so as to engage the rocker arms in the turn switch . I will send another post with pic's later in the day as I'm just on my way out . This is a great fix , I'll type to you later , after 4pm pacific time . have a good day

Chris

[usafdarkhorse]

Excellent. Looking forward to that. I think these problems are fairly common with these Z's so I hope that SOMETHING will work haha.

I pulled the stereo head out a few minutes ago but I haven't had a chance to see if that helped me or not. Odds are that will help the gauges NONE. haha

[fuzze]

here she goes , the process is pretty simple . Buy some brass shim material , mine came in small sheets from ultra thin to thick . Obviously your mechanical so take apart the two switches , turn sig and high\low beam to access the turn sig lever assey and remove from steering column . turn assey over , remove split ring and carefully turn over and pull apart . don't lose the two bearings . The plastic piece that slides in the groove is worn out . Make shims to fit , I used two very thin , first one on top , second on bottom and lubed assey with die-electric grease to aid movement . If it feels ok , fit it back together and hopefully the shim will engage the rocker assey in the sig switch . I used die -grease in the switch as well applied carefully with a dental pic . I put it all back together and just like magic it worked as hoped . A miracle I'd say .forgot to mention , when satisfied with fit I crazy glued the two shims to plastic assey to hold in place .worked like a charm . I hope the pics help

Good luck, sorry for the delay, finally got the attachments to post.

Chris

[280~Master]

On our Z cars, most of the time the turn signals stop working is because of the Hazard switch not working/making a solid connection. Hazards will work but the turn signals will not. All of the turn signal lights and hazard light run right through the harzard switch. There is a quick fix to this. I will probly get flaming feed back on this but this is what my machanic did.

On the turn signal plug there are 3 wires. 2 white, 1 green. Take the green wire from the turn plug and run a jumper wire to the main 12v imput of the hazard switch. This will bypass the hazard switch(Because its NLA) and even after repairing does not always work. Now the only bad part of this is your turn signals will work when the key is in the off possition.

[usafdarkhorse]

Did you punch holes through those brass shims to allow the plastic shaft into the plastic slider?

I'm looking at the pictures and looking at my switch and I'm trying to make sense of it.

What I tried to do was I shimmed the spring with a cut off finishing nail ( it lengthened the spring's effective distance by about a millimeter ) and had hoped the extra pressure for the ball, along with cleaning the contacts on the V plate inside the curved chamber would make a better contact.

I reinstalled it like this and it did not work still, but I don't know if this would have helped anything.

Should I still try the brass shim method?

[usafdarkhorse]

The hazards will work even when the hazard switch does not contact properly?

Is the hazard switch the point wired into the switch in the center of the console? I may try this, but I would like to solve this problem.

[280~Master]

Your problem is the hazard switch. Run a hot wire to the green wire on your turn siganl plug and if they work then your switch is good along with the fuze so that would be a hazard switch that is bad. Even when the hazard switch is bad the hazard lights will work. I know I just spent 2 weeks tracing the same problem. I rebuilt the turn signal switch had the FSM wiring Diagrams and test just about any way you could think of. Look at this PDF I am about to post.

[280~Master]

here is the Signal layout for a 76 280Z

Pages from Body Electrical System.pdf

[usafdarkhorse]

I do have another center console I'm about to ship that has a hazard switch intact. Would it be possible to try to swap them?

That page is the same one from the FSM correct?

I will look into connecting a hot green to the hazard.

That 4th fuse continues to blow, but I haven't checked it since I removed the stereo and speakers. Since this is in integral part of this circuit, can I assume that this would be a culprit for my problems? What sort of things can I expect from a blown fuse in the 1st column, 4th row? Also, I have no power to the 2nd column, 7th row ( last ) fuse.

After removing the stereo, my voltmeter decided that it would work again.

This car has a personality!