Voltage Regulator?

[Rust Bucket]

i have a 1972 240z

i was running the car and it was idling rough, and then it suddenly died. now i can't start the car even if i try jumping it. none of the electrical works, not the hazards, headlights, brake lights, nothing.

is this a voltage regulator problem?

[Zs-ondabrain]

Start checking the Fusable link. It's located between the starter and the engine harness.

Use an ohms meter to see if it has contact between the 2 ends.

Also check your battery cables, clean them and all the grounds real well. one other to check the fusable link is to distconnect it from the harness, leaving the other end bolted to the starter, use a test light between a ground and the end you disconnected. If it lights up, it's good and you need to look elsewhere.

[beandip]

You tried jumping it and did it turn over ? So you needed to jump it , is the Batt dead? If you turn on the head lights and blow the horn do the lights dim or go out? If so the batt is dead. Have you been having problems with the car recently or is this something that just happened out of the Blue? You didn't give much info to go on. Have you been working on the car ? If so what? Gary

[Zs-ondabrain]

He's been working on the car, His Z is just what his screen name implies, a rust bucket. When I installed the headlight upgrade harness for him, I informed him of things that needed to be done, including a FULL run through of the electrical. I think his battery is old and the alternator is even older. Unless he'ss done something about it since I was there this winter.

He's a friend of The Ian Monster, owner of my previous yellow Z. It was Ian that kinda got him into the whole Z scene. His lights were shot and I could'nt find the problem in the short amount of time that I was there, so I installed the Upgrade harness to give him some decent driving lights.

Dave.

[Rust Bucket]

i checked with an ohms meter and it has contact. i replaced the battery shortly after you installed the headlight upgrade harness.

Just like Dave said, my car is a rust bucket. i'm trying to get it back into drivable condition, but as i have had no previous experience with cars, i need all the help i can get.

the engine did not turn over when i jumped it. NONE of the electrical works, even while connected to another battery, so i'm sure it's not the battery that is the problem.

[MikeZcar]

Did you pull the connector loose on the link to check for continuity? If you just stick a meter lead up into the connector and other lead to starter you will show "good" through the body.

[Rust Bucket]

yes, i checked for continuity as well. would having the fusible links not work prevent ALL of my electrical from working..because NONE of it works.

[Zs-ondabrain]

the only connection the battery has to the electrical system is THE FUSABLE LINK!!! If nothing works, then the fusable is shot. Disconnect it and test it. If you use a test light, ground one end and probe the disconnected end. if nothing, then test the other end of the fusable link, that is bolted to the start, same as the battery cable. This will tell you what you need to know.

Dave.