No Power

[Mitchka]

I've been restoring an early 74 260Z, and I have it almost complete. There is a show tomorrow, and I don't know if I can go now!

I removed the dash to get it recovered, and when reinstalled, I now have no power. I also went ahead and bolted the battery down (requirement for show-and-go). I have power at the starter, and I have a good ground through out the frame of the car. I have no power at anything else, not even the under-hood light. What I am wondering is:

a) Is there a ground for the electrical harness that I accidently disconnected? Where?

Did I break a wire somewhere?

c) other?

Any help you can give me today will be a godsend!

Thank you!

[Fun_in_my_z]

Was it working before you bolted the battery down? If so then you might be grounding the battery so it wont start.

Also is the battery charged? Try the simple things first.

Are the wires hooked up to the starter correctly?

[Mitchka]

The car was running beautifully before I bolted the battery and worked on the dash. Nothing else in the engine bay was touched or modified.

Battery had a trickle charger on it, and is fully charged. Voltage read at the starter is 12.3 V

It seems like after the starter, there is no power. I've tried many of the idiot tricks, I've used a wire from the battery to the power gauge, power to the trouble light, and they all work that way.

I know the chassis has a good ground, but perhaps one of the ground wires is corroded? I used some dialetic grease on the ground on the passenger side wheelwell.

Like I said earlier, it's either a broken power wire, a bad ground or perhaps a relay somewhere that went bad (I think it's too old for that though?).

[s30 spl]

12.3V is not fully charged. 12.5V is a fully charged idle battery with out a load. 12V is 50% discharged on a 12V battery. Check your ignition switch, fuse box, and fusible links. Maybe something shorted during your work.

[sblake01]

His problem might actually be in the starter interlock system that the 73-74s had. Last I heard, he was addressing that.

[EScanlon]

Fusible Link?

Don't recall if the 260 had more than one, but in the 240's there is ONE fusible link between the Starter and the wire harness. If that ONE fusible link blows, the whole electrical system is dead. He mentions power at the starter, but I'm wondering how he's measuring that.

FWIW

E

[1 Bravo 6]

"E",

All Oz 260's had one fusible link in the battery to alternator cable.

If it is the fusible link, thered be a problem in the insulation of the wiring somewhere and should be remedied before fitting a new fusible link.

What about the earth lead from the battery to the firewall ??

Does either of the battery terminals get hot ??

How old is the coil ?? could that be the problem ??

Rick.

[trykflyr]

It's been awhile since I've played with the 260, but I think there's 2 fusible links. If one's fried, there'd be no power to the fuse block. Has he checked for power at the fuse block to ground? From the post, it sounds like he has no power to the distribution system. The gages and the trouble lite work when hotwired to the battery.

Was the battery disco'd before he took out the dash? A straight short to ground may have roached the link....

[1 Bravo 6]

trykflyr's comment that 260's have two fusible links sent me searching through my Haynes manual.

It states in section 16, chapter 10 of the electrical system, on page 153 that;

"On later 240Z and all 260Z models, A fusible link is incorporated ............".

I even checked under the bonnet (hood) just to make sure. (Unless it's different in the USA).

Rick.

:devious::devious:

[wal280z]

I removed the dash to get it recovered, and when reinstalled, I now have no power.

For what it's worth - unless the 260's are vastly different (which, they could be, besides the whole EFI issues), the dash and gauges are for informational purposes. My '77 started just fine without the dash in. The electrical signal to start and run comes from the ignition switch, part of the body harness. Now, that withstanding, wire(s) may have become pinched/shorted/open circuited during the dash removal/installation process. It sure sounds like the main circuit is disconnected from the fusible link(s)/blown fuse/open circuit. Again, your wiring may be different. :stupid:

I have power at the starter, and I have a good ground through out the frame of the car. I have no power at anything else, not even the under-hood light.

Follow the yellow brick road... or generally, in this case, the white wire(s) with a red stripe. I assume you already have a diagram to chase down the wires, yes?

If not, I'm sure Atlanticz techtips has a diagram for you.

Good luck

Wayne