Help!!! Car starts, lights work, nothing else

[Roundy]

Please help, my son tore this 76 280z down for a school project. Am in the final stages of putting back together. Installing new radio, and tried checking the electrical. The car starts, the headlights work but not the dash lights, or tail lights, or the windshield wipers or blinkers or radio. Have replaced all the fuses and still no luck. I need a wiring harness diagram for dash if anyone can find one and any other advice I can get. Electrical stuff is definitely not my strong suit.

Getting rusty in Seattle,

Roundy:mad:

Edited March 29, 2009 by Roundy
no replies

[thrustnut]

I had a similar problem when I installed a GM 100 amp alternator in my 77 Z. I would recomend checking for power at the fuse box, you have two rows of fuses, see if all the systems not working are on the same bank. I found the fix for mine just down streem from the alternator. When i put in the higher amperage alt. it found the weakest link in the wiring (and beleve me there are a few) and overloaded the system. My engine would actually shut down when my electric fan turned on. Start with the fuse box and work your way out of the cab. If you need more help, let me know.

[70 Cam Guy]

Roasted wires are a possibility. I doubt they're shorted because you'd be popping fuses. If you just installed the stereo or did other wiring work, you might look to make sure you didn't leave any connectors loose or forget to secure grounds. That many systems dead but no blown fuses suggests to me a common ground somewhere is not secured. Are you seeing 12 volts at the fuse panel?

Possibly the main power wire to the fuse box is damaged? It's hard to say because your headlights work but I'm not sure where their power is coming from.

hope this helps

[ChrisZ]

I just had a similar issue, start by checking the wire plugs hidden by the stering columm cover, on my -73 there is a multiple pin plug for most of it but the head lights have it's own plug.

http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html go to reference and you will find a manual.

Chris