Can anyone post a picture of what their stock wiring looks like near the battery, My PO went Frankenstein under there and i am having electrical issues.

I replaced the alternator a few months back because the car wouldn't start. The volt meter in car rode right above 12 while driving, after replacing the alternator it was way past the 16. about 2 months ago the car started getting harder to start and the volt meter riding back down near the 12 then it died on me. I replaced the battery and then back past 16. Now same symptoms again, Very dim headlights while driving, gauges are very dim as well, meter is nearing the 12, and it turns over for a while before starting.

Is this for a '77 280Z as noted in your profile? Different years will be quite different in this area.

I suggest that whether or not you're able to get pictures, you should download a copy of the FSM for your car. That way you can at least duplicate the functionality of the wires. Granted you should probably see out information on stock gauges for wires.

The most important thing is to ensure the IPO didn't bypass the fusible links.

Is this for a '77 280Z as noted in your profile? Different years will be quite different in this area.

Yeah sorry, it's a 77' 280

Will get some pictures up today since i won't be doing much today as the car will not start. Last night the car died when i turned the headlights on, but ran without them. After looking through my haynes manual, and digging around in the forums there is a device that i can't seem to find on my car, the "voltage regulator" will a z run without one? I seem to just have a ball of wires. Like i said, i'll get some pics up.

A 77 should still have an external voltage regulator unless someone has converted it to an internal regulator. Shouldn't run without one without some 'creative' wiring. The voltage regulator should be located on the passenger side fenderwell.

Ok so it DOES have a voltage regulator, just not in the place my manual said it was. Was under this giant bracket. The battery with the car off and the regulator disconnected is 10.20 when i plug in the regulator it starts ticking down as i watch the meter, from 10.20 down to 10.10 and lower i just didn't feel the need to watch it any longer. Does that mean that the regulator is bad, just grounding out my battery's charge? If it is bad should i buy another one or upgrade the alternator to the 80s ZX model with the internal regulator? From the closest auto parts store to my house a new regulator is like 51 dollars.

Seeing a quick drop like that is a very good indicator that your voltage regulator is bad. How old is your alternator? It might be about time to replace both.

Alternator and battery are both less then a year old, Been fighting Electrical gremlins for a while, first thinking alternator, then battery. But neither fixed the problem for more then a couple of months.

So, replaced the voltage regulator. Still the same problem. Using a multimeter on the battery running with the radio and lights off is 13.20 V when i turn the lights on it just starts dropping. I watched it go down to the 11s before we shut them off. Let the battery charge back up to 13.20 and shut the car off. Tried to restart car a few minutes later and it will not start. Multimeter says there is still a drain on the battery when the car is off. But i didn't watch it long enough to see how far it would drop.

Add on accessories in the car are power locks installed by PO and a Cd player installed by PO. Speakers behind the seats and speakers in the doors installed by PO. The driver side speaker was removed and i replaced the door panel. The wires that were connecting the speaker are in the door. (Could this be discharging battery?)

My fusible links do not look like they look in my manual. They look like they have been crimped together with one of those Plastic covered copper sleeves. Also electrical tape on the wires. If these even are the fusible links. But i didn't find anything else in that area that could be what i saw in my hanes. I'll post a picture of them.

I am really missing my daily driver as now i can't get to work without a ride >:I so any help would be much appreciated.

It looks like someone removed your fusible links and mounting fixture entirely. Here are a picture of fusible links from a 76 and 78. The 76 is the full engine shot. The 78 is the closeup from the top. Your 77 should look very similar. The red/white wires in your picture probably used to run up to the bottom of the fusible link fixture. The links are under the two white plastic covers in the full engine bay shot.

You should probably re-protect those wires while you're finding and fixing your short.

Edited October 13, 201014 yr by Zed Head

Before i shell out any more money, Could a bad starter be the cause of all these problems, a local shop called to tell me i had a bad starter. The battery draining over night i can see, but the car losing power when i turn on the headlights?

How much should this cost also? Would rather just do it myself then pay 300 dollars plus for them to bolt on a starter.