Hey just finished doing a major overhaul on my back carb, with how many times the damned thing tried to kill my car I feel like it was more of an exorcism. Got in back on, car runs great let it warm and take it for a spin around the block, out of no where it starts running like crap, then dies, ten will not start back up cause the battery is dead, jump it with my daily same thing happens again before I can get it home, finally just push it, charge up battery all the way, starts right up, runs awesome, get the voltage meter hooked right at start up reading 11.97 couple minutes later, 11.84, rev it up a few times, 11.77 watching it as I rev it, It falls to 11.64 car misses then dies, batery won't start car. So I am pretty sure my alternator or voltage regulator is shot. I'm thinking of rather then spend 40 bucks(I didn't shop around much) on a new voltage regulator, maybe spend 45 and buy a new 280ZX alternator. After searching I found plenty of info on wiring the plug for the 240, and the 280, but I have a 260. I would buy the fancy little plug from motorsports but its for a 240, I couldn't find one on there site for later cars. Does anyone know how to wire it up for a 260, also is the 720 truck alternator a direct bolt in aside from wiring the reg plug? There is an early 80's nissan truck in a local yard. Any help would be great.

It should be mentioned that a PO had hacked wiring in places, including the wires running from the plug to the volt reg, wires black,white/blue, and white/black are cut off and simply gone. Also if someone could clue me in on regapping a volt reg.

If you choose to put in an internally regulated alternator, you will need to purchase an oil pressure switch to control power to your electric fuel pump. In the 260Z, the power for one of the fuel pump relays comes from between the alternator and the voltage regulator. You would have to re-wire that to prevent your fuel pump relay from being energized all of the time.

I'm pretty sure my pump has been wired to run all the time anyway, it turns on the acessory position. It's not even kinda the stock unit. If it is running all the time does it really matter? If so how do I wire in this oil pressure switch. I found a write up on hybrid z, but the site is down for the moment.

If I do it exactly as this guyy dies in this thread here

Picked up an early 260Z - S30 Series - 240z, 260z, 280z - HybridZ

Will it work fine but my fuel pump won't turn off? I think this safety feature has already been eliminated anyways so if its only for safety reasons I honestly don't care. He doesn't appear to anything about the fuel pump issue in that thread.

get the voltage meter hooked right at start up reading 11.97 couple minutes later, 11.84, rev it up a few times, 11.77 watching it as I rev it, It falls to 11.64 car misses then dies, batery won't start car. So I am pretty sure my alternator or voltage regulator is shot

I don't think that these are signs that your alternator or VR is shot. Seems more like you mis-placed a wire when you put things back together. Do some of the testing described in the Electrical chapter. You might be on a wild goose chase.

On the MSA plug, I think that it might work for an early 260. You didn't say what you have. Compare your wiring to a 240 and see.

I've never actually taken any of this system apart and it was working when we first got it running but I think I actually know when whatever blew, blew. The night I installed the gas tank, I was trying to get it running but it was running like crap I replaced the back spark plugs as they had been fouled by the crap in the carb, and it started running better but then I was trying to see if it would finally move under its own power, but not realizing how much of a difference that had made took off in reverse and killed the motor trying to get it stopped, when I tried to start it again the battery was dead and ever since I've had trouble with the charging system, at first I thought it was a dwell but seeing as the battery slowly dies while running I'm suspecting alternator/VR. The car is an ealry 260 but has a plug just like this car's here

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/102534-picked-up-an-early-260z/#entry987620

I went to to nico club and downloaded the electrical chapter but it comes up all blurry and impossible to read.

Edited December 3, 201311 yr by 2sixTZombii

So this is a project, that had not run for a while. Lots of unknowns then. Many of the auto parts stores can test alternators, batteries and VR's, all on the same machine. Even the external VR's. Worth a shot. Best to know what's wrong before you do a conversion, otherwise you can do excellent, careful, conversion work and end up with the same problem when it's done.

reading 11.64 at the w/r wire on the back post of the alternator, on my way to advance to have it tested.

WHITE/BLUE soldered to BLACK/WHITE White/black soldered to black/white on the VR, the ground on the back of the alt is gone and destroyed long ago, I mace an independent ground and it fixed nothing. might still be the issue but before I dig any deeper Im gonna go have them tested.

thinking of doing a similar swop with my early 260z, although I may go for the 280ZXT Alternator as I think MSA has it for only ~ $20 more than the 280ZX item(has more idle current). My motivation is the improved performance of the internal VC. I have an MDS6AL ignition & I don't believe the exteranl VC plays that well with it. I have both the stock electrical pump & a standard mech item. With the earlier round top Carb's I'm assuming there is now no need for the electrical pump so should be able to remove it & avoid the wiring issues other folk have mentioned.

Actually, the solid state VR's tend to have more problems with stray voltage spikes from things like ignition systems, or too much current flow from things like charging dead batteries. The old mechanical systems should be fairly robust.

You should call MSA on that alternator and see if you're paying the extra $20 for real higher output or just the turbo name. Ask if they have output specs. for each unit.