Need a miracle!

[Zed Head]

Nah.  Washington was a popular guy.  OR not MN.

[siteunseen]

50 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

Nah.  Washington was a popular guy.  OR not MN.

Yeah he made peanut butter, George Washington Carver.

[Taxelson]

Zed,

 

where red would that white wire be coming from?  Over by the shock tower?  I'm at work, so I'll look this evening.

thank you.

[Zed Head]

Follow the white wires from the fusible link sockets.  The thing with the white square plastic cap on it.  One of them should go to the starter lug.

http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/wiringdiagrams/75_280z_wiring.pdf

[Taxelson]

Yessssss!

i connected the white wire and I have lights and the starter turns over, Bonnie lives, BUT.......

the headlights are dim, and the starter only barely cranks over, even with a jump?

okay you wizards, where to next??

 

thank you, thank you all.

Troy

[sweatybetty]

bad ground, loose connection, or corrosion. these 3 things are the cause of 95% of electrical problems

[siteunseen]

Check the battery cables at the starter. Make sure the alternator belt is good and tight then put a volt meter on the battery while it's running, should read around 14 volts.

[siteunseen]

14 hours ago, Taxelson said:

the starter only barely cranks over, even with a jump

That could be the timing.  See where the rotor is pointing at TDC.

EDIT: I say this because I just rebuilt mine too and set the "static" timing by lining up the rotor to the line on the cap thats shows where the #1 post is under the cap then turn the distributor until the reluctor and stator tips line up.  It cranked up right off the bat.  Then after getting my other small stuff adjusted properly I set the timing with a light to 10 degrees before BTDC.  Now I've slowly worked my way up to 15 BTDC.  It seems to run best there.

[siteunseen]

14 hours ago, sweatybetty said:

bad ground, loose connection, or corrosion. these 3 things are the cause of 95% of electrical problems

Absolutely.  Here's something to read that's helpful, http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/electricalconnections/index.html

it shows where to clean,

[siteunseen]

One more question. You don't have the T shaped plug on back of the alternator, wonder why? Then how do know which wire goes to F & N?

Just curious,  no big mystery I don't think.  8^)

[Zed Head]

16 hours ago, Taxelson said:

the headlights are dim, and the starter only barely cranks over, even with a jump?

It's not good for an alternator to use your alternator to charge a dead battery.  You should charge the battery before trying to start the car.  One dead battery + one charged battery = one partially-charged battery.

[Taxelson]

Siteunseen, I somehow snipped it off when I pulled the engine, but I did get the wires in the correct place, I suppose I should order, or find a replacement, good point.

i did replace the battery, and it cranks over as it should.  Someone asked if I added any parts in the rebuild.  Yes, I upgraded the coil, tonight I'm going to make sure it is correctly installed, hoping to get Bonnie started!

 

thanks for all the guidance.

Troy