Really hard electrical problem

[Xenn]

Figured out the blower, the 6 pin power connection under the dash going to the switch is mostly shot, my blower originally didnt work because the previous owner plugged this connection in backwards, i destroyed it a little unplugging it since its only designed to go together one way, so one of the connections inside of it is loose, ill probably make or redo a connection to replace it soon.

 

Car still running strong after the ECU swap. 

[Xenn]

Well  it happened again, about 4 times on the way to work today, I finally noticed something new though, when it dies, the tach drops to 0 like i turned the car off even while im moving an in gear, any new ideas before i start ripping my ignition apart looking for loose or corroded wires?

[siteunseen]

The tach's signal is fed from the distributor.  @Zed Head is most likely right.

 

[Zed Head]

#1 - don't think in terms of "ripping".  

Check the main circuits in the EFI system.  The connections by the battery, both positive (fusible links) and negative sides.  Check the the fusible link connections under the two white covers also.  

Is it behaving the same way as ther last time it was dying or is it different now?  Before you said the tach needle was rising and falling and acting weird.  Now you say it drops like a rock.  Could be your new distributor.  Can't remember if you said it was new or used.

Considering all of the other odd electrical problems with the blower motor and alternator, it's hard to make a good guess.  If you notice any other details besides the engine dying and the tach dropping they would be clues.

[Zed Head]

He said that he swapped to a ZX distributor, back in #20.  Hard to tell what's happening.

[siteunseen]

2 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

#1 - don't think in terms of "ripping".  

Check the main circuits in the EFI system.  The connections by the battery, both positive (fusible links) and negative sides.  Check the the fusible link connections under the two white covers also.  

[Xenn]

Blower motor I solved, alternator has not been an issue.

I get the feeing that the turn signals and my car dieing could be related via the wiring in the steering column, it had no ignition switch when i bought it, and as of this last time at least, it acted like i simply turned the key offwhile driving, brake light came on and everything.

Previously the tach moving was when i had the car running on some level when it happened (barly chugging at about 400 rpm, tach following engine, died when i gave it gas) this time it just died flat, but the same turn it off and wait a minute and it will fire up and run fine.

Ive cleaned all thr electrical connections under the hood, did a dist swap with one i know works, have a new ignition coil, and replaced the fusable links with breakers, pics below.

[Zed Head]

39 minutes ago, Xenn said:

 this time it just died flat, but the same turn it off and wait a minute and it will fire up and run fine.

did a dist swap with one i know works,

The "wait a minute and it restarts" is typical of bad ignition module.  I notice that you didn't say "new" about the distributor.  If everything works correctly except that the engine won't restart right away, that's a sign of the module overheating.

[Mikes Z car]

2 hours ago, Xenn said:

I get the feeing that the turn signals and my car dieing could be related via the wiring in the steering column, it had no ignition switch when i bought it, and as of this last time at least, it acted like i simply turned the key offwhile driving, brake light came on and everything.

 

My admittedly limited experience with cars has told me that when one thing turns on (brake light here) at the exact same time something else turns off it is a bad ground.

[siteunseen]

It's a ZX e12-80 distributor?  I've read where people have sprayed the black "matchbook" ignition modules with $.99 compressed air for cleaning keyboards. When it won't start, spray it to cool it down and see if it cranks.  If so, replace.

[Xenn]

I actually have a spare ignition module, its a new distributor that I used on my last car, i got another ignition module for it hunting down a different problem in my last z, so i in actuality have 2 potentially good ones I can use.

 

I could see it overheating due to some lost/missed ground connection, i was melting my running light fuse (yes melting) due to resistance in the system, i wire brushed all the connections and where the bulbs themselves touch and the fusebox connections (which was the big one) and that problem went away, but i could eaisly see the same problem killing my module.

Can anyone think of any non-obvious grounding points for the ignition system? Ill probably go over all of them again just to try and make sure.

 

Also it happen again tonight, this time i could see it happen, and it came in 3 stages:

First there was a slight drop in power and a slight popping/misfire in the exhaust, then when on maybe 4 sec as i tried to figure out if it was an actual problem/should i try and pull off the road.

Second it went to the could barely run, giving gas tries to kill it mode, since im moving i can keep it from turning off completely since it wants to run,  but it has the effect when driving of feeling like going between engine breaking and gasing it back and fourth quickly, this goes on for maybe 2 seconds.

Last it dies, hitting the starter turns it over but does not start it, occasionally you can get it to start and it will run fine for maybe a second or two then die again, waiting some longer amount of time that is always different it will start and run fine.  

 

Ive never really noticed the first part before, it has done it before though and not died, ive also had it die for just a spit second while driving then come back. 

Edited December 3, 2016 by Xenn

[Xenn]

Swapped ignition relay, happened again.

Also the brake light comes on when i let up on the clutch, dropping the engine rpm to 0, not while still in gear, if that helps. I dont get a lot of time to experiment while im pulling off the road.