Accessories section of the fuse block not getting power.

[SeanT]

Hello, I have a 1976 280z and the radio, A.C., and wipers are not getting power at the fuse. Every thing else gets 12 volts going through but 0 volts at those 3. The wipers, blower fan, vacuum electro magnet for the A.C. (no vacuum getting past), and radio (has an after market radio do not know if it needs its own power cord.) all do not work, also the fuel warning light, glove box light, dome light, volt discharge light, right turn signal dash light, hi beam dash light, and speedo dash light do not work but I am not sure if all of the light bulbs are good. Dose the car have an accessories relay that i can hit with a hammer or replace?

Any help will be appreciated, Thank you. 

[Zed Head]

Those all start at one spot but a tap with a hammer might not be enough...

[SteveJ]

The accessory relay is NLA. I have constructed replacements using standard automotive relays. They are plug & play.

[SeanT]

Alright, where is it located.

[Zed Head]

Actually, those three get power from the ignition relay.  My car had a mysterious blue wire to the ignition switch in addition to that box of rust.

The relay is over by the fuse box.  There's a diagram in the FSM, BE chapter.  The 280ZX igntion relays will work, they have the same pins, but have an extra dedicated ground pin also, so they get a different part number even though the'll plug right in.  Nissan moved the relay to a dry spot behind the glove box in the ZX's, I got a spare from a wrecking yard.  I replaced my 76 with a 78 though, that I had from  a parts car.  Somehow it survived.

 

[SeanT]

Alright, thank you. I will poke around under there clean up some contacts and tap it a couple of times.

[Zed Head]

Are you on a phone, where you can't see the pictures or download the FSM?  It's all there...  Tapping is unlikely to help.  But good luck anyway, you never know.

[SeanT]

No, i saw the picture i want to try to see if i can get it to work before taking it out. Thank you.

[SeanT]

I took it out banged it and cleaned the terminals the blower motor and wiper started working but my dash and flashers stoped working as well as the car not starting. so i took it back out and shook it and hear little bit moving around in side (rust). so I am going to try to take it apart ad see if i can clean it up and get every thing working. I will also try to go to the junk yard see if i can get one out of a zx, or just make my own.    

[Zed Head]

Just bend the four little crimps back, a pair of pliers works well, and pry the top off of the plastic base.  Work over old newspaper or similar so the rust doesn't get your work bench dirty.

Edit - there might be a ground wire connected to the metal cover on one side.  I think that's why my picture has the cover just tilted open instead of removed.

Post a picture...

Edited July 3, 2017 by Zed Head

[SeanT]

The screws are rusted so i will have to drill them out, is that safe? I will try to post a picture but my phone wont transfer to my computer of some reason, but i will try once it get it open.

Thank you for helping me out.

[Zed Head]

Shouldn't be a problem.  Can you get some vise-grips on the heads instead?  Might be able to break them loose that way.  Once they break loose a screwdriver might work.