Ignition circuit wires all smoking

[Seans260z]

My 1974 260z haa uad some difficulty starting. I read up and found the engine has a reset button so I tried this and it would finally turn over, after i had replaced starter and ignition switch, but every wire in the ignition system got so hot they started to smoke... I'm not going to pretend es and I have any idea what's happening. The car has an electrical points upgrade, and an ignition coil from a 240. Currently not messing with it for fear of burning all my wires completely. Please help! 

 

[Zed Head]

When did they get hot?  With the key Off, On, or at Start?  Any chance you installed the battery cables backward?

You need to give more detail than "difficulty starting" and "replaced some parts".  Why did you replace the parts if you thought it was the reset button?

[Seans260z]

They got hot when the car started to turn over. I checked the wiring diagrams and all have said the negative battery goes to a ground on the starter and firewall, and the positive goes to the starter. I replaced the starter because it was spinning but not engaging, the ignition switch had not been delivering power to the starter before being replaced. My dad was the prior owner and he said something about someone needing to reverse polarity on the coil be abuse they switched to a 240...? I'm not sure what he meant by that or why that would be neccessary but all I believe I have done since having it run was replace the su carbs with weber 32/36. I may have switched wires if they were purposefully reversed, but I have been following my manuals step by step. Hope this is better information and thanks for the help!

[Zed Head]

Wires getting hot when the starter is engaged could be a poor connection of the battery positive cable to the starter itself.  The starter pulls a lot of current.  Did you replace the starter with a new one or just another old unknown unit?

You have a lot going on to try to figure it out without more details of what wires are connected to what.  And your descriptions aren't making complete sense.  You said the starter was spinning, but then said the switch had not been delivering power.  How can the starter spin if it's not getting power?  The switch only passes power to the starter solenoid anyway.  The battery positive cable drives the starter motor.

Check out the wiring diagrams and take some pictures of your starter connections and post them.  Something might be obvious from a picture.

[Seans260z]

It is a remanufactured starter but I had it tested when I bought it. I have wire brushed all of the connections on the starter and battery, could be time for new battery cables so thankyou for that suggestion. I apologize as I wrote that out of order.  

[Zed Head]

On 7/8/2018 at 5:49 PM, Seans260z said:

every wire in the ignition system got so hot they started to smoke... 

Some of these wires get hot and smoke?  You have a lot going on there.  The Start ignition system is different from the On ignition system, at the ballast resistor.  I would check those wires closely.

[w3wilkes]

Not sure that this will work on Datsun wiring since this was developed for Lucas electrics... Sorry, couldn't help myself.

http://www3.telus.net/bc_triumph_registry/smoke.htm

[Seans260z]

W3wilkes bahahaha I've got plenty to go around at this rate

[grannyknot]

5 hours ago, w3wilkes said:

Not sure that this will work on Datsun wiring since this was developed for Lucas electrics... Sorry, couldn't help myself.

http://www3.telus.net/bc_triumph_registry/smoke.htm

HAHA, I had forgotten all about Lucas magic smoke, years ago I owned a TR6.

[w3wilkes]

I had lost the part that prompted the smoke replacement kit was the initial "Treatise on the Importance of Smoke by Joseph Lucas"

Positive ground depends on proper circuit functioning, which is the transmission of negative ions by retention of the visible spectral manifestation known as "smoke". Smoke is the thing that makes electrical circuits work. We know this to be true because every time one lets the smoke out of an electrical circuit, it stops working. This can be verified repeatedly through empirical testing. For example, if one places a copper bar across the terminals of a battery, prodigious quantities of smoke are liberated and the battery shortly ceases to function. In addition, if one observes smoke escaping from an electrical component such as a Lucas voltage regulator, it will also be observed that the component no longer functions. The logic is elementary and inescapable!

The function of the wiring harness is to conduct the smoke from one device to another. When the wiring springs a leak and lets all the smoke out of the system, nothing works afterward.

Starter motors were considered unsuitable for British motorcycles for some time largely because they consumed large quantities of smoke, requiring very unsightly wires.

It has been reported that Lucas electrical components are possibly more prone to electrical leakage than their Bosch, Japanese or American counterparts. Experts point out that this is because Lucas is British, and all things British leak. British engines leak oil, British shock absorbers, hydraulic forks and disk brake systems leak fluid, British tires leak air and British Intelligence leaks national defense secrets. Therefore, it follows that British electrical systems must leak smoke. Once again, the logic is clear and inescapable.

In conclusion, the basic concept of transmission of electrical energy in the form of smoke provides a logical explanation of the mysteries of electrical components - especially British units manufactured by Joseph Lucas, Ltd.

"A gentleman does not motor about after dark."

Joseph Lucas (1842 - 1903)

Okay, sorry again, just couldn't help myself!

 

[heyitsrama]

Okay you see all those terminal ends that are connecting with spade connectors. You should replace all the exposed ones with shielded ones. When these connectors have oxidization on them they are gonna have increased resistance and increased heat through the wire. You’re goal on anything electrical you touch is to clean it, and prevent it from getting oxidized.

There is a common modification that people do to ensure that the starter is getting enough power to the stator which is to wire a relay into the system, so that there is direct power present.

I’ve used ZX coils on old mini coopers for testing purposes, it was running fine, I believe Lucas coils are designed to run with no ballast resistor, it might say on the coil itself. There is no need for reverse polarity on the coil, typically for British reverse polarity cars they can be changed to standard ground on chassis.

There’s a 9pin connection mod that you can do that would help reduce the load to the combo switch, I would need to find more information about this. If you need protected space connectors / round connectors, vintageconnections.com has some high quality stuff.
That and super 33 tape + heat shrink should be helpful too. :)

I think you might want to try that relay mod, research a bit, http://www.biopatent.com/solenoid.html

If you do the relay mod, try to secure it somewhere. Chances are if your ignition system is changed to a points style, there’s a transistorized ignition board inside the passenger kick spaces which has been bypassed, I used this space for relays in my 260z, I made a bracket to add more relays, ended up with headlights, fuel pump, eletrical fans, all having relays down there.

260z are interesting cars, unfortunately they were also guinea pigs.


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[dutchzcarguy]

On ‎7‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 9:46 PM, Zed Head said:

Some of these wires get hot and smoke?

Could it be because you have isolated the coil from ground with that paper/cardboard in between the coil and it's holder? if the black wire is a bad ground....

And.. What brand do those wires smoke? ... sorry i could also not help myself....  ?