1974 260z current drain

[Dolfinz]

So is the consensus that my VR is bad or what?  Considering it doesn't click when plugged in I wouldn't think so.  Please advise next steps.

[Zed Head]

Maybe you and @madkaw could share brand information about the VR's.  Where did you buy them?  Maybe they're all from the same batch.

[walkjw]

Good idea asking for VR brand or source (touchy?).

I have the same drain pain 🙄 on my 1/73, clicks when VR connected.

Only oddity is I have found is battery voltage on the BK/WH wire @ VR whether key is on or off. I thought this was switched voltage?

Any thoughts/ideas are appreciated.

 

PS- nice job with the pics in this string, often not so clear. 

[SteveJ]

11 minutes ago, walkjw said:

Good idea asking for VR brand or source (touchy?).

I have the same drain pain 🙄 on my 1/73, clicks when VR connected.

Only oddity is I have found is battery voltage on the BK/WH wire @ VR whether key is on or off. I thought this was switched voltage?

Any thoughts/ideas are appreciated.

 

PS- nice job with the pics in this string, often not so clear. 

The black/white wire is supposed to be switched. Do you have voltage to ground at the black/white wire at the ballast resistor?

[Zed Head]

1 hour ago, walkjw said:

Good idea asking for VR brand or source (touchy?).

I have the same drain pain 🙄 on my 1/73, clicks when VR connected.

You're not really doing a seller a favor by letting them continue to sell bad product.  It just digs them a deeper reputational hole.  If they're bad the best thing you can do is to let them know.

Is it MSA?  Can't remember who the main contact is there anymore.  Maybe one of these guys.

@Joseph@TheZStore

@James@TheZStore

[walkjw]

Steve J - Thanks for the question, I'll check...I switched to Pertronix and believe it does but will verify it's switched.

Zed Head, I didn't buy a VR so I don't know who is selling. IMO it's touchy if it's a vendor who does a lot for the Z crew. Did the bad VR from a good vendor or bad/bad? Has anyone told them? With the price of parts we'd hope they will stand behind what they sell and maybe able to charge back to the manufacturer.  

 

[Zed Head]

54 minutes ago, walkjw said:

Zed Head, I didn't buy a VR so I don't know who is selling.

You jumped in to the middle of a thread with several comments about new VR's.  So, confusion. 

 

Edited December 8, 2022 by Zed Head

[walkjw]

 

Steve J - Checked voltage at ballast resistor, it is switched/key-on.

Went back to VR again and cleaned both in-line connectors, one had more corrosion. Reassembled and my bk/wh wire is now switched voltage. Didn't click when I reconnected the VR but haven't started and run it yet. Next planned step was to check contacts in ignition switch.

 

You jumped in to the middle of a thread with several comments about new VR's.  So, confusion. 

 

Zed, Sorry you're confused. I jumped in on a "current drain" question where you suspect the VR. I have same voltage drain when connecting VR and thought sharing another symptom would help us all with repair. Thanks for what you do on the forum, 17.2k is amazing.

I agree if they're selling bad Z parts let us know brand/source. 

[Zed Head]

On 12/4/2022 at 10:15 AM, Dolfinz said:

So is the consensus that my VR is bad or what?  Considering it doesn't click when plugged in I wouldn't think so.  Please advise next steps.

The odds seem good that your VR is bad, if it's from the same batch that madkaw and the guy he was talking to got theirs.  Hard to tell, so far it's just a bunch of people talking about parasitic draws and clicking or non-clicking VR's. 

In short though, if you don't have a parasitic draw with the VR unplugged but you do with it plugged in that seems like a good indicator of a bad VR.  There are only two paths from battery + to Earth. Edit - there is also the path through the alternator when the VR is plugged in.  Missed that when I posted.  Check with meter.

Poor quality VR's was one of the reasons that many people converted to internally regulated alternators.  You just couldn't find a good replacement external VR.  That was when the market introduced solid state VR's.  Looks like they're back to mechanical but they're still bad.

 

Edited December 11, 2022 by Zed Head

[Dolfinz]

Sorry for the delayed response, I was traveling for work.  So, it appears that you're saying the VR is bad, or at least suspect as the current draw is considerably higher 3-3.5A with it connected versus not connected .25-.5A.  I don't remember where I bought it and there's no info on it regarding manufacturer or part number.  Can anyone recommend a place I can buy a replacement that is reputable and should provide me with a known good VR?  I'd like to get beyond this issue and get the car running again.  Just to confirm, the feed to all other wiring and the fuse box is fed from the VR correct?

[SteveJ]

Given the purpose of the VR, if there is a current draw when it is plugged in that is absent with it unplugged, yes, it's bad.

I have a 74 VR that I bought from Black Dragon many years ago that I never used. You can have it for $30 shipped. No warranty. I opened it up only to see if it's similar to the VR you have.

I can't confirm what you're asking because I don't know what you mean by "the feed to all other wiring and the fuse box" Feeding what to what? What other wiring?

[Zed Head]

On 12/8/2022 at 10:57 AM, Zed Head said:

There are only two paths from battery + to Earth.

I retract this statement.  I didn't really look at the diagram I posted.  If the alternator A circuit is shorted through the alternator stator coil then you'll have a draw also.  It would short when the VR was plugged in.  You could easily check it with a meter.  I think it might actually be a test procedure in the FSM.  Heading there now...