IDigMy280

Well, after testing every damn thing in the FSM, I finally had to just start tracing wires. I found that where the fusible link wires all go together into one in that mass of wiring on the passenger side of the car, there were some badly corroded wires and when I hit the lights, it was just too much for them and they broke apart. Hooked 'em all back together, cleaned it real good, re-wrapped all the wires and viola...Fired right up! Thanks for all of your help...Amazing how corroded those wires can get even inside of their insulation...

Thanks for the offer Dave. That's really cool. Unfortunately I now live in Moses Lake and moved here from Mukilteo..We were practically neighbors. I will do everything you have suggested here and a day away from it will help me clear my head. I'm usually pretty good with cars and electrical stuff but this one really has me stumped...I will keep testing. The only good thing I see coming from this is how well I will know this car a year from now...

I appreciate your response but let's look back on my previous posts in this thread. The battery connections are great, clean and new. The lead is so shiny I can damn near see my reflection in them. My ignition is dead, as in I am not getting any spark to start the engine. What leads me to believe there is something amiss, is the fact that when the ignition switch (Which was tested word for word straight from the FSM) is turned to the "on" position, my fuel guage does not work, it does not beep at me like it did the day before yesterday and there is no power to any of my glass fuses. So I am not saying the switch is bad, I'm saying that the ignition is not getting energized properly. The headlights still do not work either. The running lights work fine with the exception of the front side marker lamps, they are out too. Let's look back at what caused this...Last night I was letting her warm up and when I flipped on the headlights, it died. Didn't stumble and stall, ity died like someone turned the key off. What are the odds of having a headlight AND this ignition problem occur at teh same time? I haven't replaced anything yet as I'm not crazy about throwing money at things blindly to try and fix it. I spent almost 6 hours today with my volt meter TESTING things, not replacing them. I took apart the ignition relay to make sure it funtioning properly and tested it for continuity after actuation...Everyhting I disconnected for testing purposes was put back together BEFORE I started another test. So why do you think the fuel guage is not working when the ignition switch is set to the "on" position?

I was told that when the ignition switch is turned to the on position I should get power to my fuse block at all terminals except the headlights. That is not happening. The ignition relay seems to be operating properly. I took it apart and check continuity when the contacts close and it's good. At the end of my rope on what to check next???? Open to any ideas at this point...

Battery and cables are new and clean. I tested my multi swith and ignition switch for continuity. Both OK. Checking out the ignition relay I find that it is getting 12 volts but it's negative polarity...Is that right? Also, I check the fusible link and have continuity, I take it off and check the two posts that it was connected to and I have 12 volts. I put the link back on and check it and have no volts at all? Even when I check it at the male side and not on the link connectors? This is bizarre. I don't know what else to check..???

OK, I checked all the fusible links for continuity and they are OK. All fuses in the fuse block are OK as well. Now when I turn the key to ignition, I get nothing, not even the volt meter which worked last night. The radio and Acc. position is dead too but the damn engine will still turn over? I'm usually pretty good with this stuff but I'm stumped..? Ignition switch possibly? The FSM has testing procedures for the switch, should I try that???

77 280Z While letting her warm up tonight, I turned on the headlights and it died. It didn't stumble then die, it died as though I had turned off the switch. Now the headlights will not come on and the ignition is dead. when I turn the key to "on" no beep, no fuel guage, no ignition? Engine turns over fine. I checked the fuses in the fuse box on the passenger side of the car. the fusible links look good too, unless you can't visably see the problem with them. (Not even sure what they control yet. Only had this car two weeks) Is there another fuse block somewhere on this car? It has to be a fuse that controls the ignition and headlights? the parking lights still work fine but the headlights are out??? What the hell? Had a nice ride home in a tow truck though..:mad: Thanks!

I replaced all of the injector seals and thouroghly cleaned the nasty electrical connections. Fired her up yesterday and I instantly heard the difference. Ran much smoother than before and the idle, after warm up dropped right down to about 900 RPM. (Never idled lower than about 1300 before) So as I was patting my self on the back for a job well done and listening to her purr like a kitten, it stumbled a little and the idle fell to about 500 for a couple of seconds, then died? It did it again a few times this morning once it warmed up. Both times once it had reached operating temp. Any idea what could cause this? Or what I should check? The air regulator is new and I checked it last week. The PO installed a Weber TB on it so there is no BCDD anymore... Thoughts? Thanks!

Thanks Darrel....I will just leave it be...

OK, what the hell is a resonator? Never heard of it? Can they go bad? Any benefit to removing it? Being from California originally, I just assumed it was a Cat converter... Thanks!

I don't believe my car is a Califonia car. No floor temp light and no "C" or whatyever it is in the VIN that indicates a CA. car... So what is that thing that looks a lot like a Cat converter midway back in my exhaust? It has some raided letters stamped in the metal from the inside and sounds pretty solid when I knock on it. If it is a Cat Converter, what will it do to the performace, good or bad, if I remove it? We don't even need emission tests here.. Thanks!

So my best bet is to just take in to a shop that handles R12 or it's equivilent and not tinker with it? Let them do the diagnostics on it? Thanks Stephen!

Based on your pics, it's definitely factory air. So, it could be as simple as too little or no pressure? can a shop still recharge these with R12 or do I have to swith some parts out? thanks

OK, now that I have tackled the vacuum leaks and gotten the heater and various air vents working, when I put the selector to A/C the compressor does not turn on. I have the FSM and there are a lot of tests that can be run. I was wondering if any A/C guru's out there might have a logical series of most likely things to check. I have not owned the car for even two weeks yet but my assumption is that it's a stock A/C system in my 77 280z. If all of the R12 has leaked out, do the compressors have a built in safety to keep them from running dry? It's gonna get hot here soon, so I need to jump on this one.. Thanks!

Good advice...I will be purchasing 12 of those tomorrow...