Zed Head

I haven't experienced it, only read about it. Most people see it with a timing light. The mark is erratic. You could switch them and see what happens. The voltage and current is the same.

Are you sure that you need that for your vehicle? I only had to do the idle test. I lived in unincorporated Washington County though. plus, they will test your car for free, multiple times, as long as you're making progress on meeting the standard.

Actually, I might have my ammeter signs backward. Could be S is going open, as SteveJ suggested. Anyway, my point was about the possibility of funky wiring.

Rolling back to the original alternator wiring thread - seems like the L wire going open circuit might cause the ammeter issue. Might be two separate issues here, a dying starter and problematic wiring. How about some current pictures of the alternator and its wiring today? Especially the L circuit wire. Might be illuminating.

If I understood your first alternator wiring thread you have swapped in an internally regulated alternator. Linked below. But, there's no guarantee that it has not failed. Might be worthwhile to take it in to a parts store and have it tested. https://zcardepot.com/collections/charging-starting/products/alternator-high-amp-80-240z-260z-280z?variant=19280584015985 This alternator is rated at 70 amps and bolts up in the same location as the original. Internally regulated.

I saw that too. I wondered if the starter motor was getting stuck on.

There was a whole long thread a couple of years ago about this car. A swap to an internally regulated alternator, with a jumpered plug. I got confused just re-reading my own comments in the thread. Not sure I was helping. It ended with "new battery". Not so sure now...

How about this? Should be in your memory. The other wires look normal.

How about a failing voltage regulator? Why did you install the new parts last fall?

Looks like Herko uses different part numbers than Standard. The 4052 is the same as the PR 1 3 4. No offense intended to anyone but people seem to be responding without actually opening the first Rockauto link. It's making the conversation a bit confusing. The part numbers are there for both Beck Arnley and Standard. And the original question was about 78-83 FPR's, even though tool_man has a 77. I assume that he swapped rails for a later model. It's an interesting topic but we seem to be repeating ourselves. No offense!!!! https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/volkswagen,1978,super+beetle,1.6l+h4,1423178,fuel+&+air,fuel+injection+pressure+regulator,6124 https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=482565&cc=1423178&pt=6124 https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=46974&cc=1423178&pt=6124&jsn=11

These reviewers on Amazon use the Standard PR134 on BMW motorcycles. Up to 1990. Who knew. https://www.amazon.com/Standard-Motor-Products-PR134-Regulator/dp/B000C7YAJ8#customerReviews

The VW part has two flared nipples, for rubber hose and clamps. The male threads are for fastening to a mounting bracket. The adjustable Bosch FPR that I had used the same design. I think that I modified an old broken Nissan FPR and used its bracket to mount the Bosch. The 37 psi shown as the spec. is almost certainly a typo. The Beck Arnley piece is in the same list of VW FPR's. Circling back... https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/volkswagen,1978,super+beetle,1.6l+h4,1423178,fuel+&+air,fuel+injection+pressure+regulator,6124

Here's a 76, for the three piece rail, just to round things out. A person could insert a T fitting and hang the FPR off of it in a pinch.

Here's 78. The barbs are different but the orientation is about right. The ZX looks about the same I think the mounting bracket might be slightly different. I found an eBay FPR that is slightly different. Says it's for the ZX's. https://www.ebay.com/itm/304857213677?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=-EOJC1W2RHK&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=bBzFtXzvTQO&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY 1980

Their shopping site doesn't show it. Seems likely the main site is out of date. If you blend 10W-30 with 20W-50 do you get 15W-40? Hmmm.... https://shop.valvolineglobal.com/collections/vr1-racing-motor-oil

@HusseinHolland had some posts about the same problem. In the past I had modified an adjustable regulator to be vacuum modulated. Made me get on to Rockauto and look around. VW's Super Beetles had 2.5 bar EFI in the seventies. The FPR's are cheaper than the Nissan versions. Should be able to make it work. https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/volkswagen,1978,super+beetle,1.6l+h4,1423178,fuel+&+air,fuel+injection+pressure+regulator,6124

The dimmer should also cause a change if it's an instrument light.

What's happen when you pull the parking brake lever with the key on? If a socket is swapped an instrument bulb should light up instead, and the warning light should stay off. Might need to try it in the dark.

The same assembly method was used on the ignition switch. I had one that was so loose it would lose contact completely. I restaked it with a punch and it came back to life. For that amount of heat, to melt the plastic, I'd bet that it's so loose that you can see it move. Some silver conductive paste would probably help. But if they can be removed and soldered that would probably be the best you could get.

I just linked this in the Smoke thread. I haven't looked at it so don't know if it drops amperage through the fuse. It might. https://www.thezstore.com/product/5031/parking-light-upgrade-harness-70-73-240z Beside that, have you looked at the back of the panel? Behind that fuse? Poor contact there could cause heat. Looks like only one side is getting hot.

There's a "Related Item". https://www.thezstore.com/product/5031/parking-light-upgrade-harness-70-73-240z

Wouldn't be a surprise if an aftermarket part was made incorrectly. Get an OReilly part and see if it's better. Take the Duralast part back if Oreilly works. Beck Arnley is almost certain to fit correctly. But, wow, prices have gone up. https://www.oreillyauto.com/shop/b/lighting---electrical/sensors/engine---drivetrain-sensors/oil-pressure-sensor-switch/9a4df8f34742/v/a/6637/automotive-car-1978-nissan-280z?q=oil+pressure+sensor%2Fswitch

He had a thread about the car. He did the math on selling it for parts and chose a price for the whole car. I think that eBay is the wrong place for the car though. That's a local market car and Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace are better for local markets I think.

The W on the module is from GM's labeling. Might be that GM used a white wire. In your writing above I thought that you were referring to the GM HEI module not the Nissan module. Didn't realize you were deep in to the circuit board of the Nissan module, looking at those wires. Most people just use the diagram or the labels on the wire clamp. Don't know anything about the other person, but the basic test to see if the wires are connected correctly is to watch your timing light mark afterward. If it jumps around it's probably backward. If they're backward it won't hurt anything you just swap them. There's an accurate edge of the variable reluctor signal and a fuzzy edge. @Captain Obvious has some old comments about that.

Everything is discussed in that first link I posted in #3. The turn signal contacts get gummed up too. Pictures of the switch internals would be much much better than dirty q-tips. What's up with that? I sure hope I don't start getting those e *a^ %r$ w#a&x ads again.