WoodyReck

Yes, it was in the battery connections. I had to take a break from the car, I had a lot else going on. I had ordered a new set of quality wires, and bought a new battery, just didn't have time to install. When I went to remove the old battery, there was actually a very small contact surface area on the terminal, and is was snug, but moved about 15 degrees. Would have been a cheap fix, as you said, but I wanted to do these things anyways. I did buy a Chilton's online, only ten bucks, and have found several sources for full service manuals. Thanks for all the help!!!! Brian

I have checked several different forums, just absorbing info, and found that eBay will get me one for about 20% less than a Nissan dealer.

Now I feel like I am in a CarX commercial. Yes it does, let's start with after the normal 'dings' that it makes as the key is first put in the ACC and ON positions. Just after ON there is a 'hum' similar to the sound of the fuel pump on my other car, and it comes from the passenger side rear wheel well area. Just before all the lights go black, and I mean EVERYTHING electric, those wonderful 'dings' too, there is a short clicking from around the glovebox. There is one thing there that many of you may not have, an alarm. Where I live that is the last and most unnecessary accessory. It appears it only acts a noise maker, and does not have the capability to disable anything, like the starter for instance. The lower dash is completely torn apart for several other reasons too. The aftermarket stereo was very poorly installed (not planning on going back to the OEM on that one though) and there was poor heat/air flow, from a wonderful mouse nest in the duct work. What is the best manual for me to get? You mention Chilton's and I knew that as a default answer, but wanted to know if there were any other books that other Z owner found to be more useful or better done.

This is my first question as I learn about this new toy of mine. '81 280ZX 2+2. After buying it, driving it home, and around for three weeks, suddenly she went all black when turning the key from ON to START. Everything electrical goes dead. Several friends said look at the starter. Pulling it is no big deal, and I found out it wasn't coming all the way out, and was grinding the teeth on the starter pretty bad, so I bought a completely new one, solenoid included. But, the problem still is the same. Let's see what ideas are out there. Even though I have worked on million dollar high speed machinery, older car restoration and repair is very new to me. I will probably look at this post a year or two from now and laugh at how stupid I was back then, but I gotta start somewhere! Woody

I checked my owner's manual, and didn't find any diagrams with relays. The cover does not say what they are for either. I only have five, and the one furthest front, passenger side is empty. My car DID run, until I ran into my own electrical problems...but that is why I am here. My Z is new to me, so is fixing up and maintaining an older car. So far it is a labor of love, and new adventures. Woody '81 280ZX 2+2