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Hello everyone I had a question about voltage. I am a newbie when it comes to wiring and electrical but I did my research and read the forums. I have a 1977 280z and it looks like someone’s been in there trying to figure out the issue. Missing bolts etc. anyways with my multimeter I tested the coil and the resistor and voltage. the voltage was off.. well there was none with the key on the on position, testing on the first terminal on the resistor. so this is what I checked, I went to the battery and checked the cables those are good, car turns over. I looked at the wiring diagram and found the black and white wire that leads to the ignition relay. That wire read at -12.45 volts. As if I I had my wires crossed on my volt meter. Then I searched and found the red and white wire that leads to the battery. And again same thing that wire read -12.45.. I went back to the battery terminals and tested there and that was +12.45. Sooo my question is why is it reading as negative in the wires? Is this normal? Andy ideas as to why the black and white wire that goes to the resistor is getting no power..

Hello Z Community, I am coming back in hopes to revive my Datsun once again. Before I jump back in I want to give a back story to this situation. Car has been sitting in garage for the past 9 months. I charged the battery in hopes to get it cranking and starting again. After some attempts of failure, I left the car in the ignition and turned to "on" (where you hear the buzzing). Fire ensued. The fusible link for the Alternator/Ignition Relay link caught fire. (diagram below) I replaced the fusible links and charged the battery. It can be seen below (black). (You can see some of the fire aftermath at the bottom of the fusible link. It is like a pimple) Car started to idle rough but then idled perfectly. However, it can not hold its charge. I would attempt to drive the car the next day, but it would struggle to crank. So i made sure I charged the battery again and drove the car around. Battery is new. From previous attempts(previous thread), we did test the alternator and did get a charge. I wanted to ask the community, what is withholding my car from holding its charge? I do want to mention, there is an aftermarket radio that was installed in the vehicle by the previous owner. A friend suggested that improper installation caused a short circuit and was the leading cause of the fire. I pulled the radio today and found copper(or some metal exposed). Would this have instigated any issues to what has happened to me? (pic Below)

Hello Classic enthusiasts. My 1977 datsun 280z car is almost up and running. The problem is a little hard to describe. I replaced the battery and the car ran fine. I notice the car started to lose cranking power after 8ish car start ups. Around this time, the car would struggle to crank. I charged the battery right up and the cranks beautifully. At first, I thought my alternator is not charging my battery (which seems to be the case). I went through the "Alternator not powering battery" thread and could not assess my situation. I did some testings on my car with a multimeter and found some questionable data. From the battery, Trial #1 12.6v - Engine Off 13.6v - Engine Idling 11.88v - Engine Idling w/ headlights on 11.90v - Engine Idling w/ headlights on and max fan 12.90v - Engine Idling w/ lights and fans turned off Trial #2 12.42v - Engine Off 13.34v - Engine Idling 12.06v - Engine Idling w/ headlights on 12.01v - Engine Idling w/ headlights on and max fan 13.36v - Engine Idling w/ lights and fans turned off It is weird how I got different voltage readings for when car is at idle and when car is under load.. I do have to bring up that about a year ago when I was working on my car, when I tried to start my car the fusible link caught fire. Weirdly enough, it was the alternator and Relay fusible link. I replaced the link and the car starts up fine but then the car battery would not be charged by the alternator. The 1977 came with a voltage regulator that is located below the fusible link box. Would there be any chance that when the fusible link caught fire, it shorted my voltage regulator? What could be the problem being that my car is not charging while under load? If I read through a series of forums correctly, I believe that the the voltage should be around 14V while idling or underload.

Hey everyone, I decided that popping the hood all the time to disconnect the battery was getting a bit old and I wanted to install a battery disconnect switch (one with the red removable key) and actually had one from a while ago. My question here is on how big the wire gauge needs to be (and still be safe), and how I should go about making or where I can but the wiring components necessary. I have a spot for it on the dash and thought I'd ask for some tips especially from the guys that have done this kind of thing before. Chris

A few nights ago I was driving my 1974 260Z home and my lights started to dim, windshield wipers started to slow, and my engine began to choke. At first I thought it was just my battery. So I had my battery jumped and it wouldn't hold a charge. I automatically assumed it was my alternator after checking all my fuses. I replaced the alternator and charged my battery. I was able to drive it for about 45mins. I went home, woke up the next morning, checked the belts and such, and drove it around the block to make sure all was going smoothly. It seemed okay. Once I turned the car off and went back to start it up again it wouldn't start. Any help or advice anyone has to offer would be greatly appreciated. If there is any information I left out please let me know! Thanks in advance! -Joseph