fuse guide?

[atomreflex]

If anyone can help, it would be much appreciated! I'm sorry if I sound unfamiliar with stuff, but I'm a girl who hasn't had mechanic classes, but want to try to fix the basic stuff myself.

The main situation is that my tail lights & dash console lights are out. for the tail lights- i checked the bulbs, so i'm hoping it's a fuse problem.

none of my manuals show a specific fuse list/guide for a datsun 240z.

i need to replace the back tail lights, the dash console light (speedometer, oil meter, etc), the clock, and the cigarette lighter.

i went into kragen auto parts and they said they needed to know *what color of fuse and type (male/female)* to order for me. i'm hoping to have a guide to work from so i know what fuses to replace, and hopeful can order them from kragen or another store online.

does anyone know where to buy 240z fuses online?

If you know the answers to any of these questions, please please help!

[MikeW]

i went into kragen auto parts and they said they needed to know *what color of fuse and type (male/female)* to order for me. i'm hoping to have a guide to work from so i know what fuses to replace, and hopeful can order them from kragen or another store online.

The color and type thing only applies to modern spade fuses like these:

Unless you've upgraded the fuse box a 240Z uses the old-style glass fuses:

You can easily buy an assortment of these for a few dollars at the parts store. It's a shame that they didn't have a clue when you went there. As I recall the 240Z uses mainly 10A and 20A fuses (10 amp and 20 amp).

[SteveJ]

1. Unless someone has replaced your fusebox, the Kragen people were talking about the wrong type of fuses. Fuses don't have to be ordered. They should be stocked on the shelves. The fuses you need are glass tubes. The rating is etched on the metal ends of the tube.

2. More importantly, you are suffering from a common malady in the first generation electrical system. There is enough corrosion in the circuit that you are blowing fuses. My 73 had that problem. It was bad enough that it melted the fusebox. Here is a thread that talks about the same problem: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19118&highlight=fuse+melt

[Arne]

1. Unless someone has replaced your fusebox, the Kragen people were talking about the wrong type of fuses. Fuses don't have to be ordered. They should be stocked on the shelves. The fuses you need are glass tubes. The rating is etched on the metal ends of the tube.

2. More importantly, you are suffering from a common malady in the first generation electrical system. There is enough corrosion in the circuit that you are blowing fuses. My 73 had that problem. It was bad enough that it melted the fusebox. Here is a thread that talks about the same problem: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19118&highlight=fuse+melt

And here's what I had to go through to fix the damage after one of my 240Zs' fusebox melted.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19793

You'll want to check your fusebox's condition carefully. If the rivets between the wires and the fuse holders are at all loose, you may want to consider replacing the fusebox. If you do that, consider getting one of the modern replacement fuseboxes from MSA - http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/CTGY/SEIC19. Once replaced, your car would then use the modern colored fuses.

[EScanlon]

Sky:

Check whether you have FRONT marker lights and Park lights.

If you DO have lights there, but still no rear markers/park lights and dash lights, then your problem may be at the dimmer switch. (Located on the right hand side of the steering column, on the lower edge of the dash.)

If you do NOT have lights up front (excluding headlights) then your problem may be at the combination switch connection...whether IN the switch, the wiring connections AT the switch, or the wiring connections TO the switch.

The cigar lighter (in your car, located in the dash) is powered by it's own stand-alone fuse. That fuse is the one on the right hand side of the fuse box, the lowest one (bottom). It's a 20 amp fuse.

Hope this helps.

Enrique

[atomreflex]

thanks for the pictures, that really helped!

you're right, my fuse console box is the older model, and does use glass fuses. i got some at ace hardware and installed them but the tail lights, speedometer lights/dash console, park lights, and interior lights are all still out.

[atomreflex]

thanks for the suggestion. i tried what i believed to be the dimmer switch(es?)- there were two black turnable knobs on both sides of the steering column. they did not seem to affect the dash console lights, even though i changed the common fuse (bottom right/cigarette lighter etc), tail/park lights, and dome light fuses.

[atomreflex]

i read all the posts about melting fuse boxes and it sounded familiar. i had problems with my headlights a few years ago in combination with the dash lights flickering on and off and not wanting to stay on without fiddling of the light switch. the mechanic i took my car to said he'd fixed it by lubricating the light switch. ? . it worked for a while until most recently, with all the lights going out- first the dash console, then all of the following at the same time- park, tail, and interior.

one other thing- i noticed that one of the pigtails was unplugged today when i replaced the fuses. i plugged it back in, but still sadly, nothing seemed changed.

so you recommend replacing/upgrading the fuse box?

is it difficult to install- or do i need to have a mechanic replace it for me? is it that you just plug in the pigtails and screw the fuse box in?

[Arne]

Changing the fusebox is easy, pretty much as you said. But I'm not yet convinced that you need to do so. If the fusebox is really bad, the problem is very visible even from the front side. At this point, from what you describe, and considering prior history, I'd suspect the combo switch (headlight/wipers) is bad.

[atomreflex]

oh. hrm. so do you mean i should replace the steering column combination switch?

i saw a small part about that in one of my car manuals. it said to disconnect the negative lead from the battery, remove both halves of the steering column shroud, remove the two screws which secure the switch to the steering column.

so translated, does that mean i just unscrew the steering column and then unscrew the headlight/wiper's mechanism? then do i just have to find that same headlight/wiper mechanism part online somewhere and screw that back into the steering column to fix it?

[zman112233]

I'm having to replace my fuse box on my '73 240Z. Any suggestions on where to get one??

[SteveJ]

I'm having to replace my fuse box on my '73 240Z. Any suggestions on where to get one??

MSA for a rebuilt/redesigned fusebox.

ZBarn, Danny's Datsuns, etc., for one pulled out of a junker.