need some advice

[Eagle_Adam]

i have a 71 4 dr 510 and it will not start.:unsure: I am fairly new to dealing with electrical problems so please excuse my improper terminology. When you go to turn the key to start the car you get nothing. There is power to gauges but i am only getting 6 volts to the ignition. If im correct it supposed to be 12 volts, I have full power at the battery. After further review i can tell someone has altered parts of the wiring before to put in extra gauges and a stereo :angry: . Im curious if anybody knows what Im missing. I will add more detail once my uncle comes over later today, he knows a lot more than i do. I just want to solve it myself if i can. :P

[datzenmike]

The battery will be about 12 volts but if one of the terminals is loose or corroded it won't get through to the switch. Check both ends of both cables including the ground on the head and the positive on the starter lug. There should be also a ground strap from the negative cable or post to the body sheet metal. You could also check for loose, blown or more likely corroded connections between the fuses and the fuse holders in the fuse box. Try unplugging the ignition switch a few times to clean the contacts to the wire harness.

[benzo]

I remember when my fusible link by the starter wire broke the car would not start and no lights appeared on the dash when I turned the key. try looking at that also and see if the wire or terminals are damaged

[datzenmike]

There is power to gauges but i am only getting 6 volts to the ignition. If im correct it supposed to be 12 volts, I have full power at the battery.

 

The link is likely ok but it can be melted and still conduct.

[Eagle_Adam]

Update:

 

I am going through different wires checking for power and i can come across the fact that one of the wires going to the ignition switch is good and one is bad and by that i mean one has good continuity one doesn't. I also found that there is no ground strap from the negative cable/post to the body sheet metal.:( My uncle is taking a look now so i hope he can help me figure this out. Once he has had a good look i will post what he says too. I have cleaned all connections i could find and cleared out all corrosion too. I will update you guys as i figure this out. Thanx in advance for your help!!!! :D

[Eagle_Adam]

Ok, my uncle has a question so im going to post for him.

 

There is what looks like a relay next to the switch, there are two wires from the switch one goes to the fuse box and the other goes to a relay. What is that relay?

[datzenmike]

Maybe a picture? You said someone has messed with the wiring?

 

As for the body ground you can run one from the block to the body. I think my truck had a braided copper wire from the exhaust manifold bolt to the firewall. The negative cable from the battery goes to the head which is bolted to the block and the transmission but these are insulated by rubber bushings to reduce vibrations. Even the leaf springs and the shocks electrically insulate the drive train from the body. The body should be well grounded.

[ggzilla]

All you need for the starter is:

* one cable from Battery Neg to engine block

* one cable from Battery Pos to starter large terminal

* jump the starter POS terminal to the small terminal momentarily to engage it

 

The rest is just refinements

[mike]

Do a search on here for Slodat's hot start relay. The original starting circuits, due to age and corrosion, tend to fail. Using the relay you are basically bypassing most of the high resistance issues in your ignition system. I put one in my 74 without cutting any wires or drilling any holes. Im a HUGE fan of stock clean wiring but this is the first thing I do when I get a new datto. It works like a champ. :cool:

 

Also... Pull your fuseblock and soak it in lemon juice or white vinegar overnight and reinstall with new correct amperage fuses.

[datzenmike]

My start was intermittent on my 710. The start signal to the starter solenoid was about 6 volt so I used that to trigger a fat 12 from the battery through a relay. Has never failed to turn over first try with the key after that.

[Eagle_Adam]

We got kicked out of the garage :angry:. The house im storing the car at is for sale and i get to keep it there for free as long as i watch their dog when they have showing s and make sure im not there during showings. Well guess what? Someone wanted to see the house so we had to bail with the pup. I will update when i get more time to get over there.

[banzai510(hainz)]

The Dime Quarterly has the basic wiring diagram. Seems I cant post on here.

 

6 volts at coil is normal if you measure other side of ballast resisitor.

If you measure at the blk/wht wire that goes in to the ballast resisitor you should get 12volts.

 

there is a Blk/blu wire also. that will go to the + side of coil. this is the hot start wire. You should get 12 on this when Key is in START. To ck remove the starte wire(the yelow one). then ck when a meter when key is in start. If no 12volts then go bak of key swithc and wiggle it.However you never said it was turing over so maybe the wire to the starter there is weak. Put a volt meter on that and ck if you gaet voltage in Start posistion with the key. also wiggle back if swithc or remove it and put it back On.

 

this is a simple fix.dont be cutting up anywires.

Pistures would help but you need to find a wire diagram/

Dime Quarterly in the eleltrical sec has a basic drwg.

 

My battery on my 521 the ground blk battery cable I put it on the head nead the fuel pump there is a bolt hole.

Other datsun i have it going thry the starter/trans bolt.

 

 

If you really dont have a clue. ask a Ratsun memeber in the Portland area get this going for you . Or sell it cheap to me. These are 40year old cars so get good with a mutimeter

[Eagle_Adam]

Sell it, sure i need ten grand for it ;). J/K i would never sell the dime or my 620 they are both awesome!!!!! I did drive the dime for a bit, it ran and drove for 3 or 4 days after i picked her up but now - nothing.:angry: I will get the Dime Quarterly subscription and look into that too, if there is anybody in the PDX/Beaverton area that is willing to donate time i would make it worth ur while. Beer/smoke what ever gets me a hand. I will get used to these old baby's but its gunna take a little while. I just want to be able to drive the dime! More details will come when i get a change to go back and play with the wiring some more. :D

[banzai510(hainz)]

you dont need to buy the dime quarterly its posted in the tech section. theres a drawing.

You should have a 510 manual anyways if your really into these rigs.

 

But the info I gave you should be enough. to get this started.

 

 

You need to be more specific on what happen just dont start. Dont start,Dont turn over?

 

Maybe its just a dead battery. But hope you could figure that part on your own if thats the case

Ck for voltage at the Battery cable end of the battery. Not the post itself but the cable end. maybe you are losing voltage there. really you need to put the volt meter on there and hit on Start and see wehre the battery voltage is.

 

give ya 350$

Ill get it running in 30mins and sell it to you for that 10K$

[Eagle_Adam]

The battery is new so i know its good to go and i will get a Haynes manuel, i have one for my 620 and it saved my ass a few times. To be a little more specific, the car started and drove fine for a few days before this issue. Now when you go to turn the key you get nothing but a red light in the dash that says charging i believe can remember right what it said. No cranking no nothing just the red light:unsure:

[banzai510(hainz)]

YOu have a Test light

if yes take the small yelow wire off the starter and turn key to START and does the test light light up(if volt meter does it go to 12volts?. If yes then the key switch is good. Should be close to 12volts. if less let uus now.

If NO find back of key switch and wiggle connector.

 

I assume you can put your headlights ON? If yes then I know your fusable link is hooked up good. if lights dont come on or barely IM back to the battery.

 

soemtimes I wiggle the battery cable at the seliniod on the starter. just incase its loose. Ck for tightness!!!!Thats nut can come loose.

[Eagle_Adam]

Yay for winning this weekend! After a little more wire tracing, a new ignition switch, and cleaning some very corroded connections the dime starts like a champ!!!! :D Thank you to everybody who gave advice

[Eagle_Adam]

and when it rains it pours, i fixed the dime then the accelerator cable snapped on the truck <_< got that fixed too :cool: