EndStar Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 i upgraded my headlight harness on my 280z, it not draws current directly from the battery. afterwards i drove it fine, then i was sitting in it and it died. then it would not turn on. even a push start didn't work. i flicked the headlight switch on and off a few times and it started. drove it back home and it died once again, flicked the switch again, and it started again. even if i unplug the battery the car will still die. but one day i pulled the choke (carbs) and it didnt die once on the drive, and it died earlier that day. any help would be great. i was thinking that i might need to upgrade my distributor, or i have a ground bleeding out??? not sure. any help would be great! Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 I think the problem is a loose nut behind the wheel. Too many variables to go on. Start by disconnecting the headlight system to make sure that you didn't tap into something you weren't supposed to. 1 Quote Link to comment
EndStar Posted December 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 i did diconnect the headlights and it still died, so thats not the problem, and yeah i know, i took on too much at once, and now its hard to narrow down. and loose nut behind the wheel? Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 From what you said above, it sounds like it's an issue with carburetion, not electrical. I bet the headlight switch is a red herring. On the other hand, is the charging system working? If not, that could have something to do with the stalling. Quote Link to comment
EndStar Posted December 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 From what you said above, it sounds like it's an issue with carburetion, not electrical. I bet the headlight switch is a red herring. On the other hand, is the charging system working? If not, that could have something to do with the stalling. It's just odd that when I turn my headlights on and off a few times it starts up again. I'll have to tune my carbs again next time I get a chance and see if they are out of wack Quote Link to comment
67_1600 Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 When you say it dies, do you mean it sputters and dies or does it act as if you turned off the ignition switch? When you go to try and restart, does it sputter but not catch or just crank with no indication that it's trying to fire? If it sputters and dies I'd think it would be fuel related otherwise I'd think electrical. If electrical, check your wiring to your distributor and your coil. I had an issue one time where it would just die like I'd turned off the ignition switch and it ended up being a loose wire going to my coil. Quote Link to comment
EndStar Posted December 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 When you say it dies, do you mean it sputters and dies or does it act as if you turned off the ignition switch? When you go to try and restart, does it sputter but not catch or just crank with no indication that it's trying to fire? If it sputters and dies I'd think it would be fuel related otherwise I'd think electrical. If electrical, check your wiring to your distributor and your coil. I had an issue one time where it would just die like I'd turned off the ignition switch and it ended up being a loose wire going to my coil.Dies as if I turned the key. And when I try to start it, the rpms don't rise at all, so it doesn't "catch". Quote Link to comment
Dolomite Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Igniter maybe? They can be an asspain to diagnose. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 i upgraded my headlight harness on my 280z, it not draws current directly from the battery??? What does this mean? Most H4 harness draw from the battery. and you use the connector at the pass side lamp to trigger the new H4 harness and power for that goes to the starter lug which is the battery cable dont unplug the battery amymore. that was old troble shooting back in the day and wont work if a FI motor or any light switch on as it draws to much. runa volt meter in car to know battery is charged. get new battery cables or clean them. If electrnic ignition as mention that may be a issue. Quote Link to comment
67_1600 Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 i upgraded my headlight harness on my 280z, it not draws current directly from the battery??? What does this mean? Most H4 harness draw from the battery. and you use the connector at the pass side lamp to trigger the new H4 harness and power for that goes to the starter lug which is the battery cable dont unplug the battery amymore. that was old troble shooting back in the day and wont work if a FI motor or any light switch on as it draws to much. runa volt meter in car to know battery is charged. get new battery cables or clean them. If electrnic ignition as mention that may be a issue. I'm thinking that he meant to type that it now draws current directly from the battery. Quote Link to comment
EndStar Posted December 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 yes, it now has a wire that is connected from the battery to the headlight, then the stock headlight wire is there on the passenger side to signal the headlights on or off. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 then it should not be related. try driving it w/o the lights for swhile and see if sytem still acts up. I assme soemthing is not tight Quote Link to comment
EndStar Posted December 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 I did drive it with the lights unplugged, and it has died with lights both on and off. Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted December 2, 2015 Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 Sounds pretty definitive to me. The lights are a red herring. When it won't start, have you tried cranking with the throttle open slightly? Quote Link to comment
EndStar Posted December 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 Sounds pretty definitive to me. The lights are a red herring. When it won't start, have you tried cranking with the throttle open slightly? That won't do anything, when I normally start it, my rpms rise. But when it dies, and I try and start it, they don't rise at all. As if it is not trying to start at all Quote Link to comment
Dolomite Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 Have you checked for spark when it does this? Quote Link to comment
Ranman72 Posted December 3, 2015 Report Share Posted December 3, 2015 That won't do anything, when I normally start it, my rpms rise. But when it dies, and I try and start it, they don't rise at all. As if it is not trying to start at all this points toward electrical connection no power to the tach start by checking all wires at the coil bad connections/ cracked wires/ bad coil wire / bad ground / short at ignition switch etc while its dead have a friend move wires while cranking it over and watch the tach good luck Quote Link to comment
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