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This club has been a fun ride over the past few decades. We started around 1996 so this means we will be 30 years old this coming year.

Good News! The problem was not reading the fine print. To get the voltage to display properly, I had to actually try and 'start' the car. Not just leave it in the on positiion. I was expecting to at least hear the pump prime at the 'on' position but it doesnt want to do that. Thank you @SteveJ this whole sentence was clear enough to understand what I needed to do. Disconnection of the starter wire was part of the diagnostics but its on a different page then what I posted. Even so, having you mention it helped me follow through with the process. "With the relay plugged in, check for voltage to ground at 86 with the key in start. (You can save wear and tear on the starter by unplugging the black/yellow wire at the solenoid before doing the test.)" Sometimes just hearing something stated in different terms makes all the difference. So, even though Im not hearing the pump prime, I am getting fuel to the front of the car. I hooked up the lines and tried again, but turns out i didnt have the ignition module hooked up, I had that part taken apart and waiting on some wiring terminals to make it pretty. I think I also had the fuel lines on backwards and when I disconnected, it sprayed quite a bit over everything so I decided to call it quits and let it flash off.

Huh?

That's a little better.

240Z alternator? External voltage regulator? The earlies don't use a shunt (like the 260-280) to the ammeter. So power to/from the battery goes directly through the ammeter (via large wire). The ammeter measures current flow, not voltage - even though it's important to have a proper and stable voltage from the alternator and regulator. What could be causing disruption or variation of current flow? Does it stay in the positive, or is it swinging from positive to negative current flow? The battery discharges at start cranking and then is recharged by a properly working alternator. This recharge should show on the ammeter as a significant flow in the positive direction at first, but taper off as the battery is charged, ending with the ammeter showing a slightly positive value for the rest of the drive (or engine operation). The ammeter should also show changes in electrical use - like lighting, headlights, A/C compressor, electric fan, and etc. being turned on and off as more (or less) current is being drawn during their use. (Ya, I blabbed on for all those youngsters who didn't grow up with an ammeter...)

Please stay close. The forum needs the expertise, experience and trials and tribulations!!

I won't say I've been gone, but I have been pretty quiet for a while now. After 43 years of continuously owning at least one Z, I am officially out of the game. Last week, I sold my 280Z along with all my remaining parts. I came to the realization that I will likely never finish it no matter how many years I tell myself this is the year. I plan to stick around and offer any help I can, but it just won't seem the same without a Z in the garage.

Where are you located? I’ve been on the hunt for a decent 280🙂

Ah yeah, I remember @EScanlon (he passed years ago). He wrote our club guidelines and was a huge Z / Roadster fanatic. Also is @beandip still hanging around somewhere? And let's not forget the infamous @Carl Beck and @HS30-H . And our resident Japanese celebrity @kats who was nice enough to let me drive one of his Z's around Kyoto. ;) It's nice to see this post, thanks for bringing back the old memories! Mike

Congrats on the first drive! Hope you guys had a wonderful Christmas. I went with this kit for my car. After having numerous electrical issues on past z's, I thought this would be a no brainer to go with the LED bulbs and refreshed electrical harness. https://www.thezstore.com/product/85/60-amp-alternator-upgrade-kit-70-72-240z

Yeah, it helps if you don't paint the trace!

A decent project early car with out a lot of rust is probably $6k or more. Careful sand blasting! Especially early cars. It's easy to warp the metal and the blasting work hardens the metal I would switch and try to sell the 280z project to recoup my money out of that project...

On a different note, I drove my car today for the first time!!! It has never run since I've owned it. 16 years... I don't know if this will play IMG_4909.3gp So a very nice Christmas :)

On the relay pins 4/47 and 76 (86 and 86a) are the positive for the relay coil circled below. At that point, the WR wire coming to pin 73 (88y) should be connected to pins 48 and 74 (88C & 88d). So here's what I suggest. Check for continuity between terminals 86 and 86a. With the relay plugged in, check for voltage to ground at 86 with the key in start. (You can save wear and tear on the starter by unplugging the black/yellow wire at the solenoid before doing the test.) Check voltage to ground at the ECU harness on pin 4 with the key in start.

I believe the success rate here is pretty good with the past history mentioned in earlier posts presented. What puzzles me is the cost of the relay. I’m sure there are folks here on the forum including myself have a factory one available since I converted to OER Carbs.

Update. It's been several months when I posted questions about a soft feeling brake pedal in my 79 zx. I checked the vacuun check valve and found it to be defective. I didn't even use my vacuum test equipment but instead just removed it and blew and sucked through it and knew it wasn't holding vacuum. I replaced it and now have very good, stock brakes again.