SteveJ

The suspension is completely different. You'd be better off importing parts from the US and Japan.

Jan, that post was directed to the person who threadjacked.

You may need a new battery. Take it to a parts store and have them test it.

How stock do you want to be? Search here, Hybridz and Zcar.com for alternator upgrades. I think ZmanofWashington has a kit for a higher output alternator. It will be internally regulated, so you'd have to jumper out the regulator circuit. You can see how to do that for a 280Z in Blue's collection of tips. (See link below.)

At this point, I'd consider replacing the alternator and regulator. Also, check your headlight and parking light circuits from the switch down to the fusebox. Corrosion can cause the system to consume more power. (Essentially you're adding resistors to the circuit when you have poor or corroded connections.) It's scary to see the effects of 30+ years of use on the circuit. I've seen connectors almost melted. I've also had a fusebox melt down. If you're driving the car at night, especially with the days getting shorter, you owe it to yourself and to your Z to take care of the lighting. By the way, while Dave (Zs-ondabrain) doesn't offer a headlight relay harness for the 280Z, you may want to check to see if he will do a cleaning on your combo switch.

The reason for that can be found here.

Zombie threads cannot be killed...

Yeah, you made an alternate path to ground. I'd have to look at the wiring diagram to be sure, but my first guess is that the flasher unit was acting like a breaker and would open the circuit when it heated up. As I mentioned earlier, that opened up the short, and the car resumed as normal until the flasher contacts closed again.

Download a copy of the FSM. It's probably described in the electrical section or the transmission section. Also, I think the Haynes manual covers the topic.

Yeah, I didn't pick up on you using a diagram from Blue's site. Go to XenonS30. The link is in my signature.

You won't find the cross-over just by looking at the wiring diagram. It would exist from the isulation being bad or owner/mechanic wiring problems. The wiring diagram would be helpful in identifying wire colors to trace.

You could try Waytek. They have Molex connectors. I haven't used them, so I don't know if they like selling small orders.

Yes, it does. Inspect your wiring. You would have to trace this out on a wiring diagram, too, because it depends upon how the circuit is designed. You could have damaged insulation on wires in the harness. They cross-connect on the left turn signal circuit. When you put the turn signal switch in the left turn position, the flasher unit allows the circuit to close. At that point, there is an alternative path (with lower resistance) to ground. The current flows through this path, and the ignition circuit loses power. That would cause the other symptoms you describe. Of course, the flasher unit heats up and opens up the circuit. This allows the current to resume flowing through the ignition circuit. It's an old car. Insulation can age and break down. Steve

You likely have a wire going to a post on the alternator that is covered by a rubber boot. That is your positive. For the negative, go to ground.

Manual or automatic? Also, I suggest putting the year of your car in your posts. If it's a manual, I would suspect two likely things: 1. The reverse switch or wiring at the switch is bad. 2. The transmission is not depressing the switch. Steve

As for a manual, look at the links in my signature. Also, search eBay and the classifieds here and on other Z car sites. A genuine Nissan factory service manual will pop up from time to time.

Note - Vega, do not read any flames into this post. First, your post really should have been put on a new topic. While I can see how your post could loosely follow how the thread changed, it's moved far away from the origin post and therefore less likely to get a good response. Second, you will probably find more information and help over at hybridz when you want to do things like incorporate a GM ECU. This is more of a traditionalist site. Just make sure you search before posting there. They don't tolerate repetition very well. Good luck with your experimentation.

Wrong! A fusible link is usually about 4 gauges smaller than the wires it protects, but the insulation is designed not to burn up. In that way, it is similar to a glass fuse where the element blows, but the glass remains intact. You can buy a fusible link from auto parts stores, but the 240Z has a connector on it. You can get pre-made links from Banzai Motorworks. You can also buy the connectors from Vintange Connections and put them on an auto parts fusible link. Both businesses are run by stand-up guys. Frankly, I'd just spring for a couple from Banzai if you're worried about it.

Yeah, they can be bad about doing that. I've been lucky and caught it before it broke.

Common wisdom suggests replacing the alternator and regulator at the same time. Many, many years ago, I replaced the regulator without replacing the alternator. I didn't not experience any problems, though I eventually upgraded to a higher output, internally regulated alternator. If you want to confirm the regulator as the culprit, check the battery drain and unplug the regulator. If the current drops significantly, the charging system has malfunctioned.

Inspect the sockets and clean out corrosion. Use a voltmeter and check for voltage from the socket to the chasis. If you have voltage, check the continuity of your ground wire. Ensure you have a dual filament bulb.

You could have problems with corrosion in your fusebox. If it creates a hot spot, you can melt the solder in the fuse. I had that problem at one time, and I once saw the parking lights fuse glowing a bright orange. After that, I had to replace the fuse block because it melted down.

If you don't see any evidence around the sockets, pull the cover off of the steering column and inspect the wires around the combo switch. They can and WILL overheat over time as corrosion builds. This can lead to a breakdown in the insulation. If it is in contact with the steering column, it will short.

Do yourself a favor and download a copy of the FSM. (See my signature for a link.) On page BE-5 you'll find a wiring diagram. On the right headlight the red wire is the hot wire. On the left headlight, the red wire with the yellow stripe is hot. The dimmer switch basically changes your path to ground. The red with white stripe is the low beam, and the red with black stripe is the high beam. Since the problem shows itself when you operate the dimmer switch, that is the first place to look. It sounds like the switch is not adjusted properly, so when you change the switch position, it doesn't break the connection going to the high beam contact. It may require disassembly and adjustment. If you know how to use an ohmmeter, you can see if the contacts for the high beam and low beam have continuity when the switch is in the low beam position. Steve

Just another example of why people should strongly consider Dave's relay modifications...