SteveJ

If the voltage regulator is shot, test by unplugging the alternator from the electrical system. If the battery doesn't fall flat, you found the culprit. If the battery still goes down, get a load test on the battery. From the high voltage at the battery, I would suspect the voltage regulator, too. Are there any modifications (think alarm system, aftermarket electric door locks, high power stereo) or failed switches/relays that would make you think you have a drain on the battery?

Can you see what brand/model the alarm is? There might be some wiring diagrams for it available online. That could help if you have any more issues.

Sometimes those aftermarket alarms really play hell with the electrical system. Be sure to use the factory wiring diagram to diagnose/restore the wiring. That will reduce your headaches in the future.

Yes the relay could go bad in several ways. However, none would produce the symptoms that I have seen you describe.

That is the accessory relay in the photos. The black wire is the ground. The blue/red energizes the coil to connect the white/red to the red/blue wire.

Z Car Depot just sent out a mailer saying they have them back in stock.

Yes, I find it irritating. From what I can see, the 260Z wiring diagram is the first to acknowledge that there is truly wiring in there. The 73 diagram just shows the blue wire going to the blower motor.

I was hoping you would provide information on the other connectors, too. FYI: There are some typical wire colors that rarely change in the 240Z. Someday I should write them up on my technical blog. Blue is usually associated with accessory power. The only blue/white wires I saw in my quick look at the wiring diagram was power for the cigarette lighter coming off of the fuse box, one of the wires going from the combo switch out to the wiper motor, and one of the wires for the antenna. I doubt the wiper motor circuit would be on a connector near the blower motor. Unfortunately, the wiring diagram does not clearly identify the colors for the wires going to the radio. I have to say that the Nissan engineers improved the layout of their drawings as the years went by. The component layout in the early S30 wiring drawings leave a lot to be desired. By the time the 260Z FSM came out, they included a lot of break-out diagrams to make diagnosing individual circuits much easier.

Trailer parking was brought up early in the committee's discussions on hotel selection. It doesn't hurt that Z1 Motorsports has used the Sonesta for the past 2 ZNationals, though there aren't nearly as many trailer queens at that show.

One of the key things to do to get help on wiring is to identify wire colors. If you can do that, it allows me to orient things better to the diagrams in the FSM.

Have you removed the clamshell cover on the steering column and looked for loose wires? You may also need to remove the center console and look around the center stack, too. By the way, go to the resources section of this site and download an electronic copy of the factory service manual if you don't already have one.

Was the steering wheel the only thing you removed, and why was it removed? Did you disconnect the combo switch or ignition switch? Have you looked for loose wires in the steering column? How long have you had the car? Did it show any other intermittent electrical issues before? How old is the battery?

We sent out the invites for guests recently, so we don't have responses back, yet. I'm pretty much counting on John Morton being here on account of his friendship with Randy. I can't remember the full invite list, but it does include some familiar names like Yamasan and Matsuosan. The track day will be at Road Atlanta. Even if you're not taking a car on the track, it's a great place to hang out. People in the Southeast who haven't been to Road Atlanta before might want to come down for The Mitty this year and get an idea of what things are like at the track. It's one of my favorite hangouts in the Atlanta area. I believe we will also be trying to recreate the photo taken at the previous ZCON in Atlanta. The autocross will be at Lanier Raceplex. The facility began its life as an oval track, and the current owners paved the infield. It makes for a tight, short autocross course, and competitors should be able to get in several good runs. It will definitely focus on handling and concentration as opposed to horsepower. After autocross, there's not much reason to head back to the hotel quickly because we also have an evening of karting at Lanier Raceplex planned, as well. These karts are capable of speeds up to 60 MPH. For people who aren't able to bring a car for track day or autocross, here's your chance to show off your driving skills. There will be a trip into Atlanta one night for an evening at Sweetwater Brewery where you can sample some local craft beers. For those of us wanting an alternative experience, I am trying another karting event together at K1 Speed. It's an indoor facility with electric karts. It's also within staggering distance of the hotel, though I'm not trying to imply that it's part of a pub crawl event. We're also planning to lead a drive though the North Georgia Mountains. The Prezident of the GZC is a Civil Engineer who has spent much of his career working with GDOT on the roads in North Georgia, so he is very familiar with the best of the twists and turns in the area. We'll plan a route that will take the group up to Helen, GA, a community with architecture modeled after an old German town. I'm getting together a list of shopping and wineries, as well as a good list of local attractions. I'll include some off-beat opportunities and small car museums, too, like the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, Old Car City USA, and Tank Town USA. By the way, the Sonesta Hotel was picked in part so people can easily drive to places like Road Atlanta, Lanier Raceplex, and the other attractions of North Georgia. If you leave in the morning going north, you should be able to avoid most of the commuter traffic. We are hoping to give convention attendees the opportunity to have as much fun as they want.

This should help you. https://fiddlingwithzcars.wordpress.com/260z-air-dam-and-front-bumper/

It looks like it. I have a Xenon 3124 on my car, unpainted. Front Air Dam Photo Here's another photo of the air dam.

I think they should for a Z car convoy.

ZCON registration is open. http://zcon.org/conventions/2018/?page_id=132

I took a closer look at one of your earlier photos. It certainly does look like you could be missing the insulators on the side of the switch that is toward the driver. These insulators are more than just washers. They go through holes on the contact plate to isolate it completely from the screws and rest of the switch.

I saw nothing in the photos to support evidence of the switch shorting on the steering column. Here's a video I just made of a 240Z headlight switch to show the wires for the washer and how it works. I also attached a couple of photos for additional clarity. Please notice that the contacts for the washer switch are insulated from the screws holding them in place. Have you tested with a meter to see if the blue/white wire is grounded out? How about the blue/red wire?

The problem isn't likely to be the switch itself. The first thing I suggest is disconnect the wires from the motor on the washer pump. There should be a black wire and black/yellow wire. Use a multimeter set to resistance and touch the leads to each wire. If the resistance is low (like less than 10 Ohms), the problem is in the wiring. If the resistance is high, then the problem is with the pump motor. If it's in the wiring, find the connector highlighted in the attachment and separate it. Repeat the test at the wiper motor. If the resistance is low, the problem is in the engine harness. If the resistance is high, the problem is between the instrument harness and the switch.

Very nice work, @2377kN!

I know the owner of the 82. The car is VERY original and well taken care of. IMHO, there are two things working against that car as a periodic track car. It's a 280ZX. It's not as easy to modify for the track, and it's not really very fast. The t-tops also take out some rigidity. (You could always put bars in the openings I suppose.) I almost ran it over many times on a club cruise, and that was before I replaced my tired engine with a higher compression, angrier mill. The owner mandated that I move in front of him so I wouldn't ride his bumper. That car is pretty original. It is better suited for someone who is looking for a cruising/show car.

Well, if you can find another emergency switch, you can cut the connector off if it and jumper the wires together like I described. That is probably about the easiest way.

Any of the three solutions I provided should keep the Interlock Relay from interfering with starting. Good luck. Let us know what you do and how it worked.

Are you sure you got the harness for the same year Z? There are minor differences.