njgheewala

Hello all,
This is the first time that has ever happen to me so far and I was just wandering what could be the cause of it. Last night I tried to start the car and as usual I had to crank the thing twice and usually it would start up in second crank. But this time the second crank was dead...I mean, when I turn the key for the first crank for 3 - 4 second it did not start but nothing unusual, tried again and the car was DEAD. No lights on the dash no crank no whining noise, I MEAN NOTHING! Even the dome light and the door light were not working.
Tried to crank three time and still nothing
So, just for the hell I disconnected the positive side of the battery for like 2 seconds and reconnected back up.
Everything worked fine after words... I am guessing (probably wrong) that I need maybe new battery or connections. But come on how can everything just die like that? and then with like a hard reset start up again.
Let me know how to avoid this...also I had nothing running (like the radio or heater or anything) when I crack the car the first time and second time.
Thanks all!

snwbrderphat540

coulda been from just a shitty connection at the battery plain and simple.

NismoPick

^^^ x2.

Check the terminals for corrosion & looseness / tightness.

njgheewala

Thanks! I suspect the connection and I will be changing them this weekend. There was no corrosion on the connection. Just looking for any other possibilities I could not think of (hence making a call to you experts).
Thanks again! Let me know if there could be any other problem that I over looked...I guess I just never seen something like that.

Bleach

I've had the exact same issues with a 280Z in the past. Even if those battery cables look ok, replace them. The wire internally can have corrosion.

If you have more time, maybe get some smaller ground wires and run 1 or 2 additional wires off the negative. One to another spot on the body, maybe 1 more to the block of the engine.

snwbrderphat540

yup yup.... i had the problem twice where the wires look fine but were fubar'd on the inside. after that i replace the + and - batt wires whenever i get a new Z haha.

Bleach

Watch out!

duowing

My car did this, which turned out to be a loose connection at the positive side of the battery. Everything would be dead, I couldn't figure out why. So I would jump the car. One time I go to the store, come out and everything is dead, I still had the key in the ignition switched to on. I pop the hood and everything comes on. That was what then made me realize that it was a bad connection. That and the fact that when I'd turn my blinkers on at night, my dash lights and headlights would dim with the blinker.

njgheewala

Thanks Guys,
I think I would get the battery tested also with it, since the connection is lose the battery might not have been charging properly.
Will do this weekend if weather permits (damn apartment complex will not let me work on the car in the garage).

81SacUti280zx

maybe check the fuseable links in the box next to the battery i had some loose connections on those and it cause nothing to work took me a lil bit to find it cause they feel tight but the internal...so just a thought.

280zx2by2

was it cold? my car cranks the first time every time durring the summer but so far this month i have had to crank it twice in the morning

njgheewala

It was cold but my car always takes 2 cranks to start...I have to really dig into that one when time permits. I have change plugs, wires, dis rotor, dis cap...need to change PCV and O2 (cannot get the darn O2 to break loose, someone suggested to take it to the exhaust guys and they should be able to do it) I tried soaking the damn thing in PB blaster still no luck.
Well, Anyways the starting problem in seconds crank is also I should just ask for solution?
What should I do on that issue? Since I am gonna change the battery cable and connectors if there is something i can do to get it started in 1 crank let me know.
Thanks again guys...you all have been a real help.

RedVonHammer

Yh might be corrosion on the battery poles or wire plugs, just twist each plug around their respective poles and the corrosion should be scraped away and you should get a clean start-up.

Niku-Sama

i had this problem and it was a fusable link

duowing

If everything is good order you shouldn't even have to crank it extra. It's been 20 degrees out and my car seems to always start up just as good in the winter as the summer.

snwbrderphat540

20 degrees huh? Lucky its -3 right now with a wind chill near -30 this is farenheight

duowing

That sucks, I wonder why it's so much colder by you? I've had days though last winter where it was right around 0-5 degrees Fahrenheit and the car still started up no problem. I had other issues, but that was related to the ECU ground wiring.

snwbrderphat540

the oil in my engine and tranny were so thick that once my sx started after 4 seconds of cranking i let off the clutch and it died haha... it was out of gear it was just so much fluid resistance from the cold oil becoming more viscous it killed the motor. i found that very entertaining.

Niku-Sama

time for some 0-20 mabe?

njgheewala

I feel for you snw...I use to live in Skokie my self (for 15 years) and now in Sunny California (not sunny in the past few days but better then Chi town). My parents are still there, I guess they cannot seem to leave there humble abode.
My wife was raised in California and it is hilarious when she says its freezing when the temperature is at 50 or 60 F hahaha

snwbrderphat540

oh i hate these cold of days but i love snow, it shouldnt drop much lower than 20 degrees and then low winds and i wouldnt mind it at all... plus i love the city i talk about going to cali or FL or TX or something like that when it about time for me to make a career, but it would just be hard leaving this all behind.

280zx2by2

haha im going to be freezing my *** of on christmas day in 79 deg. weather

georgia on my mind!!!!

njgheewala

oh yeah, I had a little hard time leaving Chicago. Specially Christmas time, I miss the snow a lot. And after a hard winter the summer feel so sweet in Chicago.