Hey guys new here... Just got a 91 300zx TT only 64K mi. The other day and drove it all the way from San Diego to Sacramento no problem... So then I went to work the next day no problem came home no problem and later in the day went and got dinner... I noticed when leaving the place I got dinner that there was only 1 headlight (low beam highs both work) on I'm pretty sure when I drove it home the night before they both were on then kept driving home and wated for the gate to open at my apartments, it open I put it in first gear started rolling and all of a sudden the gauges and lights started flashing and goin crazy and the rpms (I'm pretty sure reved up and down a little) not sure if it just bogged down and it just died. Tried to restart it and nothing, no turning over clicks etc... there is no door lights gauge lights the door doesn't beep when open with a key in ignition nothing except the HI Beams?? They will turn on when I turn the **** for the lights but I can't even switch to low beams.*
I have no idea what it could be dont know much about automotive... Had AAA come check it he cleand and tested battery said it's perfect and checked the main fuse and said he can't tell what it is possibly a different fuse that he couldn't see? And recommended I get it towed to a shop... But I'm broke and don't have money for that so I'm turning to you guys... Please HELP ME...
1 more note the guy I got the car from had re-installed a stereo system in it the day I purchased it not sure if that has anything to do with it.*

Thank You!!!

 

Grab a philips head screw driver and remove the radio and look for a shitty install job. Also pull the left side pod and check for loose connecters, as for fuses you have the fusible links in a black box in front of the battery, there is a big fuse/relay panel behind the driverside headlight and there is another fuse panel below the dash on the drivers side.

To be completely honest here this is not a car you want to own if money is a problem and you don't know how to work on cars. also unless there is a receipt for it you more then likely need the 120k timing kit.

 

Thanks for the response... So I went to that fuse panel by the clutch and I pulled them all out and checked every single one they all looke good. I looked at the fuseable links and those all look good but there was something interesting in there there were like 5? Of the square fuseable links and one had been "converted" to a normal fuse like you would see in the other panels it it was 2 wires connected to a single fuse holder the connections looked a little loose and I checked it all and mad them all tight. I think it was a 20 amp fuse there. Also when I took that little cover off of the fuseable links I smelled "something" like melted plastic at least I thought so but it all was fine. I traced down all the stereo wiring and it looked good also atleast from what I could get to, I don't have many tools with me and couldn't take panels off I didn't pull out the cd player either. Tried to start it again still nothing but hi-beams that stay on Hi when ou click it to low beams. I had someone elsewhere ask me it the horn honked so I tried it and there is no honk but I hear a click?? Trying to give as much info as possible. I think I'm going to be able to get it to a shop tomorrow.

Also the only reason I got the car is because it only has 64K original miles and the engine is pretty much stock only 7 psi.

 

Do you hear a click when you turn the key forward? Try unplugging your security module and also make sure you are pushing the clutch in when you are trying to start it. I think you should get ahold of a multimeter and start checking for power to the relay's/fuses. The only thing I can think of with the info I have is that their is a second wire going to the positive side of the battery. Turn the ignition on and start wiggling connectors on the body harness (not the motor) and see if power intermittently comes on.

Also this is a new style fusible link.



Which replace the old style ones that look something like this.




I would seriously start by pulling the radio and seeing how much of a hackjob the last owner did to the wiring. Also do you see any added wiring to the car? Aftermarket alarm system..etc?


Also there is an electrical system diagnostic flow chart in the factory service manual that you can view for free. (just google 300zx factory service manual)

 

No click when turning ignition. I got it to a shop just now so im crossing my fingers it's simple. Here is what the fuseable links look like on mine.


This is the "converted" one


I also found this wire hanging by the fuse panel near clutch with nothing attached... Any ideas what it is?

 

Ok so I talked to the shop they said there is a major problem somewhere that they didn't find in the first hour and if I wanted him to keep looking it was guna be more... He said it's blowing the main buss and that it wasn't just something obvious. Soo... Any other ideas?

 

Someone has hacked up the wiring. TBH, if you have time to work on it (IE: this is not your daily) Hack jobs aren't hard to fix with little to no electrical/automotive skills IF YOU TAKE YOUR TIME.

The shops blowing smoke up your ***, all of the main fuses look good in the pic. Replace that 20 amp spade fuse holder crap and replace it with the correct sized maxifuse.

 

It is my daily driver well... I traded my daily driver for it and need it back on the road ASAP. So I think I will let them look for it a little more and hopefully they find it quickly.

 

P.S. I appreciate your advice. Thank you.

 

You can get some better advice over on twinturbo.net as well. If only you would have bought this at the beginning of the year, I had a new complete interior harness for a 90 TT sitting in my back room.

 

Everytime I try and go to twinturbo.net it won't ever let me log in or it says server to busy. I can't get on there to post... Dang wish you still had the harness.

 

Ok so talked to the shop and YAY they found it... The alternator had shorted out and I guess it was feeding back and blowing the main buss... $550 out the door parts diagnostic etc. Decent price or no? I see alternators go for like $150-$250 on eBay and there were a couple hours for diagnostics.

What causes the alternator to short out? Just age or what?

Can't wait to be boosting again!!!

 

It seems they are NLA from nissan, get a duralast with the lifetime warranty from autozone, so if you ever move and it goes out again chances are their will be one near by.

Make sure you buy the parts and keep the receipts, as their will be a 10-15% markup on parts, The book says 2 hours for an alternator swap. $550 is WAYYYYYY too much. That price should be about $250 before parts, anything more and they are charging you ridiculously high labor rates. Diagnostic labor is usually $80 an hour, regular labor (IE: oil changes, alternator/starter swap..etc) should be less then $50 an hour. Pay for the diagnostic and get quotes on an alternator change with you supplying the parts from different shops and bring them to the shop the car is at and ask them if they can match the lowest quote you found. Unless you want to pay an extra $150 as a convenience fee.

 

It's too late I had them just do it kuz I need it back on the road. It all is good now.