1991 300zx NA Will Not Start, I need your HELP guys and save my Zee pls!

[lilx10]

Hello All and Hope you all had a great Christmas,

I have a 1991 300zx 5spd NA that one day just stopped running. When i turn the ignition, all I hear is one click (which I think comes from the starter relay). Here's a little background on what I did so far...

I just replaced the alternator and battery 2months ago. Last week when the Z stopped running, I took the battery out and brought it to Autozone to have it checked and they said it passed no prob. My next suspect of course was the starter. Took that one out and brought it with me to Azone and that passed as well. But being so old looking, I bought a new starter anyway. The next day i installed it, nothing happened and symptoms were the same. I also tightened battery clamps and battery grounds just to make sure i dont have lose connections. I also turn ignition on with lights and other electric stuff and notice no dimming of lights, no slowing of wiper blades, etc...(so this tells me alternator is fine). When i turn on the car i can hear the fuel pump flowing and have checked fuel pressure from the gas cap.

I Called the local Z specialists here in San Diego and they mentioned either the starter relay or clutch switch relay is bad! Went to the dealer and bought both relays. Tried to replace relay one at a time but nothing happened with the same old symptom (wont start but just 1 clicking sound)

I tried to pop start it and it runs but the moment i turn it off, it stalls again. I can not even jump start it at all.

My logic tells me to check on the ignition key assembly (thinking that the contacts are gone).

Any suggestion or advice will really be apreciated. All the best for 2009!

[Re037]

id check the wires coming off the clutch switch relay. if you have a voltmeter, make sure the starter relay is getting a signal when you try to start it.

[vape-one]

There should be two posts on the solenoid can you try an touch the two posts together with a screwdriver or something.. Make sure it has a rubber handle though... lol.. If you are only hearing a click when you turn the key- that is power reaching your relay or solenoid so your keys contacts has to be ok... Seems as if ya don't have enough juice to the starter.. == When ya go to hook up Jumper cables the relay still only just clicks once??== Your lights an wiper blades will work fine until your battery is really dead !! What did ya mean when you said?? "I tried to pop start it and it runs but the moment i turn it off, it stalls again." -- So you push started it, an it ran,, but when ya turned it off,, it failed to start again?? Huh ... I have only had my Z for a few months so I don't know if the solenoid is on the side of the starter or not but the first thing I would do is make sure the battery has a full charge an turn the key on- an jump the posts on the solenoid(while your under the car doing this make sure its outa gear of course)... If that doesn't make your starter turn you don't have enough power.. But if it operates the starter then ya know that its the relay/solenoid... Most times solenoid comes with the starter so if ya just bought a new starter--if its just clicking, its most likely the battery not being fully charged, your starter wouldent go out without any symptoms of being bad...

Answer my questions so I can know more about what your Z is up to..

Did your z die while running, or ya turned it off an it failed to start..??

My Z has problems starting when its cold but im still trying to pinpoint the prob... lol Good luck pal keep us posted...

Modified by vape-one at 4:01 AM 12/29/2008
Modified by vape-one at 4:35 AM 12/29/2008

[alright2020]

i had the same problem last night...ended up being a simple loose wire on my battery....check your cables

[lilx10]

id check the wires coming off the clutch switch relay. if you have a voltmeter, make sure the starter relay is getting a signal when you try to start it.

thanks for the quickresponse guys. The wires checked out fine and voltage is running through. I have also tried to replace it with a brand new if the culprit was the clutch switch istelf but still the same.

[lilx10]

There should be two posts on the solenoid can you try an touch the two posts together with a screwdriver or something.. Make sure it has a rubber handle though... lol.. If you are only hearing a click when you turn the key- that is power reaching your relay or solenoid so your keys contacts has to be ok... Seems as if ya don't have enough juice to the starter.. == When ya go to hook up Jumper cables the relay still only just clicks once??== Your lights an wiper blades will work fine until your battery is really dead !! What did ya mean when you said?? "I tried to pop start it and it runs but the moment i turn it off, it stalls again." -- So you push started it, an it ran,, but when ya turned it off,, it failed to start again?? Huh ... I have only had my Z for a few months so I don't know if the solenoid is on the side of the starter or not but the first thing I would do is make sure the battery has a full charge an turn the key on- an jump the posts on the solenoid(while your under the car doing this make sure its outa gear of course)... If that doesn't make your starter turn you don't have enough power.. But if it operates the starter then ya know that its the relay/solenoid... Most times solenoid comes with the starter so if ya just bought a new starter--if its just clicking, its most likely the battery not being fully charged, your starter wouldent go out without any symptoms of being bad...

Answer my questions so I can know more about what your Z is up to..

Did your z die while running, or ya turned it off an it failed to start..??

My Z has problems starting when its cold but im still trying to pinpoint the prob... lol Good luck pal keep us posted... Modified by vape-one at 4:35 AM 12/29/2008

thanks for the quick respsonse. the old starter has been checked out by Autozone as well as my battery and they are both both good or passed. i had also left the battery at autozone to be charged overnight, so the battery is fully charged. And i also bought a new starter because i wasnt convinced but that didnt make any difference....still that one click when i turn the ignition. when i tried to jumped it, still that one click (and of course i always made sure im pressing the clutch).

My Z just one day stopped working at the parking lot (I wouldnt like to use the word "died"). then i tried to jump start but didnt work but push start it (being manual) worked and brought it home. when it reached home i had to turn it off. then it wouldnt start again.

I have always worked on my cars but this things just baffled me and hate to see the car sitting on the garage fr 2 weeks now!

happy new yr 2009 in advance...this is a an excellent Z community!

[vape-one]

Did ya ever figure it out...!! It has to be electrical...

[evildky]

main relay, it's kinda a double relay, it's found inside the drivers side fender, you'll have to remove the fender liner to ge to it, ti's up kinda close to the firewall, and PITA to get to

[Dean300zx]

i noticed on my Z the switch up under the dash for the cluth pedal ( relay) was mis aligned and not funtioning at times

[Camo12345123]

I'm having this exact problem, any answers?

[everpresentnoob]

really? on an 8 year old thread?? Doubt you get an answer.

[DCaff300ZX]

Correct, Zombie Threads have nearly zero chance of getting an answer back.
Best idea is to post your particular problem and any pics/info you have in a new post for us to try and help you directly.

[TTZNAZZ]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I'm bringing this post out of retirement.

So I had a similar problem with my 90 zx NA.

it didn't turn, no spark, fuel ( injectors were fine ), coilpacks all seemed in tack. I bought it off a guy who gave up on the car
and couldn't figure the issues, I can tell he thought it was related to injectors and spark plugs

I don't claim to be any mechanic what so ever, but I researched the s*** out of what could possibly be the issue, and the first
2 items kept coming back.... so I looked into further

1. buy a new PTU from Z motorsports or online, don't buy used. look on youtube and do the PTU relocation, to keep it in dry spot without being next to the hot engine block, $100 if this doenst work try the CAS

2. Buy a another CAS ( Cam angle sensor ) $160

3. I bought a new alternator, since this was going to need replacing anyway. $220

These 3 items I looked into helped me, hopefully it can help you get your z started.

Best of luck

TTZ N AZZ

[DCaff300ZX]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I'm bringing this post out of retirement.

So I had a similar problem with my 90 zx NA.

it didn't turn, no spark, fuel ( injectors were fine ), coilpacks all seemed in tack. I bought it off a guy who gave up on the car
and couldn't figure the issues, I can tell he thought it was related to injectors and spark plugs

I don't claim to be any mechanic what so ever, but I researched the s*** out of what could possibly be the issue, and the first
2 items kept coming back.... so I looked into further

1. buy a new PTU from Z motorsports or online, don't buy used. look on youtube and do the PTU relocation, to keep it in dry spot without being next to the hot engine block, $100 if this doenst work try the CAS

2. Buy a another CAS ( Cam angle sensor ) $160

3. I bought a new alternator, since this was going to need replacing anyway. $220

These 3 items I looked into helped me, hopefully it can help you get your z started.

Best of luck

TTZ N AZZ

Good to hear things worked out for you, the PTU and harness often are an issue due to corrosion or the mentioned PTU being fried by hanging on the front of the motor (?????). Just one example of Nissan engineering madness even while creating a very fine vehicle.

[ScottTravelzeworld]

While some of the things mentioned are all good fixes to those particular problems I don't know an actual solution to the original problem was ever posted. IMHO It sounds like the starter was getting power it just wouldn't spin. I have seen a cracked battery terminal clamp cause this. It will pass enough current to engage the bendix but it wont spin. The switches and sensors mentioned won't let it "click" because the relay would never pull in. Hope that helps for what ever its worth.