86 300zx Non Turbo Phantom draw?

A home for 1983–1989 300ZX owners!
Sinfulroses
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2017 1:10 am
Car: 1986 300zx

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Hello, wanna see if I can give this a try before giving up and taking it to a shop.

I bought a 86 300zx a few months ago for pretty cheap due to car wouldn't start and owner gave up. So I did a full tune up replacing plugs wires cap, tps sensors, checking relays, fuses, pressure on fuel pump, new battery, ECT ECT. Car still wouldn't start, fast forward several infuriating hours later turns out it was the ECU had a small burn out on only the fuel pump continuous run, so it'd prime but shut off after it started. Cool, did a shunt on that cause don't got a grand to rebuild an ECU just yet.

Drive it around for a few days and notice head lights dim out, get alternator tested, failed, replace alternator. Worked for a couple days then dead battery, tester says alternator fail. I tested it before I put it in, so figured original wiring from alt to battery is bad, replaced it. Works, drive it everyday and starts up perfect. Go out of town for the weekend and come back, dead battery. Took it to a buddys shop to get water pump replaced and asked him to check out the battery and charging system. He charged battery, said it didn't have a draw on it, and said alternator was working. He keeps an eye on it for a few days and starts up every day, but when I go to get it he didn't start it the day before, and once again dead battery. He had no idea, and I'm running out of them too. Also did the dummy checks and disconnected radio, no after Market security system, door lights shut off, ashtray light is removed.
Any help or ideas is much appreciated


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DCaff300ZX
Posts: 4229
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:18 am
Car: .
1993 CRP TT- Modified
Location: Tacoma, Washington

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Welcome!
You have posted this in the Z32 section, your best bet for help would be to post in the Z31 section for best results as we here are in most cases unaware of Z31 repairs and procedures.
Good Luck!

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Ace2cool
Posts: 12672
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:21 pm
Car: 1991 Nissan 300ZX TT
1966 Datsun Fairlady 1600
2005 Suzuki GSX-R 600
1974 Honda CB550 Four
2009 Ford F150 Lariat
Location: Murfreesboro, TN

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Moved!

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Ace2cool
Posts: 12672
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:21 pm
Car: 1991 Nissan 300ZX TT
1966 Datsun Fairlady 1600
2005 Suzuki GSX-R 600
1974 Honda CB550 Four
2009 Ford F150 Lariat
Location: Murfreesboro, TN

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Also one surefire way on a car this old with this many electrical gremlins to make sure the battery won't drain is to install a killswitch.

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evildky
Posts: 14713
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2004 9:23 pm
Car: 71 240ZT, 87 300ZXN/A-T, 06 350Z GT, Tundra TRD RW
Location: Louisville, KY
Contact:

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You replaced the alternator, there is now drain on the system, so.... bad battery?

BadQ45t
Posts: 3249
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2002 7:54 am
Car: 21' Leaf SL Plus (wife's car)
05' X-Terra S 4x4
97' Q45t SOLD! Miss the old girl
84 300ZX (Original Owner)
2016 Mercedes Benz S550e V8 Power and 35 MPG
Location: Half Moon Bay, CA

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Pull the fuse for the stock alarm. I had to do that a milion years ago and it was a drain for sure. These cars stil seem to drain at the end of the day but this will help


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