Electrical / Fuse ?? Problem please help!!

[91FairladyTT]

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 knob 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!!!

[BigTDogg (MA)]

I'd disconnect the stereo and go from there. Also check the ECU codes.

http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/nissan ... ostic.html

[aroche25]

Sounds like the headlight relay and maybe your alternator and/or alternator belt slipping. But check codes first as stated earlier.

[91FairladyTT]

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. 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.

[chaunceysj]

when it turned off was the car completely dead? no lights interior exterior, starter, audio? nothing? or was there still power to some things like headlights? not sure if its at all helpful but i kept having a problem with my car turning off and when it would id loose power to everything. it ended up being a bad ground connection of the negative wire on the firewall. but if you have some things that still have power, then its gotta be something else...

[BigTDogg (MA)]

Get a pic of the fuseable links box. That doesn't sound normal. Smelling stuff is not normal either. Sounds like a hack-job from the previous owner, and you may be in for an in-depth electrical gremlin chasing session.

[91FairladyTT]

I have no power to anything except the highbeams when you try to switch to low they stay on high that's the 1 and only thing with power. As for checking codes is that possible with no power? 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?

[91FairladyTT]

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?

[BigTDogg (MA)]

No, unfortunately this is a very specialized problem, and I have no other ideas. The high/lowbeam issue is probably your clearance illumination fuse blowing. That's located in the fuse box near the clutch pedal. That blue connector is an OEM connector, but it's not supposed to go to a spade terminal as shown. It may be for the clutch switch. Does your car have a remote start?

[91FairladyTT]

I had a few other people tell me that spade connector was to bypass a previously installed remote start so I think your right on that. SO guess it's just a matter of tracing down the short now. Hopefully they dont take hours to find it. And thanks for your input.

[BigTDogg (MA)]

That's a ghetto way to do the remote start, and a dangerous one. A real MT remote start system uses some kind of true/false logic stuff. So if the ebrake is on, and the car is in neutral, then it starts. If one of those two things is false, it won't start. Yes, it has to bypass the clutch switch, but that is a podunk ghetto way they have done to your car.

IMHO, there's a lot of tracing to be done, and it ain't gonna be pretty.

[91FairladyTT]

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!!!

[BigTDogg (MA)]

Sounds fair.

Alternator for $200
3 hours diag/replace at $100/hr.

A leaky power steering hose is the #1 killer of alternators in the Z32. Other failure modes include bad voltage regulators, worn brushes and failed bearings. I suspect the voltage regulator in this case, but check your HPPS (from the pump to the rack) for leaks.

[91FairladyTT]

Ok so what's the voltage regulator, where is it located , and how do I check it? And I will look over the power steering.

[BigTDogg (MA)]

Built into the alternator. Dunno how you check, but with a new alt you're all set.