Help! Electrical Problem 93 300ZX

[Blackhole]

Hi everyone, I have just bought a non-running 93 300ZX 2+2 with 116K miles. I think car was originally from Chicago. I have only work on the car for about an hour, this is what I know so far. I am getting power, just not to some places. The head lights turns on and so do the dome lights. The security light also blanks, and I can get the fuel pump to pump. Other then that the IGN has no power and the dash lights do not come on when the key is in the acc position. The fuse panel in the car has no power at all. It's been a while since I work on electrical stuff, and wouldn't mind any information that I can get. This would be my first sports car and I really want it running

[NISTECH]

check the fuse links under the hood near the battery.

[Blackhole]

I did that, on the far left there's one that's bypassed with a blue wire, other then that the fuse are ok and not getting juice

[NISTECH]

Did you use a volt meter to test for power on both sides of the fuse links?

If thats ok also check to see if there are any aftermarket ignition kills/alarm systems installed. I have encountered many of those that have loose/poorly installed wiring under the dash.

[Blackhole]

Thanks for all of your help so far. I can't find my volt meter, but the test light shows it doesn't have power. I took off the kick panel and didn't see anything that's out of place, it's pretty tight under there and the only black box i saw was the ECU? (maybe), no override/kill switch for an alarm. There's no speaker the hood either, so that would lead me to believe that there is no aftermarket alarm system. The car does have the factory anti theft system, could this system cause this? I know the anti theft have power, when i put the batt on the security light in the gauge cluster flashes. I would close the doors and lock and unlock the door using the key. The light would turn off, but when i open the door the light would come on again. What you are saying about a kill system would fit why there's no power to the dash, does the factory anti theft system work like this? If so is there a way to disable it, i didn't see any buttons on the driver side kick panel. One more thing, there's a connector that's disconnected on the driver side near the fuse box. This car would be OBD I right, is this a nissan comp diag connection? or should it be connected. It's gray and i don't see anything empty spots for this connection. Thanks again.

[NISTECH]

your factory anti theft will not cut power to the dash. some it only set the horn off and still allowed the car to run and some cut the starter only. This is not your problem.

The car is OBDI but the connector for that is in the car right above the hood release. You have to be loosing power at one of the main feeds to the inside of the car since the entire inside is dead. you should have a couple black boxes under the hood with white writting on them , check to see if there are any large fuses in there, also on the positive battery clamp there should be a secondary wire on it , make sure it is connected properly.

[Blackhole]

Found a burn out fuse, sorta. This was the fuse box next to the batt, as you can see that it's been bypassed. It smells burned and using the test light only one side was getting power so that mean this "fuse" is burned. My box no longer tells me what it is and what size of fuse it should be. Could you tell me what fuse i should go buy and put in? I don't want to bypass it with another wire, and if you know what this fuse is for that would be awesome!! I have include a pic, i hope that would help.

Thanks

[NISTECH]

if thats it on the side there that blue shield is not a bypass it is the fuse link in there. that is how nissan made them. the colro of it indicates its amp rating. take it to the dealer and get a replacement. that is your main power feed to the inside fuse box. That is the box I was telling you to look in too btw.

[Blackhole]

I had too much trust in my test light, I didn't take the fuse off the first time and didn't get a light with the fuse still on there. I went to the dealer and have one on order, on one had it. I put on a bypass in the mean time so i can diag it some more. All the lights came on and i was able to get a response when i turn the key. The starter kicked, but only one kick. I turn the key again and same result, and i held the key in the start position and say small puff of smoke coming out of there and i stop. It seems like something is stuck, it might be a locked up engine, but the Z being so low i haven't tried turning the engine by hand yet. The sound also reminds me of bad starter, would either case cause this fuse linkage to burn out? This part was not in stock, so i assume is not very common for this to happen. I also put the car in gear with out the parking breaks and try to push the car see if the fan would nudge, no joy there. If the starter is trying to start a locked up engine it would make sense that the load would be too great for the fuse to take... But im just talking out of my butt now... Any thoughts?

Thanks

[NISTECH]

The smoke you saw came from where?

If it came from the fuse box I would say your soloniod is likely the problem as the starter motor it self runs directly off the positive battery cable once the solonoid is engaged. If the motor was seized you would likley see the smoke from the starter if you held it long enough as it would start melting the plastic the cables are attached to.