How I hate the ride back from college...

General discussion forum about the 240sx, and a great place to introduce yourself to the board!
gounc14
Posts: 458
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:41 am
Car: 1999 ATX Maxima

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Ok so this was finals week, meaning I've slept about 2 hours total in the last 4 days, which of course is health ;)

So I finished up, got my dorm room cleared out today, and drove back home, following my roommate and his dad (in their family's truck in front of me) all the way back home. Well maybe 100 miles outside of campus, I started dozing off, being the moron I was and driving without sleeping. So I woke up to my car going down the highway sideways, I had apparently drifted off into the little ditch on the side of VA highways and then woke up by cutting the wheel hard right, which put me sideways. After about 3 360's across the highway (I was lucky as CRAP I didn't put anyone else at risk, the highway was empty around me for the moment,) I managed to get the car slowed down enough to just move forward into the ditch and see what I did.

No visible damage to the car at all, I managed to shake loose the negative terminal connector on my battery, so I had to adjust that to get the car started correctly, but now I'm having troubles starting the car. When I try to turn over the engine I start off with a nice clicking noise, which moves into the engine gently trying to turn over, and then finally into the starter catching and turning the engine. SO my first thought was that I might have knocked a wire or connection or something on the starter/alternator/battery loose. Any ideas on what my problem could be? Oh and believe me, I learned my lesson, I felt terrible afterwards and I wish I had just stayed at school an extra day so I was rested enough to make it home safely. Needless to say I loaded up on caffeine for the rest of the trip and made it back still tripped up on adrenaline. No idea how I came out this easily, but I guess I just want to get the car fixed now =P


Structure240sx
Posts: 5615
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2002 5:04 pm

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glad that your ok. must have been scary as hell. i had a couple weeks with little sleep and kept dozing off behind the wheel. did u remove the ground and properly put it back on? thats the first thing i would do

gounc14
Posts: 458
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:41 am
Car: 1999 ATX Maxima

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Hmm not yet but thats a good call lol, should have thought about it...I'll do it first light this morning, thanks!

gounc14
Posts: 458
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:41 am
Car: 1999 ATX Maxima

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Where's the ground located in the 240, or am I being a moron and missing something obvious?

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k6kicker
Posts: 461
Joined: Sun Sep 21, 2003 10:28 am
Car: 90 300zx(tt) 95 240sx

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My ride home is only about 60 miles, all interstate (70mph) and rarely any cops on long streches (safe to crack her open a bit on those long lonely streches...honestly how many people you would you expect to see on a WV interstate anyways)

gounc14
Posts: 458
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:41 am
Car: 1999 ATX Maxima

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Heh I know what you mean, if I take 460 the entire way home I see NOBODY =) But yeah, who wants to reveal the secret location of the ground wires? ;)

gounc14
Posts: 458
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:41 am
Car: 1999 ATX Maxima

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Sorry, gonna bump this again, I want to get it out of the way, I'm finishing a paint job on my center console in a few, and I'd like to reset the ground wire at the same time.

whiterps13
Posts: 4217
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2003 9:45 am
Car: white LE hatch

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the ground is to the intake manifold i believe. atleast thats what it looks like on mine. just follow the black wire.

gounc14
Posts: 458
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:41 am
Car: 1999 ATX Maxima

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Kk thanks bro, gonna take a look in a sec...

gounc14
Posts: 458
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:41 am
Car: 1999 ATX Maxima

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Disconnected the battery, removed the ground on both sides (battery and manifold,) cleaned both sides and took some 1500 grit sandpaper to em for a few, and reconnected everything, and still no go...the thing turns like once then clicks for a bit then turns again, then clicks, and eventually turns over enough to start. Any ideas guys?

s15nc
Posts: 233
Joined: Sun May 04, 2003 2:59 pm
Car: Baseball, fast cars and women

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Have you looked under the car for physical damage? This clicking sound is it an electical relay sound (also check to make sure those are all in good) or a physical sound. My drive is a little over 400 miles and takes me 6 1/2 hours with stops. There are no cops once you get outside of atlanta until you get to spartenburg so you can go 85 the whole time and still get passed. I take 85 to 40 all the way home but I am thinking about finding a way to go that would allow me to take state highways. Those are fun even if they take a little more time, windy road the twist and turn the whole way and I can still go 65.

gounc14
Posts: 458
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:41 am
Car: 1999 ATX Maxima

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Nice =) Heh no damage underneath as far as I can tell, sounds like a relay issue, could you tell me where/what to check?

s15nc
Posts: 233
Joined: Sun May 04, 2003 2:59 pm
Car: Baseball, fast cars and women

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They should be in the fuse box I think. They are the big square things there. Try pushing them down make sure they dont wiggel. If that doesnt work you can try to switch with the horn relay I dont know for sure can't remember but I think the horn is the same size as the starter relay. Make sure you try the horn, to make sure it works then switch the two.


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