need help with z24

[layedout720]

ok well im a nissan guy all the way so i just traded my 95 200sx se-r for a 83 720 king cab with z24 lol i know nothing about this truck its been tamperd with a lot so far seems like a hack job and a half lol cut and spliced wires all over..so ive been driving the truck aound parked it and let it sit for a day..battery totaly dead..jump it of it starts runs for a second( i have to kep it ideling till it warms up) i let the idel drop and it shut off and wouldnt start back up at all..acted like the battery was dead but i dont think it is...its a z24 with 138xxx on it the carb needs a rebuild big time...so i loked at the alternator and there is a clip going to it with 2 wires..then off to the side there one wire thats help on by a bolt..well that wire was just hacked all up and twisted to a bundle of yellowish wires in a harness......any ideas?

[PEZi]

got any pics? the idle thing seems to be typical with a stock carb for sure, check vac lines and all that stuff. as far as all the spliced wires and everything, it should be east enough to figure out what is what with a hayne's manual or something... my guess on the issue you have is either an electrical flaw the previous owner made, or possibly just typical vacuum line crap... or an internal carb issue.

[layedout720]

i havent taken pics yet but i will soon thanx for the reply man ill have to check the vac lines

[breadbox]

When you drove it, did seem okay?

And the draining battery makes it seem more like a short or poor ground.

[numbernobody]

Hey, beside the plug, there should be two other wires. A ground held on by a small bolt, and another that sits on a post and is held down by a nut. This one goes back to the battery to charge it. Also, there is supposed to be an insulator (maybe ceramic or rubber) on that post and if it's messed up like mine was, you'll be shorting out on the alternator case. Could that be it? Just bad wiring?
Good luck

[Aven]

It appears that I'm short a wire. Is the ground supposed to be braided or a wire? Where is the ground connected, or does it matter?

[PEZi]

stock location is just on the little battery tray. as long as its grounded though, its no big deal. it can be just a typical gauged wire... i forget what gauge though.... its pretty small. and then it just gets crimped at the end so you can bolt it in place

[Aven]

Thanks.

[Visiotech]

The engine must be grounded! The neg- cable that is bolted to the tray has a lead that must be bolted to the block. W/O this ground there is not enough 'loop' in the ignition system to sustain proper spark.
There is a small braided ground strap from the driverside firewall to the top of the engine behind the valve cover. Not sure if this 1 is mandatory but, its a good idea to make sure it is clean and has good contact.

::Builders Note:: This braided strap is NOT sufficiant for use on Chevy 350!!!

[86 720]

Proper grounding requires the grounding wire to be the same size or larger than the power wire.

Stock locations are rear block to fire wall, and front block to bottom of battery tray. If you pull the battery and follow the negative power cable it attaches to the bottom of the tray, than continues to the block. Go to your autoparts store and get new cables, the larger the better. I ended up replacing all the cable wires with 2 ga.