*Please Help "Ellie" the electrical nightmare 240SX

[TreasureCoast240]

Hey guys,
I have had this 1992 240SX hatch for about 2 months now.
It had been setting for around a year the POS said.
When I test drove it, she ran fine, reved freely and she was mine...

Somehow I missed the Speedometer & Odometer not working.
Since then I have fixed the Brake lights always being on problem but have gotten new issues to deal with now.
On a 2 hour trip to Orlando a couple weeks ago I started having driveability issues, where the car would not rev past 4,000 RPM's..it then started getting worse where it stopped making power & I limped her to my job for the next 4 hours.
Afterwords, she started right up & ran fine, although she still wouldn't rev past 4k rpms...
I got home & replaced the fuel filter & she got a few more RPM's but not to red line or near it.
a week or so later I drove all the way to Naples & back (3 hours each way) with no issues other then it wouldn't rev past 4500 RPM's...
Then on another job last week down to Fort Lauderdale, it starter to act up again...Losing power slowly unitl it finally stalled...After a few minutes she would restart & runok for 10 mins or so then the same thing loss of power until it would stall. I limped her to my job by shutting her down at stop lights & restarting when the light turned green.
I then noticed my turn signals stopped working.
After getting her to my job in a stress filled drive, she drove just peachy all the way back home although not going past 4500 RPM's.
A change of plugs got me to almost 5k RPM's but I still have no turn signals.

I wouldn't know where to begin on searching for this problem so any help is greatly appreciated!
Happy Holidays from
"Ellie" the 1992 electical nightmare 240SX...
248k miles, no leaks or no smoking at all

[moso]

it sounds like the fuel pump is dieing. but before you go through all the trouble of changing the pump, check the ecu for codes. the odo/spedo problem is probably just a bad speed sensor, its at the tail end of the transmission on the pass side. your turn signals are most likely a fuse or the signal relay is bad. definitely get a copy of the fsm, just search the site. for real tough engine problems i bought a consult cable and really recommend them. luck bro.

[TreasureCoast240]

Thanks for the reply, I should have posted, it has a nice file of about a 1' thick service history with a new fuel pump in about a year ago.
I will get researching those other areas now.
Thanks again!

[TreasureCoast240]

Update: I went through my fuse box under the hood (Passenger side) I noticed I don't have the fuse for the IGN Coil 30A/Anti Skid?
Now I know I don't have ABS (Anti Skid) but shouldn't there be a fuse there?
Oh & I forgot to also state my headlites always go up, but only maybe 5% of the time go down as they should (Those worked fine at the test drive too)
Anyway, it also seems to have developed slight hesitation off idle too.
I hope you guys & gals are enjoying your 240's & are having a great Holiday season though!

[zachattack_5491]

I've been driving an electrical nightmare for over a year. The best advice I can give is to either buy new harnesses or, if you have electrical experience pull out the harnesses and fully test and repair them.

Pulling mine out and repairing it was the best thing I've ever done on my car, everything works the way it should now and I don't have to worry about crimp connectors failing in the spots that I half-assed.

[TreasureCoast240]

Yes, in a perfect world, that is the best choice.
Its just not on the Christmas budget right now.
Glad yours is running as it should though.
I have owned maybe 3-4 240's & its the only one I have had issues with.

[liquid_cool]

i had a simmilar issue a few months back..started with wierd electrical mishaps..then car would just die out...i took my ride down to "Vatozone" to have the battery and altinator check'd out..both came back good..i did all the test's you can on all the sensors..nothing..i went throu the harness wire by wire...nothing...i finally decided to start replacing things with some spare's i had lying around...for s*** and giggles i replaced the altinator as my first item...started up the car..and it ran great...i then took the old alt back to Vatozone to test it again..came back fine...iv'e been driving now with the replacement altinator for the last few months and i have no issues anymore...when it was at its worst..the car would just shut down on the freeway..like you turned off the ignition switch....i hope this tiddbit helps ya in the rite direction..good luck and keep us posted.

[TreasureCoast240]

Thanks much for your imput Liquid Cool.
Its the randomness of it all that gets me...
I am sure its in the electrical system too and a Alt. is a good starting place.
As well as the start of losing power...It will just bog out at higher revs...
Then cut out all together, like its not getting any fuel.
Then after a period of rest, its back like nothing ever happend (Although it won't ever rev past 5k RPM's)
Stange Days indeed...
Take care & Happy Holidays all!

[liquid_cool]

it could allso be as simple as the fuel filters..as in the sock filter over the sump tube in the tank man...you may have debris in the tank thats randomly clogging the fuelsystem.

[TreasureCoast240]

Good idea, the PO did say it hadn't been driven in over a year. The Engine Fuel filter that I changed sure was dirty.

[liquid_cool]

yup..i'd dump all the gas from the tank..change filters..and then run some injector cleaner for a few tanks...old gas becomes like a gum..could be clogging injectors too..its pita to clean out after such a long time sitting...allso..if there was any water contamination in the fuel as it sat..the water would turn to a jelly substance..thats a pain allso...good luck and keep us posted.