Restoration
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HullCityHateCrew
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2017 10:44 pm
- Car: 1990 nissan 300zx
Restoration
I bought a 1990 300zx from some kid who ruined the car body wise, engine is fine transmission is fine. Most of the electrical stuff works on the other hand my radio/AC/ interior lights/ windshield wipers/ side mirror controls and Ac adapter don't work. Ivery had the car for 7 months and really haven't gotten all that much into diagnosing the electrical problem. I would like answers and or advice/help with the problem (s) side note: there's a huge dent on the passenger side under the door about half a foot back away from the door. Kid tried to drift and sucks evidently.
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AZhitman
- Administrator
- Posts: 54538
- Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 2:04 am
- Car: 58 L210, 63 Bluebird RHD, 64 NL320, 65 SPL310, 66 411 RHD, 67 WRL411, 68 510 SR20, 75 280Z RB25, 77 620 SR20, 79 B310, 90 Z32, 91 GTi-R, 92 Silvia Qs, 98 S14, 23 Z.
- Location: Surprise, Arizona
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Re: Restoration
Welcome aboard! Definitely a car worth saving.
Here's a good start - Pull the FSM for the car and start getting familiar with the electrical system.
www.nissanservicemanuals.com
Often, a simple ground will return things to functioning...
Here's a good start - Pull the FSM for the car and start getting familiar with the electrical system.
www.nissanservicemanuals.com
Often, a simple ground will return things to functioning...
Re: Restoration
assuming you checked all your fuses and relays and checked the wiring harness or firewall ports for obvious damage.
just get your head under the dash in the drivers foot well. when people crash they tend to stomp down the brake and kick the wiring around and generally impact the dash. theres a fuse panel in the dash that can be impacted and a bunch of wiring that tends to hang fairly low especially after 27 years of each subsequent owner swapping in and out various radios and security systems.
just get your head under the dash in the drivers foot well. when people crash they tend to stomp down the brake and kick the wiring around and generally impact the dash. theres a fuse panel in the dash that can be impacted and a bunch of wiring that tends to hang fairly low especially after 27 years of each subsequent owner swapping in and out various radios and security systems.
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HullCityHateCrew
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2017 10:44 pm
- Car: 1990 nissan 300zx
Re: Restoration
I've checked fuses and relays. Haven't check the firewall or harness yet. Also I forgot to mention that the pod that controls the temp and Ac doesn't work but the left one to control my headlight etc. does
Re: Restoration
does the horn and cruise control work?
lights are on a different circuit so that's not surprising. the devices you describe are all connected to sensitive electronics so they're typically switched off when you move the key to ignition to avoid the voltage spikes caused by the starter turning over. this is why the radio turns off when you start the car then turns back on when you stop cranking. this is controlled by the accessory, blower and ignition relays. the relays are behind the interior fuse panel on the 1990 z32 so you need to unbolt the fuse panel to access them.
first disconnect the battery. remove the fascia around the radio to expose the screws that hold it in place. then remove the radio and check the wiring to make sure its not some dodgy crap with exposed wires and simple twisted wire connections wrapped in electrical tape that have caused the problem in the first place by shorting on the chassis.
check the relays by applying 12v to the coil pins and checking continuity on the other two pins. you will hear a click if its working properly when you energise the coil.
check the fuses for continuity, you cant always see a blown fuse by visually inspecting it. if its not the relays then you will need to trace the power supply wires for the relays.
again, its also possible that due to its location it was kicked in when he crashed so you'll need to check the interior fuse panel for damage.
lights are on a different circuit so that's not surprising. the devices you describe are all connected to sensitive electronics so they're typically switched off when you move the key to ignition to avoid the voltage spikes caused by the starter turning over. this is why the radio turns off when you start the car then turns back on when you stop cranking. this is controlled by the accessory, blower and ignition relays. the relays are behind the interior fuse panel on the 1990 z32 so you need to unbolt the fuse panel to access them.
first disconnect the battery. remove the fascia around the radio to expose the screws that hold it in place. then remove the radio and check the wiring to make sure its not some dodgy crap with exposed wires and simple twisted wire connections wrapped in electrical tape that have caused the problem in the first place by shorting on the chassis.
check the relays by applying 12v to the coil pins and checking continuity on the other two pins. you will hear a click if its working properly when you energise the coil.
check the fuses for continuity, you cant always see a blown fuse by visually inspecting it. if its not the relays then you will need to trace the power supply wires for the relays.
again, its also possible that due to its location it was kicked in when he crashed so you'll need to check the interior fuse panel for damage.
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HullCityHateCrew
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2017 10:44 pm
- Car: 1990 nissan 300zx
Re: Restoration
Cruise control and horn work. The radio won't turn on at all and the ac won't work either. speedometer and normal lights come on when I activate my headlights and such but the entire center console is dead including the lights in between my t tops. I'll be sure to check the relays
Re: Restoration
remove radio, check you get 12V on the yellow wire when key is switched to acc and on. check fuse on the back. the stock radio also controls the illumination control system.
it could be two separate issues. the timing control unit controls a bunch of systems like the wipers as well as interior light dimming, the alarm, defoggers.
check the blue wire on the ignition switch supplies 12V in ON and ACC.
if you check the existing relays, and every fuse individually with a multimeter the above and its all fine, Its at this point I'd consider it a lost cause and just start running new wiring.
the simple solution to getting the radio working is to just splice in a new relay and inline fuse, connect the blue wire coming out of the ignition switch for the coil side supply, other side of the coil connecting to any bolt in the chassis with a ring terminal. then run a new wire from the battery to the radio, cut the yellow wire, connect it to the radio side end through the relay and fuse and cap off the harness side end. add the fuse close to the battery and wrap the wire in split loom to protect it. use at least a 20A wire, relay and 20A fuse.
as for the other accessories, run through the full list of electrical components and check they all work fine. you can test the defoggers by misting the window with a spray bottle.
it could be two separate issues. the timing control unit controls a bunch of systems like the wipers as well as interior light dimming, the alarm, defoggers.
check the blue wire on the ignition switch supplies 12V in ON and ACC.
if you check the existing relays, and every fuse individually with a multimeter the above and its all fine, Its at this point I'd consider it a lost cause and just start running new wiring.
the simple solution to getting the radio working is to just splice in a new relay and inline fuse, connect the blue wire coming out of the ignition switch for the coil side supply, other side of the coil connecting to any bolt in the chassis with a ring terminal. then run a new wire from the battery to the radio, cut the yellow wire, connect it to the radio side end through the relay and fuse and cap off the harness side end. add the fuse close to the battery and wrap the wire in split loom to protect it. use at least a 20A wire, relay and 20A fuse.
as for the other accessories, run through the full list of electrical components and check they all work fine. you can test the defoggers by misting the window with a spray bottle.