Starter Woes

Nissan 300ZX technical discussion forum: Maintenance, performance, installations, modifications, how-to's and troubleshooting.
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Retro-Cow
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:48 am
Car: 1993 300zx TT
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

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Hey all.
So here's the issue: I just got my engine put back together after a bore job and pistons.
I got everything back together but the car will not start nor does it crank.
I can hear a very faint click in the cabin when I turn the key.
It's a '93 TT with a Manual Transmission swap that was done a couple years ago.
The car was starting fine before the engine rebuild.

It's not the battery as I just replaced that.
The starter relay was bypassed when I did the 5spd swap by connecting the black/white and black/yellow wires together.
I did NOT wire the clutch pedal to anything.
When I did the transmission swap I used Z1's conversion harness.
Again, she started fine before I took the engine out.

It is not the starter either because I swapped it with a new one and still nothing.
I did get the starter to turn by jumping the two contacts in the back (The "M" and "B" studs in the service manual Pg. EL-20) with the key in the ON position.

I also disconnected the alarm module above the ECU and still nothing.

I didn't mess with the wiring harness at all except to disconnect and reconnect everything to the engine and to move it out of the way.
What do you guys think? I'm out of ideas.


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NolimitZ32
Posts: 7042
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:07 am
Car: 91 AG2 2+0 TTMT swap/E39 BMW 540i6/E53 4.6is Dinan S3
Location: Houston, TX

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Have you confirmed that you are getting voltage to the solenoid?

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Retro-Cow
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:48 am
Car: 1993 300zx TT
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

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So here's a quick update.
I checked voltage at where the starter relay was (those wires are spliced as per the bypass) and am getting very close to 12V.
However I checked that same line toward the starter and am getting 0V.
Somewhere between the driver side fender and the starter solenoid I'm losing continuity.
Any ideas where? IE where any connectors are between those two points?

User avatar
NolimitZ32
Posts: 7042
Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:07 am
Car: 91 AG2 2+0 TTMT swap/E39 BMW 540i6/E53 4.6is Dinan S3
Location: Houston, TX

Post

Check the wiring section of the FSM it shows all factory connectors.

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Retro-Cow
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:48 am
Car: 1993 300zx TT
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

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Got it! Turns out one of the connectors between the Alternator harness and the Engine Room harness came loose at some point.


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