ugh I bought it....

[Exia]

Well the guy showed up with the car and I just took the deal plus some cash... So ok lets try ths again.. VG30E non turbo... here is what I did and whats happening.. First tried to start it it did nothing not a thing... Than went and pulled the Theft H Lamp relay, gauges finally kicked on security light flashing. tried to crank and again no crank the starter didnt even engage just security keeps flashing... So with that any ideas? or did i just shaft myself

[AZ-ZBum]

Post pictures. Factory boost gauge? Not on a digital dash there wasn't. That's an accelerometer. It's measured in Gs.

What voltage does the battery have?
Is there a signal getting to the starter?

[Exia]

I would upload pics but im on a cell and cant no computer. and yes there was no boost its stock VG30E he just didnt know anything about the car.. Now starter I have no idea if its getting power or not now battery is new even changed the terminals on the car cause 1 was broke.... I will look to see if I can get some way to upload the pics I have

[AZ-ZBum]

Measure the voltage. "new" battery doesn't mean anything to me. And especially suspect if you had to change a terminal already.

[evildky]

if you're not even getting a clicking noise I'd check to see if you are getting 12v at the trigger wire when you turn the key

[Exia]

Yea battery has 12.6.. Now that 12V wire on the starter thats the smaller one that has a female plug right? and if thats not getting power could I just run a new one from the battery post or no?

[AZ-ZBum]

One will have power all the time. The other will have power only when the key is turned.

[Exia]

OK I was thinking, since to be honest I have no real idea what this dude did/unplugged. How hard would it be to just pull that VG30 and put in a VG30ET in? and how much would one of those run used?

[evildky]

no offence but if you don't understand how a starter works you have no business attempting a turbo conversion, and for the cost of having it done, get rid fo the car and buy a turbo model

[Exia]

I know how a starter works and as I said I have NO idea what this guy has done to make it not start. I was asking a simple valid question instead of going through ALL the hassle of tracing each and every wire in the car to get it to start. would it be better to just convert it. and start over fresh with a motor that will run instead of dealing with a motor that MAY NOT. and could I buy a cheap used motor. But ok than.......

[AZ-ZBum]

I know how a starter works and as I said I have NO idea what this guy has done to make it not start. I was asking a simple valid question instead of going through ALL the hassle of tracing each and every wire in the car to get it to start. would it be better to just convert it. and start over fresh with a motor that will run instead of dealing with a motor that MAY NOT. and could I buy a cheap used motor. But ok than.......

Because if you swap motors, you're still going to have the same issues as before. And more. The problem isn't the motor if the starter isn't engaging.

[Exia]

Ty bum, I am here to learn and listen about these cars, I will say I know jack about Nissan and their systems. I am old school 350,305,427 etc etc. So being be littled is not why I am here. I have so far listened and attempted/done everything I have been told here. and will continue to do so without any second guessing... Now that 12v wire is getting power when key is in the ON postion but stops when you try and start the car..

[evildky]

No one is trying to belittle you. all starters work them same, even the ones on the sbc, some older cars, mostly fords and amc's used a remote solenoid, looks different, works the same.

Starter (dang near all cars) is chassis grounded by it's body, usually there is a groudn calbe form the battery terninated at the starter base or some other bellhousing bolt. The heavy positive battery cable goes from the battery to the lug on the starter. The small gauge wire ont he starter is the signal or trigger wire, it gets 12v+ only when the key is turned to the "start" or "cranking position" (and other requirements are met).

step 1. verify voltage at the battery
step 2. check the cables at both ends as well as the chassis ground (the positive cable goes to the starter and has a smaller lead that goes to a fusible link box)(the ground cable goes to the bellhousing and has a smalelr lead that attaches to the chassis) (when I say chassis keep in mind this isn't a 64 impalla, it's a unibody)
step 3. check for voltage at the trigger wire when the key is turned to the start/cranking position (if everything else checks out but you have no voltage when the key gets turned then you have not met one of the other requirements(if you have 12v signal when the key is turned to start/cranking then you have a bad starter)

steps 1-3 apply to dang near every car ever made

step4. this is where the "other requirements" come into play the newer the car the more requirements, in pretty much every car built since the md 60's there is a neutral saftey switch in the automatic trans and an associated relay (on dang near every manual transmission car built since the mid 60's there is a clutch saftey switch and associated relay) and then there is the ignition siwtch itself and the associated relay (this one comes in dang near every car ever built that uses a key) these things are vehicle specific and more complicated to test (and if you start dealing with cars built fomr the mid 90's and up it gets far more complicated with all sort of additional sensors, circuits and relays, rewuiring fobs, transponders, brake pedal sensors etc)

and all of this is simpler than doing the turbo conversion, this is my typical recomendation unless you happen to stumble upon an excellent deal on a donor and or builder chassis, mine started as a $200 n/a, the turbo donor wiht a bad motor was $500, if you want a turbo car, it is gernally easier to just sell the car and buy one, at this point turbo z31's in decent drivalble consition can be had for $2-3000 with n/a's sellign for not much less, the cost of a decent donor parts car will be at least $500, probably more than that if you buy all the parts piecemeal, at least when you have a donor car you have a rolling blueprint

[Exia]

ty Evil, I apologize if I came off being a smartarse in that last post but like I said I am here to learn this is my first Z car. So please just bare with me.. Now that 12v wire is accually getting power in the ON not the crank so could this be the problem? And yes I looked and spending 3k I dont have thats why I traded my bike ( my only transportation ) for a car to get running. I did get boot as well so thats why I was thinking of investing in a Turbo motor keep it auto and switch things out from there But im on a budget right now somewhere between 4 and 500.

[evildky]

I'm not convinced you are testing the correct wire, anytime the trigger wire gets 12v the starter should engage, if you get 12v when the key is in the "run" position the starter would engage constantly and destroy the flywheel

If you run a jumper wire to the signal wire and connect it to 12v the starter should engage, if not the starter is bad

Current scrap metal prices are up and scrap value on that car is near $500 right now, so it's hard to go wrong with the amount you have invested

[Exia]

I doubt with the boot i got and 500 for the car i will beable to buy a decent 300zx for 1000. especially a Turboed model. I am testing the small wire that has a connector on it that plugs into the starter. And I correct myself my brother was cranking and it tested Hot and he continued to hold it down and it lost power. starter wasnt doing anything.

[Exia]

Oh and I am NOT getting the full 12v either it tests at 6 average of 5 and slowly decreases.

[evildky]

sounds like a dead battery

[AZ-ZBum]

Sounds like a bad connection to me. Double check your ground wire at the body and the transmission. The negative cable runs from Battery to body right behind the battery to one of the bolts that holds the starter in place. Then double check the 12V wire to make sure there isn't a bad connection there.

Could also be a fuse (driver's side kick panel) or fusible link (box by the battery).

I would also recommend taking out the starter and having it tested. It's very possible that's your real problem.

[Exia]

Alright thank you, will be doing that today if the weather permits will see whats going on after all of that

[Exia]

Would this also be why the gauges dont work well some of them, the 2 round ones and the top warning lights will work oil pressure but the rest flicker and die

[evildky]

bad connection, partially burned fusible link, the little black box next to the battery is the fusible links, basically just hoops of wires but if they look burtn or broken they are bad





one a side note, az zbum has been unusually cordial in both of these threads, must have made a new years resolution, or brainwashed by aliens

[Exia]

Well reguardless I am very grateful for all the help, its hard trying to find decent people willing to help. So yes I thank you to the both of you. Now pictures I am using flickr.com dont really know how it works but I have a pic of the fusible links up. Dont know if you search for my user name or name of file but name is Exia GN01 so far there are 2 uploaded one of the car and one of the links. those links accually look new to me I mean the car has sit for 5 months and not a spec of dust. But they dont look burnt or broke. Anything else I should take a pic of?

[AZ-ZBum]

one a side note, az zbum has been unusually cordial in both of these threads, must have made a new years resolution, or brainwashed by aliens

I have not been brainwashed. I've just been enlightened.

Actually, I was hoping to see a big fail with him posting pictures of something and claiming it was a pair of turbos. Was originally trying to be a big setup. But he was just being mislead and obviously isn't an idiot.

[AZhitman]

Good work guys. This is a tough one, and not due to lack of pics.

What about just jumping the starter with a screwdriver (to see if sufficient voltage is applied)?

[Exia]

i apperciate the compliment... i think.... but I still feel like a idiot for trading or a car that I dont even know will even run or even if the engine is any count.. But I am covering myself I just bought a VG30ET, with a blown head gasket for $150 working on the ECU, harness, and trans. So once I get this issue fixed ill be ready for the conversion..... And I just plan to do what Bum had said, once the rain and crap stops im going to take the starter to autozone and test it. instead of possibly doing more damage.

[AZ-ZBum]

i apperciate the compliment... i think.... but I still feel like a idiot for trading or a car that I dont even know will even run or even if the engine is any count.. But I am covering myself I just bought a VG30ET, with a blown head gasket for $150 working on the ECU, harness, and trans. So once I get this issue fixed ill be ready for the conversion..... And I just plan to do what Bum had said, once the rain and crap stops im going to take the starter to autozone and test it. instead of possibly doing more damage.

You don't need a different transmission. The motor is basically the same.

You have no idea if the old motor is good or not? You just wasted money on that turbo motor. And you overpaid at that.

[Exia]

Yes I know nothing about the engine of this car, he said it ran find up untill 5 months ago when the current issue at hand happen, but from looks motor seems fine, oil is black needs changed, transmisson fluid isnt burnt and looks good, radiator is full and green so. so far so good.. Only thing the guy said that is true is I have all the ORIGINAL documentation of the car even the window sticker. and yes the vin on the sticker matchs the one on the car..

[Exia]

Sorry about double post.. But the VG30ET i am getting has a few upgrades, that I thought worth the 150 it has a new in box Mishimoto FMIC with piping, Garrett T4, Tial Wastegate, and RFL BoV has 85K miles.

[evildky]

you also need the front crossmember fomr the turbo donor to do the conversion