ETHoward

Hello, I bought my first car and it was a 300zx and it has some issues and I was looking for some help, Biggest issue now that i have is lost of rust. Just last week I bought a replacement gas tank and wiper motor and got them installed and working! Now i have to take care of the rust. The guy before me did not do a good job taking car of the body tho i bought the car extremely cheap cause of the rust, all i need to do is fix the rocker panels and along the floor next to the seats cause it rusted through and i was wondering what would be the best solution for it. Also another question is the back brake lights stay on and i can't figure out why they are staying on, the guy before me installed a switch like thing on the box with wires like looping up and its next to the battery and i have to flip it so i can have my lights on and stuff tho it will run with out it on. (sorry I don't know the name of it but I'm just getting started with automobiles) Thanks for the help!

Zuphoria

post in the right fn thread

Skully

Dealing with rust. First pretty much gut the car, remove anything and everything from it. Start by cleaning up the metal, this will tell you how far the rust has gone into the body. You need to be able to access everything. If you just mask it, patch weld it, it will come back just as bad. If you keep the carpet and interior pieces in while you try to do any cutting and welding, you will set something on fire, or melt most of your plastic and rubber anyways. You need to pretty much strip the car and go from there. Rust is not a small task to take on for sure. As far as your brake lights go, could be simple as the switch under the brake pedal, or one thousand shorts somewhere in the rusted wiring. If your rockers and floors are rusted through, you can bet your *** there is rust in places that aren't openly visible due to interior, and trim.
Strip and start all over, or get a new donor shell that is clean. Rust is cancer, either cut it all out and replace, or you will never get rid of it. Also x2 on posting in the right section.

Nismo can you move this over to the right section maybe, thanks.

ETHoward

Oh sorry, I'm new to the site and go ahead move the this forum. And the carpeting was tooken out before i got the car same with all the panels, i will need new carpeting any idea where i can find that for a decent price. And i have a parts car that i got a week ago tho i don't have a welder. I was just wondering how to clean up the rust and cover up the holes.

ken99

Z31 Brake Lamps Always On

ETHoward

Okay cool thanks

ken99

The last time I fixed this problem, I went down to the local hardware store and found they had a selection of plastic push pin retainers that looked something like the photo. I picked the size that held securely in the hole. I also took the time to adjust the switch plunger gap (may have been the cruse control switch I adjusted) back to 1mm since the plastic head of the retainer was thinner than the Nissan grommet it replaced. Seems to be working just fine.

ETHoward

Alright tho I took out the cruise control cause I feel like its unnecessary weight in my car and I don't use it any ways.

ETHoward

Now something weird came up the fuel gauge stopped working and now when i turn on the car it makes like a buzzing noise from what i am guessing is the fuel level unit could it be that?

masterhufflpuff

It sounds like, most likely, that noise you're hearing is your fuel pump priming, which is normal. It should prime for 5 seconds when you turn the key to "on." Is that what's happening? or is it a continuous noise?

ETHoward

its continuous

masterhufflpuff

hm, it sounds like maybe your pump isn't shutting off when it's supposed to. What happens when you start the car?

ETHoward

The noise still happens its coming from the gas tank so it must be the pump but i also hear something from a little white box on the rear light

masterhufflpuff

Pump relay probably went out causing the pump to stay running, that would be my first guess. Can you start the car? and see how it runs?

Can you take a picture of this white box making noise?

ETHoward

yes the car starts but from what i can tell now its coming from the fuel pump gauge cause my fuel gauge on my dash is saying its on empty when i know i put 10 gallons of gas in and i finally got my haynes repair manual in and that white box is the tail light sensor from what i read up on.