Well my car has been down due to a crank shaft pulley that cracked. been sitting about 2 months. i put it all back together today and when i tried to start it the car went nuts.

the gauges and clock turns on. but when i would turn the key over it would not crank and i could hear clicking noise under the glove box. the clock would also reset like the battery was disconnected. after a few times of that...it started doing nothing now. turn the key and not one thing turns on in the car. like there is not battery hooked up.

i checked power at the starter and alt and i got 12.5 volts both places. lights work fine. radio dead. dome lights fine

only thing electrically removed is the power mirrors and that should have nothing to do with it...

did my ignition take a crap? what can i shoot next to see what the problem is?

1983 ZX Auto N/A

 

Moved to 280zx Forum (please read rules & guidelines.... specific questions go in the specific forums).

Check your battery terminal connections, fuses, fuse links, and wiring.

 

put it on the battry charger, you can have 12 volts but not have enough cold cranking amps

 

battery is fully charged and yes i checked all the fuses, it does not a damn thing when the key is turned. all the lights work just nothing works that the key controls

 

Sounds like a battery related issue. Same thing happened to me and it was the cables. Check your cables and terminals for corrosion if its charged like you say it is

 

you may want to try another battery. batteries can have 12.5 volts, but zero amps. faulty plates and corrosion can do that. also check those cables, just becasue they look good doesnt always mean that they are. the wires can internally break and cause problems.

 

I think it is your ignition switch. If you get power to the gauge items...and dash lights. But not to the starter...try replacing the switch. It is held on by 2 phillips screws. And cost between $10-$20. Hope that helps you out. I have had the same similiar problem as you. And that was the cause.

 

Yellow Remote wire to starter. wiggle it. also. if the wires to your trans got disconected, or short. the ecu won't alow the car to start. these wires are on the passenger side, under the car. I dought you worked in this area, but as old as these cars are. anything goes. Both of these issues give the "relay clicking" problem under the dash. This will give you two places to look at least.

 

Ok..got out there and shot the power in the car and there was nothing, since i was getting power at the alt and starter i knew the battery was good, i ended up finding a broken wire under the dash, i guess when i had my son help me remove some interior parts he must of yank and pulled the wire out..

ok so thats fixed..

now when i try to start it.. cranks and i get the sensor light on the dash. now i need to see what that is.. off to the search function...

 

if i did not put the distributor back on right and it moved during the time it was off can this cause it not to start? i pulled off the wire going to the coil and a spark jumps over to the coil.

i had the oil pump out and the distributor while it was down to fix the crank

 

yes. that can hurt it. To check this:
1: Pull the timing adjustment bolt out. 1 10mm bolt.
2: Have some one try to start the car
3: while the engine is cranking, turn the distributor around untill the engine fires up. if the dizzy is out of range to put the bolt back in. then your drive spindle is out of aliment.
4: if it's out. then you will need to drop the oil pump again. have a freind when you do this. you will need the spindle to point like this \ at 11:30. make sure engine is at TTD on compression stroke when you do this.

Do step 1-3 first to see if it's out of whack. takes 5 mins. make sure to give the starter time to cool if you crank on it alot.

 

ya this is where i am messing up at...
when u say to have it at the 1130 position. where am i standing at? front of the car?

 

standing at the driver side, side of the car. looking at the dizzy. the dizzy spindle(the long rod that runs threw the motor) has to liike like this \ aimed just shy of the timing chain. you will have to drop the oil pump to drop the spindle to turn it. have the dizzy out. and have a freind to tell you when you got it lined up. remember. TDC on compresion stoker when you do this.

 

thanks...

the line has a fat part and a skinny side.

does the fatter part go on the bottom?

 

it will only got in one way. but the spindle drive both the oil pump and dizzy