RedZCar

ok.. so I take my car to get a touch up from a fence bump (compliments of the snow).

They stop returning my calls and finally I get in touch with someone and he says the paint is done but my car wont start!!! I get over there and here's the situation:

- car turns over but wont start
- no fuses are broken (checked each one twice)
- nothing electrical works inside the car except the pwr window, pwr mirrors, my power seat and the backlight for the clock (no numbers)
- my digi dash, goofy stock gauges, cd player, overhead light, pilot light thingies, wipers, pwr door locks, etc wont light up or work but the car's starter does and turns over but wont start.

I'm not taking it home until they fix it but I need it fixed quick (a guy is buying it saturday) so I may need to offer my assistance as they try to get it running (their machanic is supposed to come over today). Any ideas? I'm thinking some kind of relay or fusable link (though the fusable links looked fine).

NismoPick

Basic lesson of auto mechanics:

When an engine won't start:

#1... no (or too much) fuel passing through the injectors.

#2... no spark.

#3... no air.

So find out which it is, then you can work your way backwards to find the solution.

RedZCar

1. fuel pump comes on.
2. motor turns over
3. Not sure how the air could be missing

Trying to think of how that would also shut off all of the electronics for the most part... still in the process

NismoPick

Turns over as STARTS AND RUNS or just cranks & doesn't start? If it doesn't start.... NO SPARK.

RedZCar

turns over but wont start (or at least it begins to start but never quite gets there)

NismoPick

So again I say:

no fuel
and/or
no spark

Bleach

they took it for a joy ride, left the lights on, went to jump start it the next day and reversed the battery cables... destroying a FI relay and maybe some fusable links.

Same thing happened to me many years ago.

RedZCar

Where is it located? By the fuse box in the cabin... or elsewhere? I can't find it in the fiche.

Thanx,
Austin

naviathan

Fusable links are in the engine compartment in front of the battery.

snwbrderphat540

FI relay should also be by the battery. all by its lonesome if its like mine any its got a green top.

EDIT: doh forgot this is a Z31, well, it might still be similare some how.

NismoPick

Heaven forbid he check for spark.... I would suggest trying the easy things before digging in deep. But for those who like making things tough for themselfs... you might want to check the diff fluid... that's a difficult starting point.

icice9

maybe he doesnt kow how to check for spark?? lol remember just because the motor turns it doesnt mean your getting spark..

RedZCar

the car is getting spark. It is the computer that went bad. They hooked the battery charger up backwards and fried it. I didn't check spark right away cause the car would start after sitting and run for like 1.5 seconds and die. The relay (fuel injector) was replaced today with no avail. Finally... I took a gas soaked rag and laid it over the filter and it ran until the rag was dry and then died (ie fuel). I knew it would probably be this (the computer) becaues I've been down this road before when I hooked my own battery up backwards. The guys fried the mail fusable link and the computer. I'm so ticked.

RedZCar

P.S. - any fool would tell you to make sure the kanooter valve is adjusted and to make sure the tire pressure is the same across all four wheels before checking the differential fluid (duh Nismo Pick) j/k

skittle

Well Did They Have Permission To Drive It If Not They Are Liable And Can Be Brought Up On Charges. It Was There Just For Paint Right?

Carl's Z

So they fessed up, or what??

hoov100

just give me an address man, just an address......

z-hag

donot forget ssome semtex or something.........

skittle

THERMITE 100x HOTTER THAN NAPALM

hoov100

ive got my own special mix..

RedZCar

well... I dont really want to be brought up on arson charges.... they said they'd fix it for me. What I need to know (and I'll make another post about it) is if a federal ecu for the same year and transmission (and non turbo) car would work on a cali car (i dont care about emmisions cause I'm not in cali and KY doesn't require emmissions checks)????

AZ-ZBum

How do you expect them to move it around the shop and lot if they can't drive it? That's really intelligent.

But if they admitted to hooking up a fast charger wrong, then yes. They should be expected to fix it.

skittle

well beyond what was needed to get it to paint. the car battery does not just die on its own. The only way i can think of that happening is that they took it for a joyride at night and forgot to turn off the lights. Moving it from one place to another to paint won't drain a battery.

Bleach

exactly. My car sat for two weeks while I prepped it for paint. The battery was fine. Then the paint shop gets it and suddenly the battery is dead and they hooked up their portable jumper wrong. hmmm... if I ever do that again I'm going to note my exact milage when I drop the car off.

AZ-ZBum

It's common for a shop to accidently leave a door partially open, the trunk popped but not open, or the dome light on. Hence the reason most places will have those jump starter things.

And MOST shops have a mileage in and mileage out line on their forms. If not, you should be responsible enough to notice the mileage.