I've got z32 with a Ravelco anti-theft device. This is simply a plug in the dash with some random pins that interrupts the brown wire in the relay for the anti-theft device, and in turn disables the starter. You insert a special pin key that makes the connection and the starter then turns, without they key you would need to trace wires inside the fuse box under the hood to find and connect the wires and steal the car.

Ok, well lately the starter will not turn, solenoid does not click. Relay sound somewhere under hood appears to click ok. But...are there possibly 2 relays? One for the anti-theft the other for the actual starter circuit? It seems per the factory pdf that there is a starter relay alongside the drivers side, as well as another one under the hood in the big box of relays (?) dunno about it all..

Anyway I replaced both starter and solenoid as a unit and that did not help there is still no action at the solenoid.

Complications: I installed a battery kill switch under the hood near the battery to disable or disonnect the battery so that it would not lose juice. My Z always seems to drain the battery somehow, so I put one of those keyed heavy duty switches in the negative wire to battery. It seemed to work fine, it's really simple and heavy duty so it should not pose problems.

Also, I put an accessory switch under the dash to disconnect the interior lamps and the door locks, guages, etc while the car sits. This might have had some effect on the anti-theft?

The battery itself seems to lose charge, I must say but it was at 11 volts today when I swapped the starter and yet it would not kick over. My 84 Z kicked over at 10 volts, so not sure if that is critical ?

I would like to:

1. get the car's starter circuit to work again.

2. remove the factory anti-theft connection to the starter so that any future issues can be more easily traced. The Ravelco device with the fitted key is fine for my security needs, and I also have removable steering wheel, so I feel covered.

There are darned few around who know this car's electrical system I guess..so asking anyone out there any tips or analysis to offer?

Thanks!
Bob

 

well it was the starter relay. believe it or not, the old one tested "ok" as did the new one. they both clicked when 12 volts applied to the coil actuator pins, and both showed .7 or so ohms, which slowly drops. I was not sure why the relay high-current pins showed resistance and not just zeroed out, as I would have expected it to just short the two pins. So when the old one tested to show .7 ohms, I thought this must be the reason, there must be dirt on contacts, etc. But then the new one tested identical. So I was at first discouraged, thinking they were the same so the relay isn't the problem. However, I decided to put the new one in, anyway. Well it started right up. So I am glad, but a bit of wonderment about it. I called the local Z experts and they said "that's the second one this week, they usually do not fail, but these cars are just getting old, and that is probably all it is." Mine is a 1990, so I guess around 15 years one might consider replacing the starter relay. It is behind the driver's (left front) tire. You jack it, remove the wheel, and undo the outer edge of the plastic inner fender shield. It is about 6 inches inside and very high up behind a bunch of vacuum hoses. You grasp, wiggle it, pulling slowly downwards and this should disengage the relay from the metal tongue it mounts on. It has two plugs which come out with release togs and a bit of wiggle. The old one has rubber seals which can be moved over to the new one, which came without them. The cost of the relay was $16. The new starting motor and battery set me back 136 and 189 respectively. So this was not the most efficient repair I ever did! But glad to have the new stuff in the car anyway. good luck, Bob