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Hello from, Mass...... http://forums.ctzcc.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3370	Page 1 of 1

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Author:	BigGar [ Sun Jul 06, 2008 8:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Hello from, Mass......
Hi, My name is Gary Williams, and I just joined the club the other day. Hope you all had a safe and happy Independence Day? I have a severe problem, with my 75' 280z coupe, and was hoping to get some insight on how to get her running again. One late night coming home, 10 miles from my front door, all of a sudden the headlights went out, the dash went black, and all I coould smell was electrical smoke.....I rolled down the windows, while doing 50 mph on the highway. Thank goodness it was a full moon. Anyhoo, I made it home, went out the next morning to see the damage. My windshield wipers weren't working prior to this happening, so my mechanic friend cut the power wire at the wiper motor and ran a wire directly to the fuse box. It lasted like that for 2 mnths. I looked up under the dashboard, and I could see was the wiring harness was "fried". I had been on EBAY before and remember seeing dash harnesses for Datsuns. So I proceeded to take the dash out and order a harness from EBAY. I also noticed that the junction box was also damaged. So I'd have to get an engine harness, and also the junction box and fuse block...I got a dash harness from a 76' Z, that I was told would work by a friend of mine at Courtesy Nissan in Texas. The #'s I gave him were a match. So I waited for the end of the auction, and I was the highest bidder, so I waited for delivery of the harness. I proceeded to install the dash harness in a "new" dashboard... and install the engine harness. I did all this, hoping that it would start right up. It has been sitting for 2 yrs. now and I really want to get her running again. I'm getting power to the brand new ignition coil, I purchased from Quirk Nissan in Quincy, Mass. but am not getting power to the distributor? NO SPARK, NO RUN!!! I was told a harness problem like that may have damaged the brain box? Anybody know what my problem could be? Brain box, ECU, bad harnesses? Or did something else go bad? Thanxx for taking the time to read about my mishap!! Any help in getting me going again would be GREATLY appreciated.....I'm not really that much of a "Gear" head!! Gary Attachments: File comment: READY FOR SOME PAINT!!! zzz at carwash.jpg [ 37.53 KiB | Viewed 3481 times ]

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Author:	Frank T [ Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:19 pm ]
Post subject:
Hi Gary, and welcome aboard! Sorry to hear abt your fire job ~ you aren't the first to have that happen. I saw pix of your car, and it looks like you (or someone) was well on their way to bringing it back to Full Beauty stage. Nice wheels, nice spoiler, body work on all the "familiar" places It doesn't look like it needs much more to be a winner again. My first question would be, "HAVE YOU DETERMINED YET WHAT CAUSED THE BURN-OUT?" It sounds extensive, so maybe it would be good to decide which systems got fried and which didn't. That might help pinpoint where the original problem was. If you DON'T determine that, and merely hookup a new harness, what's preventing it from happening again to the new one? I'm sure there will be several members here who will jump in and make suggestions (there are several 280s in here) ~ you should listen to all of them, because I'm a 240 guy and unfamiliar with the 280 electrical system. But speaking BASICS, I would try to determine which system melted down first and why. Harnesses seldom melt-down on their own; some system or electrical device permits a direct ground somewhere, which circumvents a fuse and overloads the wiring. If you replace the wiring without fixing the problem, you might just smoke the whole thing again. Sure wouldn't want to re-wire twice! ANYBODY OUT THERE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM? SOMEBODY LEND THIS Z LOVER A HAND BEFORE HE GRABS A SHOVEL AND STARTS BURYING A PERFECTLY TEMPTING 280Z! Frank T 1970 240Z

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Author:	BigGar [ Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:24 pm ]
Post subject:	Thanxx for the GOOD words.....
Hello Frank. You're right, it is too nice to bury!!! My mechanic "friend" cut the positive wire at the wiper and ran a new wire directly to the fuse box, with a fuse in it. The thing is that it wasn't even connected to the fuse box, at the time it fried!!!! It lasted about 2 mnths. with the "new" wire being used.... My wipers weren't working so he "fixed" them so they would work! The harness meltdown, where the power surge started from, was the windsheild wiper motor positive cable, in the dash harness....It melted everything......the junction box and all the plugs to it. So I got a dashharness and engine harness from EBAY and the Z Barn......I put it all back together to the best of my recollection. It was a good yr. before I could work on it again. It turns over, but doesn't fire. I stupidly replaced the brain box, thinking it was damaged, and also the ECU.... I got a new fusible link, ignition coil, fuel pump.......it's driving me crazy. Why won't it START?????? I don't know if the parts from EBAY are any good or not? Are there test that can be done to tell if everything is good? thanx for reading my predicament. Any help would be appreciated!!!! My brand NEW bumper looks good though!!!! I painted the rims myself! Gary~ Attachments: Image008.jpg [ 34.18 KiB | Viewed 3457 times ] Image012.jpg [ 45.49 KiB | Viewed 3458 times ] Image010.jpg [ 33.98 KiB | Viewed 3457 times ]

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