[Lestat]

Hello all I have have a 1983 280zx turbo
I got stuck one two weeks ago and had a new atinator put in the car thinking that was the problem. When I got it back it was charging fine. But the car work for about 2 hours. and it was running fine I use it at night and the lights went dim and started to act like it was not getting eletic like it did befor. and it stalls again.

The dash went out befor it stalled like a hour befor.

The Dash rpm speed and gas and Temp light dont work now. But the voice work when the car charge (when you leave your headlights on) it tells you. And the dash lights work. But if you start it. And the Dash light dont work like speed and temp or gas. All the other like oil pre. and oil Temp and boost and clock radio works.

What would make a car do this? And how do I get it running again. I think I have a realy bad short. Should I look in the Dash area or under the hood? Have anyone had this happen befor?

 

[Unknown User]

> Does your car have a digital dash or analog ? Does it light up with the key turned on but the engine is not yet started? ( this would check the battery, maybe it has shorted out)

 

[Lestat]

Yes it has a Digital Dash It will only light up if you have the Head lights on and car turn off. Then it will display (and the tells you how much gas you have in the car and the all the light like the rpm and Speed light up like it when you dont start it)and if you open the door it will say light are on. When you start the car the Dash lights go out. with or with out the ligts on. And the car not charging.

I look at all the fuses in the passager door and see if there fried but they look fine. I was thinking it was the battery but I change the with a spare one and it not that.

Could it be that I need a stonger Altinator? the only thing I have in here beside the Raido is a Relistic CB radio and that low power useage.

 

[Unknown User]

> Yes it has a Digital Dash It will only light
> up if you have the Head lights on and car
> turn off. Then it will display (and the
> tells you how much gas you have in the car
> and the all the light like the rpm and Speed
> light up like it when you dont start it)and
> if you open the door it will say light are
> on. When you start the car the Dash lights
> go out. with or with out the ligts on. And
> the car not charging.

> I look at all the fuses in the passager door
> and see if there fried but they look fine. I
> was thinking it was the battery but I change
> the with a spare one and it not that.

> Could it be that I need a stonger Altinator?
> the only thing I have in here beside the
> Raido is a Relistic CB radio and that low
> power useage.

The dash works with the car not running, correct? Try starting the car and stalling it, with the ignition still on. Does the dash work after the engine stops with ignition on? If so, I would suspect the alternator... I low amp alternator will not cause the gauges not to work, but the lights will be dimmer when you use other things like that draw a lot of amps.

 

[Unknown User]

It sounds like the voltage regulater in your alternator is bad. I would replace the alternator. Good Luck.

 

[Lestat]

> It sounds like the voltage regulater in your
> alternator is bad. I would replace the
> alternator. Good Luck.

I just got the Alternator. What about a dead short?

 

[Lestat]

> I just got the Alternator. What about a dead
> short?

I have more info on the problem. We look in the fuse box and look to see if there any power going to them. Some of them are not getting any power at all the Fuse look fine but no power.
And we take out the fuses they look fine not fryed or anything.

 

[Unknown User]

> I have more info on the problem. We look in
> the fuse box and look to see if there any
> power going to them. Some of them are not
> getting any power at all the Fuse look fine
> but no power.
> And we take out the fuses they look fine not
> fryed or anything.

It sounds a lot like the problem I had on my 83 280zxt. I put wires across where the fuse links go, one at a time. I found one that was bad and the dash came one when I used the jumper wire. It turned out that the PO had the alternator connected wrong, and a wire in place of one of the fusble links(idiot!), which caused a lot of my gauge wiring to melt. Lucky for me everytrhing is still working. I put the alternator from my 210 into my ZX and it worked, so I bought another one from the junkyard. But the wire at the fuse link box would get very hot. Some one on here told me to run the alternator output directly to the battery, and it won't get so hot(less resistance than going through the fusible link and connectors). It worked, and I haven't had any problems since, I am not sure about the original alternator, but on the 210's(internal regulator), there are three wires hooked up to it, besides the ground.

The one labeld batt. goes directly to the battery(ussually through the fusible link)

There is a T connector also. The top of the T I connected to a blue wire that has current supplied when the ignition is on which engergizes the field. The other one went to a solid white wire that has current all of the time.

It works for me, but the PO had the wires so screwed up I had the figure it out on my own. All of the original connectors where gone and wires where missing. I hope this helps, sorry for the long post. I am not all the good at explaining things.

Do you have a good wiring diagrahm. That would have helped me, I didn't have one.

 

[Lestat]

> It sounds a lot like the problem I had on my
> 83 280zxt. I put wires across where the fuse
> links go, one at a time. I found one that
> was bad and the dash came one when I used
> the jumper wire. It turned out that the PO
> had the alternator connected wrong, and a
> wire in place of one of the fusble
> links(idiot!), which caused a lot of my
> gauge wiring to melt. Lucky for me
> everytrhing is still working. I put the
> alternator from my 210 into my ZX and it
> worked, so I bought another one from the
> junkyard. But the wire at the fuse link box
> would get very hot. Some one on here told me
> to run the alternator output directly to the
> battery, and it won't get so hot(less
> resistance than going through the fusible
> link and connectors). It worked, and I
> haven't had any problems since, I am not
> sure about the original alternator, but on
> the 210's(internal regulator), there are
> three wires hooked up to it, besides the
> ground.

> The one labeld batt. goes directly to the
> battery(ussually through the fusible link)

> There is a T connector also. The top of the
> T I connected to a blue wire that has
> current supplied when the ignition is on
> which engergizes the field. The other one
> went to a solid white wire that has current
> all of the time.

> It works for me, but the PO had the wires so
> screwed up I had the figure it out on my
> own. All of the original connectors where
> gone and wires where missing. I hope this
> helps, sorry for the long post. I am not all
> the good at explaining things.

> Do you have a good wiring diagrahm. That
> would have helped me, I didn't have one.

Long or not if it help it will help. The macanic that working on it has my my books. I can send him this post and see what he thinks. I would think he would know this car I got it from him hehe. But it was sitting for awhile. 2 years. when it works it Runs Strong

 

[Unknown User]

> Long or not if it help it will help. The
> macanic that working on it has my my books.
> I can send him this post and see what he
> thinks. I would think he would know this car
> I got it from him hehe. But it was sitting
> for awhile. 2 years. when it works it Runs
> Strong

Good luck, let us know what happens... BTW, did you notice every replay to this subject is posted twice? Strange...

 

[Lestat]

> Good luck, let us know what happens... BTW,
> did you notice every replay to this subject
> is posted twice? Strange...

Ya I notice that there where two. I was thinking it was My computer doing it but guesss not. I will inform Derek about it. Thank for the info

 

[jared]

> Ya I notice that there where two. I was
> thinking it was My computer doing it but
> guesss not. I will inform Derek about it.
> Thank for the info

Howdy, all.

I had an 83 Turbo and experienced similar problems. My problem was that the car's CPU was slowly going out. My problems would manifest themselves in a similar manner and when the car would stall, it would typically be out of commission for about 10-20 minutes. But, the dash, radio, etc would work with what seemed to be sub-par wattage.

Look into getting a CPU replacement, my friend. That are NOT cheap - about a grand - so, do some other troubleshooting with crossed fingers first.

Best of luck.

Jared

 

[Unknown User]

I had the same problem with my 83 280zxturbo and I ended up replacing the fusible link box and the links. Mine has the original alternator and it has 230,000 miles on it, still running today with no problems. I would check the fusible links . I would also do a key off battery drain test. do this by placing an ammeter between the negative battery cable and the negative post on the battery. this will check for excessive current draw While the engine is off, also check it with the key on. good luck!!

 

[Lestat]

> Howdy, all.

> I had an 83 Turbo and experienced similar
> problems. My problem was that the car's CPU
> was slowly going out. My problems would
> manifest themselves in a similar manner and
> when the car would stall, it would typically
> be out of commission for about 10-20
> minutes. But, the dash, radio, etc would
> work with what seemed to be sub-par wattage.

> Look into getting a CPU replacement, my
> friend. That are NOT cheap - about a grand -
> so, do some other troubleshooting with
> crossed fingers first.

> Best of luck.

> Jared
Well when the dash went out the car stalled so it wiring or Atinator I hope