[skidderhitter]

My *&#%@ '77 Z starter system/ignition switch is on the fritz... I went out with light tester and multimeter in hand Saturday to see if I could find the problem, and just for s & giggles I turned her over and danged if she didn't fire right up. So I drove her to work Monday and everything worked great until I quittin' time. Wouldn't start again. Of course, my handy dandy screwdriver fired her right up, but I like it when my cars start while I'm in the drivers seat. Question I've got is, where is this ignition relay located? I haven't checked the switch yet, either, but I'd like to only tear things up once, so I want to go in knowing where to start yankin'. The only thing I did to the car while she was sitting waiting for me to find time to play with her was disconnect the battery so I could fill it with distillery (semi annual checkin' the battery that I usually forget to do -- but I remembered this time!!), can't figure why disconnecting and reconnecting the battery would make it start properly again... ring any bells for anyone? Weird.

 

[ConorP]

There isn't a ignition relay for the starter solinoid, it's fed directly from the ignition switch contacts. This is a common problem with these old switches, especially since these locks are so worn out that a butter knife will start most of our cars. If you pull your column switch apart and remove the key housing then you'll be able to start your car with a screwdriver.

If you don't want to go that far yet then check the Black w/ Yellow wire from the ignition switch, it should be battery voltage while "START"ing.

ConorP

 

[aren77z]

I would check the battery connections. Make absolutely sure that the connections are free from corrosion, oil, grease, etc.

I had a problem with my 78 not starting, I looked throught the ignition switch, alternator, starter and then thought.....boy, that positive battery cable is pretty gross. So I cleaned it and it fired right up. I found that a weak connection can shut the whole car down. The weird thing was only high current draw things like the starter, headlight didn't work, everything else (clock, interior lights, etc.) worked flawlessly.

****, electrical gremlins,
Aren
78 280Z coupe

 

[Kelz]

Skidder,

If indeed its the ignition relay, its located under
the passenger side dash. I've had problems with this
relay on 2 different 77 z's. It seems that when they
install this relay, its installed upside down (this was
true on both of my cars). There seems to be a very small
leak at the corner of the windshield, and it drips right
on the relay. (both relays in both cars were full of rust)
It doesn't leak enough that you notice it on the carpet.
The symptoms that I had were that the car would turn over
but I wasn't getting a good signal to the fuel injectors.

Hope this helps.

Kelly

 

[Ron Diederich]

Yup,
The ignition relay is located behind the glove box.
The easiest thing to try first is to clean the spade connection
on the starter solenoid first.
I just bought a used relay from Dannys Datsuns for my 75.
Symptoms~ turn key,no start but fuel pump turns on. Does it
intermittently.
My 2¢
Ron

 

[MTP78Z]

Do you mean Transistor Ignition Unit?

Isn't that silver box to the left of the fuse box and a little bit higher called a Transistor Ignition Unit and is that what you mean by Ignition Relay?

My 78 had been hard to turn over for a few days and I was thinking this unit may have been on the fritz. Lately I sometimes hear a weird hum from the fusebox direction when I turn my key to the ON position in addition to the clunk you normally hear.

I've look in the MSA and VB catalogs for this part but can't find anything listed. Is a used one or Nissan my only options?

 

[bakachan]

no ignition relay is the one thats

upside down. up above the electronic ignition
its also alot smaller than the electronic ignition box

 

[skidderhitter]

Re: no ignition relay is the one thats

if it would stop freakin' raining and snowing i could do something about it, but something about working in the freezing cold dark with a flashlight in the mouth is just not appealing. thanks for the help, i know its not the battery cables, they are pretty new and amazingly clean... getting plenty of hot to the starter there. good thing these cars push start easy, i think a two year old could do it. i'll see if i can find the danged relay, see if it gets a hot when the igswitch is on.