Hi, I'm new here and new to owning a zed.. I have just bought what I have been told is tomonator 1990 300zx tt.

Got it home tonight and been going over her. Found some issues. The first being the boost gauge on the dash isn't reading anything. Just sits in the centre on the 0 line.

Next I switch on the headlights to find firstly that the dash doesn't light up, secondly that the sidelights come on (round ones) but not the headlights themselves (rectangle ones) now I do eat my carrots but i can see this being a little dim at night.

Has anyone any idea what this could be. Forgot to mention that the rectangle lights work when put on main beam but not dipped.

Also, under the dash light panel on the right of the column, where the power light comes on when gearbox set to power. There is what looks like an aftermarket rocker switch. It illuminates when the headlights are on but when switched doesn't seem to do anything??

Hoping I haven't just bought an electrical mine field here!?

Other than a few minor scabs appearing, the car drives very well.. Turbos give a nice kick and box is quite smooth..

Nice car but it's got the gremlins about it at the moment..

So pardon the pun, but can anyone throw any light on my dash and headlight situation?

 

Any help greatfully received!

And Tomonator, get in touch please mate, I'd love to have a chat and get some history on the car..

Welcome to the club.

The boost gauge reading 0 will be to do with the boost sensor, in the engine bay right up in the drivers corner. Follow the vac lines from the balance bar to a small black box, will be either faulty or hose split/snapped underneath the box. Round lights are the dipped beam. Rectangle lights are full beam only. Rocker switch will probably be rear fog light.

Welcome to the club and lets get you sorted. Is the dash lights turned up full? there is a switch that can dim them down.

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 201510 yr by Gaz 300

Thanks for ur quick reply guys! I'm impressed! I'll check the boost sensor tomorrow.. As for the headlights, I'm hoping they're brighter than they look lol..

The dash dimmer on this car appears to be a two press switches on the right of the wheel cluster where the headlight switches are. I've pressed the switch up amd down lots of times and nothing is happening. I've covered the gauges to shield them from the outside light but still nothing.. I was told that a previous owner had installed L.E.D lighting for the dash nut no evidence of any kind of illumination at all when I'm switching the lights on.

I just bought a new switch cluster thinking it could be a faulty headlight switch, but i guess that's going in the sparea bucket for now! Lol..

So any ideas on where to start checking next?

Just another quick question, wheres a good place for the oil pressure to hover around on the gauge? This one is around 1 on tick over and gets up to about 3-4 with the concrete boot on.. Is this normal? Engine is very responsive and although it's mildly lumpy every now and then whilst ticking over, it seems to be fine.. Any warning bells here too? Showing 67000 on the odd so I'd hope it would be fairly good under the bonnet..

Remove the drivers light pod, 3 screws under the pod housing and check the bulbs in the rear, 4 green bulb holders oem and 1x black in the rear of the light switch.

There is a possibilty if the dimmer isnt working that the TCU is fubarred, its a fag pack sized opaque box behind the kick panel next to the fuse board, you need to remove the entire plastic panel from accelerator to the door edge and its situated near the bottom along with the fuel pump relay(green)

 

The TCU controls among other things like intermittent wiper speed, the dash lights.

 

Rocker as said above rear fog light, aftermarket so might have been removed after MOT, check for wires under the rear bumper, or the drivers reverse light may have been converted to a fog light.

 

Standard headlights are generally pretty poor and likely need a clean inside the housing and the projector lens itself, most of us upgrade to H3 HIDs, which make a world of difference

Ahhhhh! I have seen a grey wiring connector hanging just behind the bonnet release catch. Would this be anything to do with the TCU?

I've also been given the HID kit for the headlights but no instructions on how to connect them.. Is this a simple job? Or am I likely to see blue streaks at some Point? Lol..

Also can you clarify the drivers light pod? Are we talking about the pod with the headlight switch in it?

If the lights that backlash the clocks etc aren't working too, would this indicate the TCU? Or could it be a faulty dimmer causing it all?

They grey plug hanging down near the bonnet release is the diagnostic port, HID are plug and play get the 5-6k and you wont get the blue look. The two wires from the ballast connect to the lamp plug and the HID lamp from the ballast into the lamp socket, then you will need to look at either earthing out one side to stop the HIDs going off when you flash the mainbeams or dong the proper solution, which can be found in the tech faq section under electrical.

 

Driver pod with the switch yes, the dimmer switch itself is unlikely to be faulty, but the TCU is responsible for the dimming.

There can be burnt tracks on the board which cause issue with the lighting, i had a track burnt out on mine once and lost all dash lights/pod lights, so TCU out to check.

Thanks for all ur suggestions guys, can't actually believe the amount of knowledge there is in here! Obviously been a lot of experience..

I'm just starting out with these and to be honest I think I may have been dazzled by the performance enough to miss a few faults. A couple of which I've just noticed after checking some of the suggestions given by your good selves..

The guy that sold me this car obviously failed to let me in on a few of its problems.. I moved the wiper blades this morning as the windscreen was wet and found the blades are knackered and falling of the wipers.. I'm fairly certain that's an not fail but the Mot was done 16th last month with no advisories? Also whilst under the bonnet I found the source of the non working turbo boost gauge to be a hose that had popped off the pipework going over the back of the engine.. So hooray now the oil pressure gauge and turbo gauges seem to work a lot better.. However, whilst leaning over and looking for the small sender unit suggested in the first reply to this thread, I discovered a large cracked rust spot on the inner wing behind the suspension mount. Approx 5 inches across and looking like the first pothole I find is going to rain bits of my inner wing all over the road! Also a painted over previous repair, looking like a filler job, on the passenger side too.

I'm failing to see how the Mot is straight right now.

So my next question is... Does anyone know of a good body restorer that specialise in the 300zx? It's looking like engine out, cutting tools, welders and a prayer are desperately needed now! Being a peaceful type of guy I'm restraining the urgent need to go back to the seller and twist off his head right now..

Didn't get far enough in to checking the TCU but it appears the pods on both sides have been tampered with as they are loose fitting.. Something else I failed to notice in my excitement..

I was given a small electrical box with a metal backing plate with 4 bolt holes for mounting which I believe may be a spare TCU. I think the guy said it was a TPU but his accent was quite thick so may have misheard him..

Anyone know how I can contact tomonator? He was a previous owner apparently, so he may have some valuable insight in to its history.. Ive tried to contact him but the site won't allow it as I'm new here..

If anyone has a moment they can give me some advice over the phone, or anyone around the bedfordshire area could come take a look and give me an opinion I would be most grateful for the help.. As right now I'm lost as to where to go with this car. As it's supposed to be my everyday vehicle now it's getting quite worrying after selling my old car to buy one that could be off the road until I'm drawing a pension!

Are you sure that was his user name as there is no tomonator listed in the members list?

Some info on the TCU ( time control unit) location in the pic is from the US so pass side showing in pic, but ours is drivers side where i said.

 

http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?175356-where-abouts-is-the-the-dash-lights-tcu-located&highlight=tcu

Fairly certain and he was online last night in the forum? He was reading a post. His profile picture is a guy dressed in a bear suit with a dark face, I can't tell from the picture if he's a black guy or it was just make up for the bear suit..

Regards of the car is G584CLK

Lol Just realised I did put the wrong name, it was tomomontana.. Don't know where the tomonator came from.. Doh!

Yea his name is dave I believe?

Lol, now know who you mean :biggrin:

Any idea how I can contact him groover? Really need help with this car, or I'm fearing it's gonna be a breaker..

Where's the best place u know to get bodywork sorted at a good price? I'd attempt it myself but don't want to ruin it so, gonna have to pay.. Just don't wanna end up with crap job and it needing doing again in six months. Ain't got a fortune to spend either, if I'd really seen the cars faults I'd have run a mile or payed half as much!

I have sent him a PM asking to post on this thread, did you not have his contact details when you bought the car?

I have sent him a PM asking to post on this thread, did you not have his contact details when you bought the car?

 

He didn't buy it off Tomo, Graham (I don't think....) - he was just told it used to be his Zed.

 

I think...!

Hello mate.

Sorry to hear your having trouble with my old zed mate.

I sold it over a year ago to a polish chap from Oxford.

I did see it up for sale on eBay for £1000 more than I sold it for with the only change being the wheels painted black.

If you want to contact me mate then call me on 07794317206 and I will do my best to help as far as I can.

hi dave, yes i bought it from the polish guy. i didnt pay what he advertised it for, i gave him £3350, i may have still slipped up a little but i certainly wouldnt have paid out £4700 on it after viewing it. its a nice looking car, the interior has been well kept and the motor seems solid, all be it a little lumpy at times but im sure a tune and service would cure that.

ill give you a call tomorrow as ive only just seen this message and im sure your not up for a midnight conversation lol..

 

thanks for getting in touch, i will definitely value any help and info you can give..

yes mondo is right, the guy i bought it from bought it from tomomontana, i was given his name by the guy i bought the car from.

thanks for your help contacting him, at least i might get some honest answers from him, the guy i bought it seemed a nice guy, im thinking maybe he just wasnt aware of the cars problems as they arent obvious if you dont know what youre looking at.. its a shame i just didnt notice the problems myself as id maybe have walked away or paid much less..

Im sure you will get it sorted with no major dramas :thumbup1:

Well after having a good think about it, and had some quotes foe the car to be squared up, I've actually decided to sell her on. Theres nothing majorly wrong with the car, drives superbly but i want to start out with one that's had no bodywork done previously and has never rusted.

I've actually bought a new vehicle and will be flying up to collect it from Aberdeen on Saturday morning.

Nice 550 mile drive home, so that should show up any driver train imperfections! Lol..

Tomomontana's old car is in my opinion a very nice looking car,drives well and has been previously well looked after, it's previous owner has let it go a little but hopefully she'll go to a.new home with an owner that will take good care of her.

Edited July 1, 201510 yr by groover
registered user selling

Sorry bud, had to edit your thread, you have to be subscribed to sell in the club :thumbup1:

OK it's fine, I did send an email to the club to ask if there is a subscription fee, never got a reply yet so just assumed confusingly that there were no fees.. Can u send me the details on how to subscribe and I'll get it sorted..

Can't see anywhere to subscribe on the site..

Here you go and paypal is the quickest mate.

http://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?172326-Club-Subscription