Hi all,

 

Need your help diagnosing the problem.

 

Haven't used the car since late Tuesday afternoon (did move it to a different parking space yesterday and all was fine).

 

Just now as I'm trying to start the car nothing happens. All the warning lights come on and when I turn the key to start the car there is a very loud rattling noise coming from the engine. I've never had this before (in any of my previous car) so I don't know what the problem is. I left no lights on, doors open and the alarm/central locking is working fine so I guess that rules out the battery.

 

Anyone here who can enlighten me?

 

I hope to have it sorted quickly as I need the car later this afternoon and tomorrow.

 

All you feedback is appreciated.

 

Cheers,

 

Danny

Danny,

 

Rattling or clicking?

 

Tim

Couldn't be the starter motor could it?? (I'm not a mechanic). I had an old car which used to do that. Try tapping it with a hammer and try and to start it???

Danny

 

I wouldn't rule the battery out if you haven't tried getting a piggy back.

 

Try this and see if there is any difference.

 

Not had enough experience with Zs to know if their starter motors suffer with sticking.

 

Good luck

Danny, sounds like your starter is jammed.

 

In these situations hitting it with a hammer sometimes works.

(the starter is under the car, drivers side for RHD-cars)

 

-Eric

Okay, I was getting there lol.

 

Glasgow tool kit time - give it a smack

 

Tim

Could also be a bad earth not supplying enough juice to turn the starter motor over.

Check the battery connections - both ends (battery and chassis, solenoid etc)

 

Check the temp of the battery terminals after attempting to start the car. If they are hot it is trying to pull a lot of current and usually a sign that the battery is good and there is a bad connection there.

You can probably rule out the battery straight away, as you said Dan the alarm and all is working fine.

 

I had a battery killed by the frost on my Soup(bless it) and first sign that your battery is KO's is the alarm going off constantly because of the voltage drop sensor.

 

Whack that starter Dan, didn't you have this problem recently? Get that starter seen to matey, doesn't sound good and you can get them reconditioned rather than buying new from Nelson rip-off merchants!

 

Good luck mate

Dan

 

Not sure if yours is a manual or auto but if its a manual, and if it is the starter motor, another way of trying to get it working is by puting the car is 1st or 2nd gear and rocking it back and forth.

 

Not implying anything but obviously dont do this if you are on a hill....Sorry...just covering my arse!

Dan,

 

If it is manual, try starting with the clutch depressed apparently there is a proxy switch which affects the starting of the car.

 

Also, it could be your starter relay gone bad! Gulp!

PROBLEM SORTED!

 

With a MEGA THANK YOU to Jeff who came round, sussed the problem and sorted it - all under 1 hour time (which for a Zed is a record!)

 

Turned out to be a bad battery. It probably had one of the cells give the ghost which meant things such as the alarm, lights etc had enough juice to work but when starting there just wasn't enough power there. Went out and bought a new battery (slightly higher amps this time) for £45 and the problem is sorted.

 

Important note to all: the battery model that was in the books at the shop was the wrong type. Please be sure that you get one for the Z32 and not the same as the Z31 (as was stated in the book ran from '86 - '94!)

 

We did give the starter a good bashing before turning to the battery but that obviously wasn't the problem.

 

Once again my greatest appreciation to all of you who responded to this desperate plea for help. Where would one be without all the excellent people of this forum. And once again, Jeff - you're a star!

 

Thanks a million guys!

 

Danny

 

PS - question for UK spec owners: When looking at your battery from the front of your car, is the +ive pole on the left hand side and at the back or is it at the front? Reason for asking is that the first "correct" battery the guy showed us had the poles in the right place (ie. left and right) but not at the back. Mine's a Jap spec so that might be the reason ...

Nice one Dan and Papa Z to the rescue again!

 

I had all this with ATS, right malarkey, they told me the battery I had on the car was for a 200SX according to the book.

 

So they put what the book said was the right battery on and the terminals were at the front and the cables, if I remember correctly, wouldn't reach correctly.

 

They pulled the negative cable off the bulkhead to get it to reach I think. Not a good solution but the battery is a good one so it can stay like that for now.

 

Mine is UK by the way!

my friend's honda prelude battery died, the alarm, sunroof, powerlocks and windows worked perfectly, even keyless entry and so on, replaced the battery and worked fine.

Danny mate, glad to see it was nothing major, my battery did exactly the same thing, gave it a jump start and it's never done it again (naughty Z).

 

Any way the the + pole is on the left and towards the back.

 

Vijay

That has happened to me a couple of times, I had a really old battery in my Z and if I left it for a couple of days, it made the same noise, This is because the current in the battery is not high enough to engage the solanoid in the starter motor, even though the voltage reads 12V. The 300ZX needs 570 cold cranking amps to properly engage the starter solanoid (most saloon cars need 350).Had the same problem 2 days ago, so I slung out the old battery and got myself a new 1000 Amp calcium battery for £80. The difference is noticable, I would reccomend it especially for you guys with hungry amps.

 

If your thinking about buying a new battery it doesnt matter which one you go for as long as the power rating for it is above 570 cold cranking amps and it fits in the engine bay, Ideally the higher power the better, it will not damage the electrics or change the engine in any way, but the power reserve is greater and you will get better performance in the HT and ignition system, headlights and stereo. So go and get yourself a real mother of a battery and enjoy.

 

Also the positive terminal is the one nearest the engine, but to be extra sure, identify the negative. Follow the cable back and see which one is also connected to the body of the car.

 

Catch ya later,

 

Amer.

 

[This message has been edited by amerkarim (edited 15-11-2001).]