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What would cause loss of all power [electrical]

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RickB

RickB

Yoda
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I started out to work this morning and when I came to a stop at the first intersection everything died.

I turn the key off & on and it's all dead. No lights, no fan, no nothing. Rolled it back to the curb. Fortunately I can work from home when the need arises.

Battery cables are firmly connected to the battery.
I'll bet something has shaken loose & came apart somewhere.
I'll have to dig into it this afternoon.
 
Fuse Box - Green Connections - Sandpaper -
 
If he retained the stock configuration, check that the big brown wire is still connected at the solenoid post.
 
Ahh, my bet is on the big brown wire.
 
I will go take a look right now.
Big Brown Wire might need a bit -o- tightening up.
 
All the vibration might have loosened things up.
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

Trevor Jessie said:
All the vibration might have loosened things up.
Click to expand...

Yes I believe you are right on there Trevor, funny thing I turned the key on & then started moving things around - everything came back on without me actually pinpointing the problem.

This weekend I hope for sunshine. I'll be under that hood with my needle nose pliers tightening everything up.
I adjusted the carb a bit while I was there. It's been hard to keep running when cold, so I turned in the top adjustment screw and then opened it up until idle started speeding up then back down until it started gasping then out a bit so it ran smooth again. That really made a big difference. I really don't like this hitachi very much, but the intake manifold for an A15 to bolt on a pair of SU's is very hard to find. I'm all over the datsun forums & searching ebay Australia - one will come up eventually & it will be mine.
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

I think there is a big spade connector for the brown leads that attaches to the battery wire at the solenoid post. Try cleaning/tightening it first, then work out from there.
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

Thanks Trevor, I'll do just that! Maybe this afternoon - we are having a sunny day!
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

Tell me about it. 70 degrees and sunny here, and my car is tied up in the paint booth. I hope to get some free time this weekend and get it sprayed. If not, I'll need to roll it back out and unmask it because my dad needs the paint booth next week.
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

Rick
Check and clean both of your battery terminals and connectors- it has been warm lately (upper 50's) and the humidity has probably caused corrosion to form. Pull off the two connectors and clean them thoroughly and you should have far less problem in the future.
Bill (in the warm south of Renton)
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

Thanks Bill, if we get some dry time tomorrow I'm going to give everything a real going over.
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

I saw a link to this over in the MG forum.
Seems like it really fits this thread:

Lucas, Prince of Darkness

"I love the little wisps of smoke that escape from my lucas wiring at random intervals. Reminds me of my humanity / mortality and makes me think I really ought to have a fire extinguisher in the cockpit."
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

RickB said:
I really don't like this hitachi very much, but the intake manifold for an A15 to bolt on a pair of SU's is very hard to find. I'm all over the datsun forums & searching ebay Australia - one will come up eventually & it will be mine.
Click to expand...

Hey!! I also have an A15 powered Spridget (Bugeye) with twin Hitachi "SU's" and would be very interested in hearing about your set-up and seeing pics of your car too.

Have you had any axle issues? I keep twisting them and actually snapped one in half last week. I'm thinking about doing the RX-7 rear end swap, but just haven't found the time or money yet.

Here's a quick shot of my engine.....the PO did a whacky job on the air cleaner. The filter assy is from a Suzuki Samaurai of all things. Can't wait to get regular looking air cleaners on it!

6649_.jpg
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

Hi mrsprite,

Good to find another A15 powered Spridget owner!

I hope my Midget doesn't have the same troubles re the axle.

How do you like those Hitachi's? I'd much rather have those than the downdraft I have now. Wanna trade? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

Here's pics of my engine bay
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

RickB said:
Hi mrsprite,

Good to find another A15 powered Spridget owner!

I hope my Midget doesn't have the same troubles re the axle.

How do you like those Hitachi's? I'd much rather have those than the downdraft I have now. Wanna trade? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
Click to expand...

Hey Rick,

Definitely cool to find another A15 owner too.....I know there are others out there as well. I even found a '75 or '76 Midget in a junkyard with an A14 or A15 set-up! Unfortunately, the stupid place crushed it before I could get back and grab parts.

As far as the axles go.....If you are nice to them they will last, but I have a tendency to powerslide on occasion and the axles just don't like that for some reason. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
I have been have differential issues to, but that is unrelated to the axle probs. What ratio are you using? Right now mine is the stock 4.22 only because I blew up the 3.90 that was in it. Yours is a '78.....did it have the 3.73 gears or the 3.90? I would love to get some 3.73's since I do a lot of freeway type driving with it.

The Hitachi SU's are pretty nice. I had issues with tuning them after getting home with it. I bought the Bugeye from a guy in southern California and I live in Colorado....HUGE altitude difference. It ran rough for awhile, but I finally got the bugs worked out and it idles smooth and pulls strong all the way to redline.

Oh yeah.....no trades man! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif Keep looking for a manifold.....one will pop up eventually. Heck, I may even have one in my box of spares that came with the car! I'll take a look and will let you know what I find.
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

Cool, I''ve joined a couple Datsun / Nissan forums & the guys there tell me the things are hard to come by especially in the US. The cars were not imported with the dual SU carbs.

If you have an intake manifold for the A15 that thakes sidedraft carbs of any kind I'd be very very interested!

Thanks!
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

Oh, I haven't a clue about my cars rear end or anything.
Apparently I have the Nissan A15 motor and some 4 speed Nissan transmission. I bought the car on feel and low price, thinking I could recoup what I spent if I didn't like it.
Now I drive it to & from work every day - 70+mpg on the freeway with lots of hill climbs & it runs like a champ.
Have to keep the nuts & bolts tight apparently /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

Speaking of nuts & bolts and how I hate this Hitachi downdraft...

Today it was running particularly bad, so I opened up the hood to take a look.

The carb was about to leave the vehicle.

The back two screws were very loose where it connects up to the base and the front fasteners don't seem to be there at all. I haven't a clue where they go or how they attach but if I grab the top of the air cleaner I can rock the whole carb forward & back. Talk about your vacuum leak :smile:.

I will do what I can to tighten things before attempting to drive home from work today. It's very scary these days, not knowing what else is very very loose on the car.
 
Re: What would cause loss of all power [electrical

Wow! A loose carb is definitley not a good thing.....at least you caught it before it fell off! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

It might be a good idea to take a wrench to everything and give it a turn or two. About a month or so ago I was driving my Bugeye and made a left hand turn.....the light was green and I didn't slow down. As soon as I finished th eturn the whole front end started shaking.....I immediately pulled over and discovered that the lugnuts on the right front wheel came loose.....all of them!

Anyway....no luck on the manifold. There are a couple in the box of stuff, but they look like stock Spridget manifolds. The more I look at the manifold on my car the more I think the PO made it himself. Do you have any pics of the Datsun manifold? That may help me figure it out.

Oh yeah....remember, 'righty-tighty, lefty-loosey'. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
 
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