aaron_depue

I recently purchased a 1 gauge battery relocation kit for my 94 Z

I didnt wire it correctly the first time around and burned something up. I turned the key ON...fuel pump , interior ding, ding sound both came on, all sounded good. I tried to start the car and it ticked and now the key ON doesnt work anymore. No fuel pup ect.

I iniatially ran the power from the trunk to the distibution block and connected the starter and alt as well (mistake - i know)

My question is : What did I likely destroy when I tured the key?
All the fuses looked good.


I have since done a little research and ran the power wire from the battery to the starter >> then the OE wire from starter to alt >> then from alt to the distribution block. Battery is grouned to the chasis in the trunk with the ground cable provided

Any guesses? Thanks

timnfxr

Is the battery fully charged? Your initial miswire may have really discharged it. Have you measured the battery output with a voltmeter?

aaron_depue

I checked the battery. I even put another fully charged battery in to make sure.

timnfxr

Are all the block ground wires connected? Is the battery's ground connected to a clean chassis point (no paint or rust)?

What is the voltage at the +12v distribution point measure, using the ground distribution block as the meter's ground reference? Does it read the same with the meter ground to the block?

slick1hunting

does starter turn? If not double check your connections are correct there and if you have power there. If it turns but no fuel pump double check pcm ignition fuse. I have had a contact issue with my fuse and cleaned it and put a little dielectric grease on it and that has helped. Double check the pcm battery fuse also. Are you sure you have a good ground? I am no electrical genious but I suppose I would start tracing were has power and were it is lost. Do you get anything with key on?(lights beeps ect.) Do the other electronics work -lights. Do you have anything to scan it(might show the pcm is still able to communicate with key on)


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aaron_depue

Ground wires : All wiring harness grounds are grounded either to the block or to the unibody. I got out ymy dremel and grinded to bare steel for the conecions.

What about the the part of the wiring harness near the coil... There is a flat brown braided cable the comes out of the wiring harnes right beside the the 2 ground wires that attach to the coil post. What is this brown baided cable? I grounded it....

The starter does not turn. I do not have any power to the car right now. I have yet to hook up any meters to gauge volts or to see if its throwing a code ye. The car is 2 hours from me currently and it will be Thursday before I get back in the area.

timnfxr

Yes, the ground braid goes from the chassis to the right coil stud (driver side stud). The left coil stud has 2 ground terminals with wires that come from the harness you referred to (one terminal has two wires, the other has a single wire).

In it's stock location, the negative battery cable goes to the ground distribution block (which is a tie point for other grounds, and the unibody), and to the engine block. Your battery's negative lead is only connected to the body. Taking the voltage measurements using the two ground reference points I mentioned in post #4 should determine if this may be an issue. If the readings are significantly different, that may be the cause. To confirm that, try using a jumper cable connected to the ground distribution block and clipped to the engine block. See if there's any life with key on (interior lights, idiot lights, etc.).

aaron_depue

Thanks for the pointers. I will poke around on it Thursday and post an update.

aaron_depue

The hoop on the end of the flat braided wire near the coil is not big enough to slide over the coil stud. Does this flat braided wire bolt to the body by chance? I don't have access to a volts meter.

Im thinking I have a ground issue. I have a wire tester tool. I connected the tools ground wire to the battery (-) and when I touched the poker to the body of the car, the light came on. I seems to be grounding out at the starter.

timnfxr

The tester you used is a continuity tester, which only indicated that the negative side of the battery is connected to the body. Yes, the ground braid should be connected to the engine block (at the coil stud) to the body, so that needs to corrected.

However, that single ground braid is inadequate to handle the current drawn by the starter and the rest of the engine electrical systems. That's why the heavy gauge cable from the negative side of the battery is normally connected to the engine block (stud on passenger of block).

The housing of the starter is the negative side of the starting circuit, which is connected (bolted) to the block. So, without the block connected to the negative side of the battery, it will never engage.

I would fix or replace the ground braid to the coil stud. And connect the block (stud where battery (-) normally connects) to the ground distribution block using a heavy cable with eyelets at both ends. Autoparts store should have them.

bw_hunter

Take a look at the fusible links in the wires up near the power diatribution box...well where it was originally...

aaron_depue

So the coil post has 2 grounded to the left post and the braided strap grounded to the right post?

I have the OE heavy gauge ground cable connected to the engine bay post and connected to the engine block (stud on passenger of block by motor mount).

Did I have a wire ran from the battery directly to the fusible link? Currently I have the Battery routed as follows : battery> starter > alternator > fusible link.

timnfxr

^^^ Yes

That's good - the block is grounded.

Are the fusible links and fuse F9 good? Also check the fuses under the hood. Do you get any gauge test lights with key on?

A voltmeter would sure make diagnostics easier.

aaron_depue

I not sure exactly what the fusible link is. Is the fusible link the distribution block where all the (+) wires mount together on the post (red round plastic thing)?

aaron_depue

I have 2 more small ground wires from the harness near the fuse/relay box on the drivers side of the engine bay. I connected those 2 wires with the ground strap to the body (sanded of course). The other side of the braided flat ground strap is to the coil post.

Im not sure where the 3rd ground wire that needs to be mounted to the coil post is at? I just have the 2 ground wires bolted to the coil (there is only 2 in the wiring harness near the coil).