Tried to start engine - now we have electrical issues

[ZJ 'lane 24]

Hi All,

 

We've managed to install the XE motor into the ZJ and get it all wired up.

 

Tried cranking it into life the other weekend but couldn't get it started.  Worked out that the timing was way out (blow back thru the carby was teh main hint....).  So we re set the timing.  By that stage, there was way too much fuel in the system so we left it for a week.

 

We went to try and start it again, but noticed that the electrics were doing some strange things; the interior light is very dull and the indicators in the dash both light up when you turn the key to the on position.  Now when you try to start it, there is nothing - it won't crank.  We checked the power to the cut off solenoid on the carby with the ignition to on and the test light only just glowed, so there's an earth somewhere.  The battery is fully charged.

 

Any ideas on where to start looking?  We have another harness from a ZK, but we don't wan to pull everything apart just yet.

 

thanks

[Tyler06 266]

Earth straps connected? Definately an earth problem. If in doubt earth it out lol

[bear351c 10,273]

It was working alright before you pulled the dizzy out? Must be those wires. Did it crank, before? Backfire through the carb, sounds like leads may be out of order. Just a coupla thoughts.....

[ZJ 'lane 24]

The motor has never been in the car before (the car actually hasn't had a motor in it since around 1996!!!).  Apparently it was running ok in the donor car.

 

We sourced it earlier last year and detailed it.  Looks like we didn't re-installed the dizzy correctly when we put it back together.  We've reset the timing to tdc and checked the leads.

 

Weird thing is that it cranked ok when we first tried to start it a couple of weeks ago.  Interior lights, blinkers, rear lights and brake lights all worked fine.  And now nothing, it won't even crank.

 

To me it looks like a wire has shorted, but I don't know where to start looking.  I've pulled all the fuses and put them back one at a time.  There's definitely something going wrong with the blinkers, but it appears to be in the internal harness (connecting and un connecting the front harness makes no difference.

[Valvebouncer 2,389]

 

Do the dash lights come on when in acc position only? Do they stay on when you try to crank? Or go out?

 

Sounds like Tyler is on the money with an earth problem,check and clean all connections especially the battery terminals!

[Thom 6,654]

You may need a larger earth or additional earth, you should have at a minimum, earth from battery to engine and engine to the body, I usually add a battery to body earth as well seems to fix alot of electrical gremlins in falcons I've had in the past

[ZJ 'lane 24]

Thank all,

 

We'll get some extra earthing sorted out and report back.

 

cheers

[ZJ 'lane 24]

All fixed!!!!

 

Checked all wires and then ran a huge earth strap from the battery to the chassis.  Double checked the timing and she fired up straight away.

 

Only problem left over now is that the oil pressure gauge works when the key is on, but not when the car is running (?).  Any ideas?

[Thom 6,654]

wire could be broken inside the sheath, jiggle it around with the key on and engine off to see if it acts up