280zx troubles

"Hey Julie" (hey-julie)
09/07/2016 at 11:32 • Filed to: None

Good morning oppo, last night I went out to my 1981 280zx to go pickup my roommate from jail and I realized that I had left an interior light on and my battery was dead. After a jump, I drove down the hill in front of my house and the car died again. I re-jumped it and noticed that turning the headlights on drops the RPM enough to kill the engine. Even idling with an interior light on slowly drained the battery. My assumption is that this is an alternator issue and the battery is simply not charging after the jump start but I figure it could also be a really gnarly short somewhere. Brake lights and parking lights also drop the RPM but by a lower amount. I don’t think the battery is the issue although I have no idea how old it is so I could be wrong. What say you oppos?

DISCUSSION (14)

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Hey Julie
09/07/2016 at 11:35

Get the battery tested first.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Hey Julie
09/07/2016 at 11:40

I went out to my 1981 280zx to go pickup my roommate from jail

This story usually ends with both in jail.

crowmolly > Hey Julie
09/07/2016 at 11:40

Sure sounds like a bad alternator or loose connection

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Hey Julie
09/07/2016 at 11:45

Sounds like a bad alternator, but could be the battery. I had a battery once where one of the plates broke and caused an internal short in the battery and it acted a lot like what you’re describing. I’d take the battery to Autozone or something first and have them test it. If thats not it, then probably the alternator.

Forge Crown Victor! > Hey Julie
09/07/2016 at 12:09

Sounds like the battery is drawing so much power from the alternator to charge it is causing the engine to die out. drive the car around town for 25 minutes or better yet interstate for 20 minutes. The higher rpms will allow the battery to charge more effectively. If that doesn’t help go to the local parts store and have them check stuff out. Most national chains do that stuff for free

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
09/07/2016 at 12:13

You can’t just start a story like that and then not elaborate.

Cé hé sin > Hey Julie
09/07/2016 at 12:27

Never mind the car. What’s the story with your room mate and jail?

Klaus Schmoll > Hey Julie
09/07/2016 at 13:00

Had similar things happen to me with a Mazda. Interiour light drained the battery and it needed a jump, drove it around to recharge it, but as it was old it never recovered from the complete discharge. This is how they die. Dropped in a new one and never had any trouble again. So I’d check that out first before even considering the alternator.

Or maybe the car just wanted to let your room mate rot a little longer?

My bird IS the word > Hey Julie
09/07/2016 at 13:06

All the major chains will check your battery for free. Alternators are often easy to replace as well, my friends 280z’s alternator was 40 some dollars I think (may have been rebuilt, but rebuilt is fine)

Hey Julie > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
09/07/2016 at 13:27

Roomie got pulled over for speeding and he had empty beer cans in the car which led to a full search and the officer found a tab of LSD left over from a phish concert in Denver last weekend. Hello felony charges

Hey Julie > Cé hé sin
09/07/2016 at 13:28

See my reply to SM-70 above

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Hey Julie
09/07/2016 at 13:44

The good news is that assuming your roommate doesn’t otherwise have a record, that is the kind of thing that will most likely get plead down to something not a felony/pay a fine, do some community service and check in with your probation officer for awhile.

The Compromiser > Hey Julie
09/07/2016 at 18:53

I love this site. A lede like that and everyone focuses on the mechanical issue.

Hey Julie > Hey Julie
09/07/2016 at 23:10

Update: tested the battery and it was bad so they gave me a new one under warrenty, tested the alternator and it was bad too so I ordered one that comes in tomorrow morning