1990 240 single-cammer power cutout issue

[2IL40via]

hi all! i just recently purchased a 1990 240sx 5-speed with the ka single-cammer in it. when i went and looked at the car...the guy started it just fine... but when i attempted to start it yesterday, it wouldnt even turn over. but my biggest concern is that i realized whenever i have key on and power to the car... if i touch the brake pedal..it kills all the power in the car. Any suggestions or solutions would be greatly appreciated.. thank you

[zeebrah]

As far as not starting or turning over 9 times out of 10 on 240s it's the blue relay box/fuse on the passenger side in the engine bay. Try checking it's plugged in and clean and working... As far as power loss when hitting the brakes no clue...

[Dori90]

you have a short somewhere in your harness..may have something to do with your brake lights..check all your fuses.. if one is burnt then you might have a short somewhere on that circuit

[2IL40via]

thanks for the suggestions:) at work now but im gonna take a look at the fuse tomorrow when im home. just dont understand because he jumped the car there and it started. also if i dont touch the brake and turn the key.. it will click...then its like it resets the whole system. i know its gonna be a pita to fix but once i get past this i can pull the motor and tranny to get started on the cleanup

[s13drob]

Sounds like a alternator issue or dead battery. If you step on the brakes it's gonna drain your battery because its trying to light up the tail lights. Jump the car, Remove the batter cables, and see if it keeps running. If it dies then your alternator is bad. If it runs for awhile then your battery is bad.

[2IL40via]

battery is good...tested it in another car. started the car repeatedly. i wish i could say that was the problem.. i forgot to mention that i had a battery charger hooked up while trying to fire it up. i tried everything from 12v slow charge up to 12v boost. even left it on 12v boost for a solid 10 minutes with key off.still did it.

[s13drob]

In that case check out what zeebra said. You can jump it out to bypass it but I don't have the prints in front of me.

Its the Black with white stripe and black with yellow stripe wires that connect to the (blue?) relay right by the battery.

[2IL40via]

Thank you drob for he info. I'm gonna check it out in the am. I also have to replace the drivers window motor but that's another story. I'm sure ill be posting here soon. I don't expect this brake power loss issue to be an easy fix

[tapdeznutz]

just for shits and giggles...i have the same random problem...just been to lazy to address it but my power terminal at the battery is tight but when i bolted it in/on but it is still loose on the batter terminal...just saying don't forget to check the most obvious...seriously my car starts and runs fine for like a month then 1 day turn the key to start=all power goes out...pop the hook and check the positive terminal=it was loose...still dealing with it until its annoying enough for me to address :)

[2IL40via]

OK so here's the update. Tossed the same exact battery back in, hooked up some jumper cables, and it fired up after 2 cranks.... it even moves under its own power and made it into the garage!! Brake power cutout doesn't happen now (scratches head). It does idle a bit high (1300-1400 rpm) which can be fixed. Gonna be starting a new job here next week so hopefully I can get it up on a lift to sort out the clutch issue. Once I sort that out, then the tear down begins.

[ixfxi]

congratulations!

now that your car works, post up some pics of your 6500k angel eye HID headlights when you're not pink anymore....


:-)