THoefle36

I've been looking around and I can't find a thread that relates to my setup.

I just traded my miata for this 95 zenki s14 ka24de with 120k. Butttt it's an auto, picking up a tranny today though. The car starts with the key like it should, when I go to turn the car off the lights stay on on my dash, my motor keeps running and if I just let it sit it just stays running. I have to pull a plug on the distributor to get it to turn off.

I was told it was the ignition switch, that didn't fix it. While I was in there I noticed this yellow plug that wasn't plugged into anything and had nothing for me to plug it into, cruise control maybe? idk.
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...i/IMG_8030.jpg
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...i/IMG_9921.jpg

That plug may be irrelevant. Regardless my car wont shut off without me popping the hood and un plugging my distributor. Anybody have a list of possible fixes? I just got the car and have no clue what has been done to it. I'm picking up a new motor and tranny for it today so when I have a bare engine bay I plan to go through it. What should I be looking for?

Mikester

Follow your main harness from the firewall to your fuse box. Look for any grounds that are not connected.

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THoefle36

Awesome, thanks man! I noticed already that my battery ground won't tighten down, like the threads are screwed up or something. Any tips for grounding it out better? Sand it down a bit clean it up and get it real tight? My battery light is always on regardless and I just put a new battery in it and got the alternator and starter tested. They are fine so I'm hoping it's just grounds.

mechanicalmoron

It's not the battery groung, that would just make stuff not work right, or make it not run at all - not get stuck on.

Does the battery drain if you leave it "off", but with the battery still hooked up? You say dash lights stay on?

THoefle36

I haven't tested leaving the battery connected with the car off. Didn't want it to die on me at a bad time. I get out un plug the distributor and the motor turns off. If I don't disconnect the negative terminal the lights on my dash stay on. Not only that but the red battery light is on. With the car running or shut off. It's always on.

mechanicalmoron

The battery light is your alternator light.

So, I'd guess you somehow have a short from the live alternator wire, to something past your ignition switch...

The alternator light SHOULD be on when the car's off, because the alternator is not spinning, and thus, not alternating.

it may just be a coincidence, and the light might be on in error, or your alternator might really be malfunctioning, though at least it must be charging your battery.

I guess get a multimeter and the FSM and start hunting for wires.... look for why the ignition wire is staying hot after you turn the key off. First thing to do is probably check the switch to see that it's functioning, and something didn't slip or jam the contacts together in the "on" position (on would make sense if they engineered the fail position into it, better to not be able to turn your car off, than to not start it).

THoefle36

Any other input guys?

sleepyS14se

you have a constant 12v power supply going to your ignition switch/ or ignition electronics.

you need to find what is supplying the igntion switch with a constant 12v. as soon as you find that your problem will go away.

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95 S14 se RB25DET 348whp

THoefle36

Awesome, thanks guys. Since I posted this I threw a rod and have pulled the motor so it'll be much easier to go through everything.