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Starter not working all of the time? Let it sit for a while and it pops off. Nine times out of ten it is a bad solenoid. Bad solenoids tend to draw too many amps and over heat. Replacing it with a Nissan unit and your problem should be solved.
If your starter goes bad it can be a real pain to replace. Replacing can require you to remove the intake manifold and carbs at a minimum. Loosening the drivers side motor mount and jacking the engine up to give you more room. The best starter to use is the short nose 2 liter starter. It gives you a bit more manuverability than the standard long nose 1600 starter. If you peer into the drivers side wheel well with the tire off you will notice a triangular brace running from the inner fender to the firewall. I drill out the spot welds and remove this piece. I then fabricated a piece of aluminum to fit back into the spot and bolt it in place. This allows you to remove the starter without removing all of the above items plus it looks better than leaving the piece out completely. Saves a lot of time and energy.
Fuse boxes-there are three different types. The early models up to and including, the 67.5 model has a FOUR PLACE fuse box on the drivers side fender well tucked in by the clutch master. This one is no longer available(NLA) last time I tried to order one. If it is bad you will have to buy used or be creative. The '68 has a SIX PLACE fuse holder in the glove box. The '69 - '70 have a EIGHT PLACE fuse holder also in the glove box.
Poor grounds can kick your butt while trouble shooting. Roadsters have two main ground straps along with numerous other smaller grounds. The two main grounding straps are located as follows: One on the battery side of the motor and one ground strap from the starter to the frame. It is not uncommon to discover this one missing. If you see smoke coming from your throttle cable or choke cables-look for a loose or poor ground.
Brake lights not working? If they do not work at all try unplugging the wires from the brake pedal switch and connecting them together, bypassing the switch. If lights come on the switch is the culprit. These switches have been known to stay on sometimes draining your battery. Switch for the early cars pre 67.5 is located in the engine bay on the firewall and is connected through a junction block in the brake lines. Later cars 67.5 and above had the switch mounted on the brake pedal
For the lights that don't work on either side, unplug the plastic connectors in the trunk, (about 4 inches from the bulb assembly) and clean the contacts really well. Now might be a good time to use some die-electric grease on the connections too. Just a little dab will do ya!
Did you know your ammeter acts as a fusable link? Either you inherited the roadster with this problem or you neglected to disconnect the battery before doing any electrical trouble shooting. Whoa! Where is that smoke coming from and what is that smell? Is your roadster completely DEAD? No lights, no starter, no nothing! Well before you order up that brand new wiring harness at considerable expense, you should know the ammeter is the weakest link in the wiring setup. It can and will act as a fuse in a the right circumstance. Replace the ammeter first and chances are your elelctrical mystery will be solved.
Are you are having problems with either your fuel or temperature gauge? In most cases it will end up being the temperature/fuel gauge voltage regulator. This rectangular box is mounted underneath the dash below the steering column. It provides the proper voltage to both gauges. If your fuel gauge does not work and you know you have gas in the tank it could very well be the voltage regulator. Also if the gauge bounces around erratically it could be the volatage regultor not being grounded. Per Eric LNU "People should know that the regulator metal case IS A GROUND!, and is needed for the regulator to work properly. I got a brand new one, and it was working intermittently until I realized the case was a ground, cleaned the area where it mounts to, and fixed the problem. Probably better to attach a wire to the case where it mounts and run a seperate ground wire. Hope this may help someone w/ a gauge issue!" Make sure to check it with igniton switch on. They are relatively cheap and not that hard to replace. There is an inspection door in the trunk. Remove the four bolts securing it and check the connections there to the gas tank sensor. Same goes for the temperature gauge. Double check the wiring going to the sensor on the engine. For a 2000, the temp sensor is located behind the thermostat and housing. Just follow the top radiator hose back to the engine. There's a spacer block behind the thermostat housing; it has the temp sensor with an electrical contact sticking out (hopefully with a wire connected). If you ground that wire at the engine (with the ignition on), you should get a reading on the temp sender. If not, then you have a short in the wire or a problem with the temp gauge. If you do get a reading, then your problem is the temp sender at the engine. It's an inexpensive part to replace, but often a pain to remove. On a 1600, the temp sensor is on the drivers side of the engine, just behind the water pump.