Please help. I just installed a new starter motor for my 1968 Olds Delmont 88 (455 engine).

When I hook up the battery it sparks at the battery and some at the starter. Smoke too.

I tightened the wires and the sparking went down a bit but still smoking and the positive terminal was very hot, in just seconds.

I thought I wired the three wires right. Any ideas what is going on? I did not even try to start the car right.

I hooked up the large-red wire to the large bolt the small black ones like the old starter. Should I switch the two small black ones to see if that makes a difference?

 

It sounds like your battery cable on the starter is grounded out, touching another wire or the starter or solinoid housing. Be sure none of the wires contact each other or anything metal. They should only make contact with the post they are attached to. You should have 2 small wires. I think one is purple and one is yellow. The purple goes to "S" on the solenoid and the yellow goes to "R". If you cant see the colors clean them with a solvent. to be sure which is which.
However if your battery cable is grounded it should have sparked/shorted out as soon as you reconnected it to the battery. There is a chance the solenoid is bad.
Did it do this just when you put the battery cable on the battery?

 

Thank you Steve. Yes, when you put the battery cables back on the battery.

You were right. I went ahead and removed the new starter motor and realigned the red-wire that comes from the battery. Moved it more away from the firewall and retightened. Then re-installed. This time no problem. And wa-la, starts up again with lots of power!

 

By the way, the brand was a Delco-Remy. Is this good and are some starter brands better than others. Very happy with it.