Big Dawg

Okay so I had tried to turn on my car the other day and my starter wouldn't click over or try to turn. So I had a buddy turning the key in the ignition while I gently tapped the starter from the under side.

Well it started to crank but with some tiny sparks coming out of the brown wire at the starter, looked as if the wires were exposed a bit.

The car had not been started in almost 9 mths. So I decided to pull the starter and fix the wiring on the starter. Well me in my infinite wisdom over tightened the 12v bolt and broke it right out of the solenoid. So after getting a new re manufactured starter from ac delco I got it all wired and bolted up and turned the key and "NO POWER" ... I noticed I the 12v cable that goes from battery terminal to the starter the end on the starter has a bend in it now...almost an L shape ..... could this be causing it not to start??? Would a bend like that break the cable at the contact point under black plastic of wire??? Also is the brown wire on starter the wire from ignition or is it a ground wire???

How many wires are supposed to be on the starter??? When I pulled the old starter down there were only 2 wires. But on the starter there are 3 screws ...2 small ones and 1 big one (12v).

please help.

Please help.

oldcutlass

There should be 1 red battery cable and 2 smaller wires. What it sounds like to me is you have the 2 smaller wires swapped. The purple wire is the one that activates the starter from the key switch (S terminal). The other wire runs from the starter (Labeled I or R) to the coil positive post to bypass the ignition resistor wire and provide full battery voltage to the points ignition to start.

MDchanic

The two smaller wires are yellow and purple, though either may look brown after years of use. You should clean them with some thinner so you know which one is which.


Do you mean the cable or the terminal end?
The factory terminal is L-shaped. I don't see how you could put a 90° bend in the cable and still have enough length to connect it to the starter.


The ignition wire is purple.
The wire to the distributor is yellow.
Ground is though the starter base to the engine block.


Three, as noted: Yellow, Purple, and the heavy one to the battery, but someone may have (unnecessarily) removed the yellow wire to the distributor if the installed and electronic ignition system.

- Eric

Allan R

Just curious why replace the whole starter when all that's needed is a new solenoid.

Big Dawg

Thanks guys......i will look for a third wire ..... i think it's from the coil.....just strange that when I pulled the old starter motor I swear it only had 2 wires connected to it.....unless the second small one broke off......but the screw had no small eyelet on it

My car wouldn't have a HEI ignition would it....i will change out the black 12v wire to a red one while I am at it.

The reason I changed out the entire starter and not just the solenoid was because I have a buddy that works at a local parts store and he got me combo for the price of jus the solenoid...brand new in box.....couldn't say no....and a $20 core.

Big Dawg

Thanks guys....i found the yellow wire from the coil.....it was about halfway up inside the engine compartment. I just redid the wire from the positive coil plug and hooked one end the R of the starter.....and the car fired right up.

Thanks again

rustyroger

And thank YOU for letting us know what the problem was and how you fixed it.
The Erics will be pleased to know they could help you, and the simple courtesy of saying thanks is much appreciated.


Roger.

MDchanic

Glad you got it fixed!

'Ev'nin', Roger.

- Eric

rustyroger

Morning, Eric .


Roger.

oldcutlass

Your quite welcome, glad it's fixed. It's great when people post what got their issue corrected to let current/future people see a process.

76olds

[QUOTE=rustyroger;755222]And thank YOU for letting us know what the problem was and how you fixed it.
The Erics will be pleased to know they could help you, and the simple courtesy of saying thanks is much appreciated.

The 2 Eric's help out so much here and often don't get the recognition they deserve, Its nice to see a thanks. You can always count on these guys I give them a 10 star rating.
Cheers to the pair of Eric's for saving us alot of time and money !!!

oldcutlass

....passes $5 to 76olds for the plug

76olds

Ah thanks Eric, could I get that in summit bucks our dollar is taking a bad hit rite now lol. You guys are awesome I owe you guys big time. You can't put a price tag on the help you guys give me and others.
Put-r-ther
Cheers!!!

MDchanic

Thank you.

I just hate to see people making the same mistakes I made a long time ago.

- Eric