[poison heart]

I started hooking back up all the stuff under the hood today and ran into a problem. According to the Pontiac shop manual and my wiring there is one big black wire to the starter and one little purple one. There are 2 little posts on the starter. I think I have it on the right one which is the "bottom" post. When I turn the key the dome lights and the headlights and the windshield wipers work but no starter.

I did switch my car from an auto to a 4 speed. Could my car be thinking it's in "drive" and not "park" that's why it won't start? I know the starter worked when I pulled the motor a few years ago.

Suggestions?

[stevep]

You need to find the neutral safety switch wires that were on the switch mounted on the column and connect the 2 terminals together.

That purple wire should run from the ignition switch, to the neutral switch and end at the starter.

[poison heart]

Would this be the piece that bolts onto the colum near the firwall and also has the connector for the turn signals? I broke it off trying get the clutch pedal in. I'm going to look at the manual and see if it has the wiring for that part.

I'm kind of worried about the wires under the dash. A few wires are already cut. Makes me want to just rewire it all myself.

[poison heart]

Ok, It's the brown and purple wires. I hooked them together and now the starter wants to engauge but still wont spin the motor. I swapped out starters and the same thing. Could it be because my battery is too small? Even with my "200 amp" battery charger it still won't turn it over. After I try to start it I see smoke from behind the motor. It doesn't appear to be coming off the starter though. Any ideas on that?

I'm gunna buy a big ass battery tomorrow and see what that does.

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Breaking it didn't hurt a thing, all you need is the two wires.
You may want to rig up a new switch though, one where you have to step on the clutch to crank it. Not really necessary but would be a nice safety feature.
Should be easy to adapt a switch from any late model stick car.

Solenoid engage wire from the ignition switch to the neutral safety switch is brown. It will be easy to identify, just probe it with a test light and turn the ignition switch to crank, if it's the right wire, the test light will light up.

From neutral safety switch out to starter is violet (purple).

To make sure you have the right terminal on the starter, be careful and just bump the terminals one at a time, with a hot wire, see which one engages the solenoid. Make sure car is in neutral and have back tires off the ground. May be overkill, just hate to mess up a new project.

This may help if you don't have it.
http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/t...re5765-330.jpg


You found it while I was typing.

["QUICK-SILVER"]

If the solenoid has two big post on it, jump across them and see if the starter motor will run by itself.

[poison heart]

There's no driveshaft in the car so I'm not too worried!

I looked on the starter and they both have 2 small posts. 1 S and 1 R. the manual says to use the one that says S. other than that there is only one big terminal.

I think the battery is just too dead to turn it all the way over. Connecting the brown and purple wire that went to the safety switch worked. That was my first problem.

I'll rig up a nuetral saftey switch once I know this thing is gunna run.

["QUICK-SILVER"]

The (S) terminal is right.
There should be copper strap coming out of the starter and attached/bolted to the solenoid, where the power comes out of the solenoid and goes into the starter motor when the solenoids engaged. Try jumping across it.

If drivshaft is slip yoke fit, slides in transmission instead of bolting to it, you still don't want to crank it. Rear yoke acts like a bearing for the output shaft.

Seen a few good transmissions messed up, when the output shaft starts slinging around.


(R) terminal is the booster wire that goes back up to coil (+) for extra juice while cranking.

[poison heart]

Ok thanks. But why would the tranny output shaft matter if I'm just running the motor? It's not like im gunna be blowing through gears.

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Just nothing back there to keep it centered. Just like playing it safe.

[poison heart]

I see what you mean.

[poison heart]

It was the battery. Put an Optima in it and it turned over. My ignition is still not working though.

[poison heart]

Just an update, right after I posted the one above I walked around, checked it all, found nothing, tried to start it and it started right up. hahaha Go figure

Runs good now

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Originally Posted by poison heart

I walked around, checked it all, found nothing, tried to start it and it started right up. hahaha Go figure

Been there done that, not really a good feeling. Unless it was a healing ceremony, if that's the case, you're good!

[poison heart]

haha as long as it works now.