[1965gp]

Working on my dad’s 68 Firebird he just picked up. Barn find, ran when parked…. You know the story.

Put a battery in it and got nothing with the key but did have lights.

Had power to the main terminal on the starter solenoid but nothing coming out of it.

Pulled starter and it had both the purple and yellow wires going to the S terminal- had them wired together. The wires corroded where they were spliced so I ran two new wires and hooked them both up to the S terminal as they were on the new starter. I think the yellow wire might should have gone to the other terminal but was following what was already there.

Replaced plugs and wires, car started to run when you cranked it and would then die. If you hold the key in the start position it will run, just spins the hell out of the starter.

So my question is- does the yellow wire go to the other terminal on the starter or do they both go in the S terminal?

The car has an old (really old) Mallory dual point distributor and it looks like all it has is a ground wire to the coil - is that correct?

The car also has an in line fuse wired in from the black wire going from the harness to the negative side of the coil. It was in bad shape and frayed so I removed it. Should that be there?

It looks like a pink and white wire going to the positive terminal on the coil which I think is correct.

We got to hear it run for a second which is always exciting but I think we fried the new starter….


Thanks for your help in advance!

Jeremy

[PunchT37]

Move the yellow wire. It’s only getting power in start position.

[1965gp]

Thank you, thats what I was thinking.

Room is tight so I think I’m going to order a mini starter, but looks like they don’t use the yellow wire is that right?

[1965gp]

The good news is the car runs, brakes seem to have pressure and all the lights/signals work.

Should have caught the R/S terminal thing but was just following what was there. I ordered the power master starter and they have a pre-made diode to connect to the yellow wire so I ordered that.

[steve25]

If that Mallory has no vacuum advance and the car will not be used for race only then get a Dizzy in there that does have vacuum advance.

[1965gp]

I don’t think it has a vacuum advance and it’s probably never going to be raced.

[steve25]

Then you need to add a Dizzy with vacuum advance to your parts list because your motors tuning needs will be different in terms of setting it up for the best part throttle driving feel an performance.