Starter wiring issue

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JJB
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 8:17 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Starter wiring issue

Post by JJB »

Looks like I have a bit of a problem with the wiring to the starter in my 65. It began the other week when I went to drive the car and turning the key I got nothing from the engine. The electric fuel pumped kicked it, but not even a click from the starter.

After having the battery tested and proved to be good, I've put the car up to test the starter. Jumped the starter from the battery and it worked, so it looks to be a wiring issue as the purple wire looks pretty ragged and not in good condition.

I can't see where this wire goes to, doesn't seem to be in the engine compartment from what I can see, any ideas of where to trace the wire to and a replacement for it?

Thanks for the help.
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1965 Corvair Monza vert. 110 in "please run into me" white
2005 Mazdaspeed Miata
2012 mazdaspeed 3
joelsplace
Posts: 1950
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 12:51 pm
Location: Northlake, TX

Re: Starter wiring issue

Post by joelsplace »

It is part of a 2 wire harness with the yellow wire. There is a plug in the engine compartment. Clark's has them.
The purple wire looks ok in the picture.
157 Corvairs, 5 Ultravans and counting
Northlake, TX
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terribleted
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Re: Starter wiring issue

Post by terribleted »

Could very well be a battery connection issue or a starter solenoid issue.
Corvair guy since 1982. I have personally restored at least 20 Vairs, many of them restored ground up.
Currently working full time repairing Corvairs and restoring old cars.
https://www.facebook.com/tedsautorestoration/

Located in Snellville, Georgia
JJB
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 8:17 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: Starter wiring issue

Post by JJB »

joelsplace wrote: Sun Nov 22, 2020 1:22 pm It is part of a 2 wire harness with the yellow wire. There is a plug in the engine compartment. Clark's has them.
The purple wire looks ok in the picture.
Found the part on Clark's site, just need to get in there and find the connector to the main wiring harness to see which one is in my car as there's 4 options shown in the catalog.

terribleted wrote: Sun Nov 22, 2020 4:05 pm Could very well be a battery connection issue or a starter solenoid issue.
I tested with the starter installed and the battery connection hooked up to it, just the purple and yellow wired pulled off. I used a jumper cable to hit the purple wire connection on the solenoid and the starter ran. That's the wire after I pushed it back together, the black heat wrap was crimped at a 90 degree angle and had pulled apart and had exposed wiring.

Should have some time today to root around in the back and hopefully figure out which one to order to replace the wire.
1965 Corvair Monza vert. 110 in "please run into me" white
2005 Mazdaspeed Miata
2012 mazdaspeed 3
joelsplace
Posts: 1950
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2010 12:51 pm
Location: Northlake, TX

Re: Starter wiring issue

Post by joelsplace »

Unless the connection is bad exposed wire isn't a problem. You have exposed terminals right there already.
157 Corvairs, 5 Ultravans and counting
Northlake, TX
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Deadwolf
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2020 3:26 am

Re: Starter wiring issue

Post by Deadwolf »

Could be a bad ignition switch or relay in the system. That purple wire should have 12 volts on it when the ignition switch is in start. Then goes to 0 when you are in run mode. You electric fuel pump gets power off a contact that has power when the car is in start and run. The yellow wire goes to your coil as a buy pass of the resistor wire, if you still have it, to put a full 12 bolts on the coil when cranking but then goes dead and let’s the brown wire on the coil take over with a lower voltage of about 7 VDC so you don’t burn up your points.
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JJB
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 8:17 pm
Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: Starter wiring issue

Post by JJB »

I could just kick myself.

So I replaced the starter wire harness and no luck. I tested voltage from the battery to the starter, to the main wiring harness connector, from the coil pack, at the starter when the ignition is in the start position. I tested with turning the lights on and cranking the car, seeing if I had any other electrical issues which may help identify where the problem was. I took the battery to get tested again.

I moved the gear selector from N to R and back into N, the car then cranked.
1965 Corvair Monza vert. 110 in "please run into me" white
2005 Mazdaspeed Miata
2012 mazdaspeed 3
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terribleted
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Re: Starter wiring issue

Post by terribleted »

Worn out or corroded neutral safety switch
Corvair guy since 1982. I have personally restored at least 20 Vairs, many of them restored ground up.
Currently working full time repairing Corvairs and restoring old cars.
https://www.facebook.com/tedsautorestoration/

Located in Snellville, Georgia
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