stape931

hi. i need some help real bad . anyone know much about basic wiring of a starter? i know it sounds simple . here is my problem . i have a 1965 impala ive been working on for a while now. it has a chevy small block, 305.stampings show its from 1978 . a few months ago i took the wiring harness out to clean up and really do some engine work. i thought no big deal. i recorded on video and took pictures of where everything goes . so i get everything done and put all the wiring where i think they go and nothing . when i turn the key not even a sound . no clicking. nothing. . so i looked at wiring diagrams for 65s online and the wires match up somewhat. the frustrating thing is . is that theres only six different wires on that half of the wiring harness. the blue goes to the oil warning unit. the black/orange to the blower motor. the dark green and black/light green goes to the temperature gauge. which leaves the purple and black. the problem is the diagrams show a wire going to a coil and then the starter. and then the black and purple going to the starter . my ignition system does not contain a coil . it has a HEI style distributer. the starter has three different locations to hook up your wires. im smart enough to know the large one is the power to the battery. then there is the one on the inside close to the actual block and one outside closest to the exhaust. i have tested the battery starter and alternator . and everything is good to go . the volt meter shows 12 volts when i turn the ignition. but like i said . im getting nothing. can someone with some general wiring knowledge please lend a hand and let me know what i can do. how do i wire this thing . like i said i have a red with orange stripe , blue,dark green , black with light green stripe., black and purple. am i missing a proper ground. i currently have a ground running from the battery to the alternator bracket. or do i need one somewhere on the actual block itself. ? HELP

kevinkpk

Ok, on the starter solenoid, the purple wire should got to the small terminal on the left as you look at it. That is from the switch. The other small post is for hei. It sends full 12 volts at starter crank to the hei, then the hei is fed from a resistive source.

stape931

ok so purple wire to the outside closest to exhaust ? and other small post goes to the hei . But what exactly is the resistive source ? i guess its hard for me to understand because it was never hooked up that way. is there anyway you can send some kind of pic or diagram ? thanks for the help.

kevinkpk

With the starter installed the inside closes to engine is the purple wire. The way hei works at least in this part, when the starter solenoid is engaged i.e starter is turning, the hei gets full battery voltage. After the solenoid is disengaged, there is another voltage source to the hei through a resistor, hei couild burn up over time with full battery voltage to it, or at least thats the theroy.

stape931

ok so purple wire hooked up . power wire hooked up. now even without any hook up to the HEI the starter should still engage or click over. right ? im trying to narrow it down . even hooked up it wont click over. i have found the plug for the HEI . looking through my photos and videos i found the connector for it. i plugged it up thinking GREAT I FOUND THE MISSING LINK! remember this is how it was all plugged in before when it started and ran fine. but nothing. i just dont get it. only thing i can think now is that maybe there is a problem with the ignition switch or maybe the fuse block that it all runs to. any more advice would be great . i really do appreciate it. i would have never even found the HEI connection had you not mentioned it.

kevinkpk

I am pretty sure the purple wire is to the left post. Take a screwdriver with the key switch off, and wheels chocked, in park, and touch across the purple wire terminal to the battery post, it should engage the starter. Also don't get the screwdriver to the engine or ground while doing this. I could be wrong on the pruple wire post. The solenoid should have an S and an R on the posts, purple wire to S. I'd suggest swap the two, it won't hurt anything if they are wrong.

stape931

AH i see. i hooked up the purple wire to the terminal closest to the block itself and ran that test. the starter did engage. so i know i dont have a starter issue. but makes me just wonder. if everything is hooked up right why am i not getting a start up when i turn the ignition. which i think now maybe i have a problem in the fuse panal . would it be safe as a test to cut the purple wire and run it to the fuse panal inside the car in the ignition slot. or would that just be a dumb thing to do ?

kevinkpk

I'd not cut anything, do you have a voltmeter?

stape931

yea i do . im starting to think it might be the ignition switch. ive been looking online and seeing the symptoms. have tested everything . good battery good starter good alternator. everything wired properly ( at least i think , kinda simple on this car) i dont know if the distributor is bad , i dont know how to test it . but like i said . shouldnt the starter kick even if the distributor was bad ? but nothing. i can probably replace the ignition switch and go from there. but your right . id bet not cut no wires

stape931

ok ran a quick test. got my voltage tester(i know there is a proper name for it, cut me some slack) i took the purple wire off the starter ran it up so i can test it. took my aftermarket voltmeter and ran the positive end and then the ground . volt tester showed 11.7 volts which was the correct showing on the gauge. now i ran the ground to some metal in the dash and ran the positive end of the tester to the end of the purple wire, held it in place and cranked it like i was trying to start it while watching the tester. 00.00 nothing. so im thinking ive pretty much narrowed it down . any ideas? bad wire? ignition switch? next test will be to replace the wire from the outside firewall (where the purple would go ) and then run the same test . but anymore ideas on what anyone feels it could be would be great . thanks again for the helpfull tips and suggestions.