Technical SBC Starter wiring

Hello again, so I'm getting close to firing my goodwrench 350 but I'm getting stumped by the starter wiring on the a.c. delco replacement starter I put on it...its going into a 65 pontiac tempest and has 3 wires removed from the factory 326 2 small connectors and the large battery positive...I'm now going to an hei set up so what wire goes where?? I plan to run a 10 gauge wire from the ignition switch feed the hei 12 all the time....any help is appreciated

 

The wiring diagram I looked at showed the "start" wire as purple, it goes to the small terminal next to block on a Chevy. If the other small wire is yellow you won't need it hooked up with the HEI but it would go to the outside small terminal with a points ignition.

 

That is correct.

 

I've got one purple and one red wire? Its the only 2 coming off of the engine bay harness and go to starter....do I need the red one???no yellow wire found thanks for the quick replies!

 

Does the red wire have a small or large terminal on it?

 

Its red going into the harness and someone at some point put a splice on both purple and red wires and put large connectors on the ends that go to the starter solenoid..is this what you meant by terminals?

 

Also should I splice the pink wire to run a full 12 volts to the hei?

 

It's a good idea to run the HEI off a relay. Have the ignition switch power the relay & the relay power the HEI. The HEI takes a lot of juice. You Ignition switch will thank you !

 

Squirrel is trying to determine if the red wire connects to same lug as Bat+ cable. (by size of terminal) It would take power to key, panel, or bulkhead distribution panel, etc. The purple wire may/should come from the Start lug on key switch or Start Button. It would trigger starter solenoid. The power wire to HEI should provide a full 12v, even during starter cranking. Get a test light or an inexpensive multi meter, if you do not have one.

 

That makes sense why it was hooked up then if it could supply the feed but whoever owned the car before must have only had large terminals because they all have the big ones on them...its a mess. So I just need to find the wire that has 12 v in run position and hook the purple to s terminal on starter so ill have 12 on crank and run? Thanks. Also Pete why is it better to run the hei through a relay?? Could I use an in line fuse a big wire to feed it with a switch??? Just hit the switch prior to firing the engine?

 

The red wire is also heavier gauge

 

A

 

I think I'd be taking that harness completely apart and figuring out what goes where, and then replacing wires as necessary to make sure it's how it's supposed to be.

I only have the 1964 tempest manual, not the 65

 

Thanks a ton this will help out alot ill be pulling the bulkhead connections tomorrow to get to the bottom of this

 

The purple wire has a large eyelet that fits on the large battery cable lug on the solenoid?
You had a running 326 in it not long ago, right? Just lengthen the left side starter wires to reach the passenger side starter. What are we doing with the left side positive battery cable?
Just splice in a 10 ga. wire from the run terminal on the back of the ignition switch, to the HEI +.
Pete E, the relay is not a bad idea, but might be getting in a little deep here..

 

Find the key switch in Jim's diagram.
IGN 1 for HEI.
IGN 2 is for 12v start power when cranking .HEI won't need that. Just cap up and tape back the original coil + wire under the hood.

 

Hey mark thanks alot and yes the 326 came out now I have moved the battery tray to the passenger side to retain all the same wires I had before and no both the purple and the red wire had big terminals that would fit over the large battery post on the starter. And what do you mean by left side positive battery terminal??? Also any way to know what wire is hot in the run position in guessing a test light as mentioned before could tell me that...the confusing part is the one wire being 12 only for cranking and one with 12 in run position all the time..but I'm getting a much better grasp on this now and tomorrow I'm going to pop the ignition switch out and find a lug to put the hei hot on....won't be long after that we try to fire it up!

 

Disregard the left side deal, if you've moved the battery to the right.
So, where's the purple wire that went to the S terminal on the 326 starter solenoid?
Any big eyelets have to go on the battery cable lug on the solenoid. They are your main body feed wires. That is , after you extend them.
Alternator is where now? You using an internal regulator alternator already?

 

Alternator is on the passenger side still...same alternator from pontiac and hooked up the same way....one wire from a lug on the rear of the alternator, I don't know if its internally regulated or not it has a sticker from an autozone brand on it ill try to piece a part number out of it.. And the purple wire was rigged to that terminal with its big eyelet bent over to keep contact...I now have purple on the s terminal and the red wire and the positive battery cable on the large lug on the starter I'm thinking its correct now but well see soon.

 

that's my guess of how it should be wired, but I'd still want to make sure what goes where before connecting the battery to it

 

ill check everything and replace as needed thanks for all the advice ill update as I go along with this! You guys are always a great help

 

Making any progress?

 

Lets simplify it. You have a wire that should be either purple or grey that is hot when the ignition switch is in start mode. That goes to the S terminal on the starter solenoid. The other wire in your harness is a hot wire to your ignition coil on a points setup, it supplies 12V to the ignition when in start mode only. Do not land that wire if you are using an HEI, it would go to a post marked I if you were running points ignition.

OK complicated? Get someone to turn the switch to start, now take a volt meter and see which wire is hot or ground the wires to the block and see which one sparks. Land that wire on the S terminal and forget the other wire.

 

Did anyone mention the "resistance wire" yet?
It feeds the coil and used in place of a ballast resistor.
That section of wire should be removed if you're going hei and a regular wire put in its place.


The purple start wire goes from ignition switch thru the neutral safety switch then to the starter. Be sure the NS switch is able to detect neutral/park or you won't get a "starter enable" from the ignition switch

 

Here is something I do before I hook up the battery when I am working on wiring. I have a 1157 Bulb with wires soldered to the terminals with alligator clips on each end. Before I hook up the negative terminal I install a 30 amp fuse between negative terminal on battery and negative ground cable. I keep the purple wire to the starter disconnected and clip the bulb between the purple wire and ground. Turn the key to start and it should light the light. Then you know its the start wire to the solenoid. I also use the bulb in place of the fuse to check any circuit draws. Just safeguards melting wires when testing.

 

Yes

 

Okay so the engine will turn over but it won't fire I have current in the run position but not on crank position with a test light and the engine has backfired twice trying to start it so I'm done trying until i source this issue

 

I terminal on starter goes to coil- now goes to HEI

 

Thanks for going to both my posts lol so which is the I terminal on my starter? I have one on the block side of starter and one on the main battery feed

 

The small one without the purple wire which will be on the S terminal. They are marked.

Sometimes it's marked I and sometimes it's R
Stands for ignition or resistor and the other is marked S & stands for start.

Make sure you have full 12 volts to the HEI and not 9 volts