Looking at the starter on a 1981 - what are Terminal "R" and Terminal "S"? This is all part of my starting problem, I want to ensure all the wires are connected to the right terminals - The Big positive Lead terminal is no problem. Should there be a ground wire connected to the Starter? I have one More "RED" Wire to connect - does it go to Terminal "R" or Terminal "S"?
The shop manual is moot on this point for connections - Help please.

 

Check out my recent thread on the topic.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1678424

 

I don't see where that answers the basic question on Terminal "R" and Terminal "S" on the Starter Solenoid.

 

R stands for run, S is start. I have a schematic for a 72 so the colors may be different, but if this red wire has a large ring terminal it goes with the battery cable.

The ground should be connected to any point on the engine, bell housing, starter bolt etc., mine is fastened to the block just forward of the starter.

 

I think that's an issue - there is no "Ground wire from the Starter - or let me state that a different way - Bubba - did some wiring work on this car in the past - I am in the process of undoing what "he" did.

What I need is a diagram of what wires are connected to what etc.

Here is what I know so far:

1. There was a RED wire connected to the "R" terminal.
2. Positive connection from Battery plus two more RED wires connected to the Large Bolt on the starter solenoid.

Now the question is - does the starter need to be grounded with a seperate wire and what do I connect it to on the Starter - and then run it to any point on the frame I guess?

A picture of a connected starter would help with some explaination of the connections.

 

No, that ground wire provides a ground to the blower motor and the wiper motor, the starter doesn't require a ground, it is bolted to the engine and the engine is grounded to the frame and the frame has a ground connection back to the ground lug on the battery completing the ground path.

I agree, without a wiring diagram you're driving the streets of Paris without a map, so to speak.

 

"The ground should be connected to any point on the engine, bell housing, starter bolt etc., mine is fastened to the block just forward of the starter."

When you said this in your prior post you confused me. -

I looked at Dr. Rebuild - he doesn't have wiring diagrams for the late C3's yet

 

If you have the stock ignition there should not be a wire on the R terninal.

 

First question is where did you get the color diagram?

2nd - that's what I was hoping someone would say - the S terminal was connected to another "RED" wire - all other wires were connected to the center large bolt on the solenoid (POS from Battery plus the two RED fused link wires).

 

I found the book on Ebay, took some looking to find it and I had to send the seller a question to make sure. I have one of the other ones too and it is hard to use sometimes.
DO you have the stock ignition? If so then that red wire was probably supposed to be on the battery terminal. The S terminal I think is only used for points type distributors and it feeds a resistor or resistor wire to power the coil.

 

i have a points type ignition and i have a wire on both terminals when i switch to the smaller gear reduction one what do i do with that wire?

 

Guys - seems like there is a little confusion here: the "S" terminal is the "start" wire. Probably purple color. Nothing else attaches there. That is the signal wire that gets power when you turn the ignition key.

The "R" terminal is used for points style ignition on '74 and down cars ONLY. If you have an HEI like the '75 and up Vettes do, you do not hook up any wires to the "R" terminal. The "R" stands for "RESISTOR bypass". The '74 and down points style ignition uses 12V only during cranking and this is the source for the 12V used during cranking. Once you let go of the key, this 12V at the "R" terminal goes away and your ignition gets a reduced voltage at the coil from a different wire that comes from the fuse box. The wire from the "R" terminal (if you have it) is probably yellow.

There are some 12V feeds for the rest of the car that attach to the big lug on the starter in addition to the red battery cable. They should have fuseable links in them.

The only tricky wire (depending on year and options) is a thin ground wire that attaches down in the area near the starter. It has a big ring terminal and it is easy to confuse with starter wiring. This can be attached to the bellhousing bolts. I think it is a ground for the auxilliary fan or some other device.

Hope this helps,

-Mark.

 

The points ignition uses the yellow wire to send 12V to the coil while cranking. It will still start and run fine even if the yellow wire on the "R" terminal is just disconnected and taped off. It is supposed to help start the car but from my experience they will still start fine even without this wire. You need to prevent the wire from touching a ground or the ignition will probably cut out.

-Mark.

 

Edited for BS...I need to quit posting before coffee
Ahh, this is true, My BAd.
The R is a bypass only..
Even so, if your ignition is stock, you should not have a wire on the R term


Edited for BS...I need to quit posting before coffee

 

Thanks Mark - this helps a lot - Bubba really did a number on my charging system with a couple of heavy gage wires run directly from the Batter along the dirver's side fram to the Alternator. He ran both + and - from battery. + whent to the BAT connection on the Alternator. "-" was grounded to the Alternator bracket. He also jumped Terminal 2 from the Pigtail connecter onto the "BAT". All the while leaving all the normal connections at the Starter.

For the life of me, I can't see what he was trying to accomplish. I have checked all the wires from the "+" connection on the Alternator through all the harness connectors and I have continuity all the way to Terminal 2 and the BAT connection wires at the Alternator. Reason says if you got continuity you should be able to throw Voltage through those wires and complete the circuit.

Anyhow I have disconnected the Gray heavy gage wires Bubba installed at the battery and the Alternator. I am now attempting to get power to the Alternator the correct way through the wiring harness. I have reconnected the pigtail terminal 2 to a RED wire from the harness that was cut and also found the BAT RED wire that belonged on the BAT connection on the Alternator (this was easy to find since it has a rubber connector Boot).

All I could figure is something must have gone wrong with the solenoid in the starter. I bought a new starter/solenoid (figured it couldn't hurt to change it out as well). Gotta get a buddy over to help hold this heave SOB up while I guide the bolts through the shims back into the engine block. Will let you all know how this goes after tonight. If I get good power then next I have to track down a grounding horn - horns blow all the time now with the battery connected. Figure I have a short under the hood or at one of the horns.

 

Hi!
Sorry that I`m coming with my queston in this thread, but I think here are the right people to solve my problem too.
All the winter I was restoring the dash, gauges, penels, tunnel cover etc.
After reinstalling the panels i can not start the engine with the key. Engine starts immediately with the screwdriver shortcut method, it is not a problem with the starter/solenoid.
I have tried to connect the pink cable by the ignition switch direct to the + pole: nothing happend.
The gear is in the P position.
Is here not a relay between the ignition switch and the solenoid? I can not imagine that the whole power to the solenoid is going thru the fine wires connecting to the switch by the gearlever?
How can I try to solve this problem? The sommer is very short here... .
My car is a C3/73, automatic/AC.
Sorry for my english.