Hi Guys,

In the process of replacing the oil pan for a nice chrome job, I noticed that the cables coming from the starter look very tired.
They look like heavy duty cables.
2 questions
Where do they go to and are they easy to replace?

It's a 1971 454 LS5

Thanks in advance

Paul

 

Paul,

Your main battery cable goes back in the transmission tunnel, over the transmission, and up into the battery box behind the driver seat. It is secured along the way with cable clamps (about six or eight of them), along the way. I have changed a 1972 4 speed Corvette, and a 1981 4 speed Corvette, battery cable while the transmissions were still in the cars, so it is doable, but not fun.

Your other wire connections (harness), travel up the firewall, to a connector, the whole harness being about 18" long, secured in a metal tube, fastened to, I believe the cylinder head.

 

In a '71 (and probably some other years as well) the starter wires are part of the engine harness, it starts at the main bulkhead on the drivers side along the firewall upper edge and then it drops to the starter just before the A/C box (or heater box if its a non A/C car). I did replaced it on my car (also a '71 LS5) and it wasn't that hard of a job, maybe reaching the bulkhead is the trickiest part of it.

 

If you have an automatic transmission, changing the main positive cable will be a 'bear'. The main negative cable goes directly from the battery to the frame underneath the battery box. The starter's ground wire is a 'jumper' that runs from the right-side motor mount to a bolt mounting the starter bracket to the engine block. The other starter-related wires are bundled into the wiring harness.

I would recommend that you make your own 'main power' cables, as the parts store ready-made stuff is cheap junk. If you can find a full-service parts store that makes their own cables, great. Otherwise, get some 4 awg copper-stranded wire at Lowe's or Home Depot and solder some lugs onto it.

For upgrading wiring that is contained in your wiring harness, just peel back the harness wrapping as far as you need, then splice in some new wire of the correct gauge and insulation type. It would be best to solder a 'lap' joint and cover with heat shirnkable tubing, rather than to use crimped connectors, as that wiring carries some decent amperage. Also, there is at least one fusible link in that starter bundle. If that is in poor shape you absolutely need to replace that whole link with a replacement link of the same size and quality. [The fusible link is just wire of a smaller size BUT, it has non-flammable insulation and terminal ends so that when it 'fries', it can't catch fire. Regular wire will not have those capabilities!!!]

 

Thanks for your input guys. Absolute brilliant answers and tips. I will check it all out further this weekend and get back to you. thanks again

 

if your gonna make your own, find the metal crimp type connectors,
use a Propane torch and solder them on.
an alternate method, use and electric stove, put the crimp and wire on the heating element and fire it up. Fill it with solder, turn off Burner, and let it cool down.
Be careful !

 

....and don't let your wife catch you....