okay so long story but here it goes so everyone knows the details......
when i turned the ignition nothing at all would happen no nothing. i tried for a minute or so it started just fine. next day basically same thing happened.
i though it was the starter so next time it didnt turn i hit the starter with hammer. that worked for a day or so then that quit working too.
so i had good reason to belive it was the starter.
NOTE: it only had this problem when it was cold after i got started the first time that day as long as it didnt sit no longer than a hour or something it would start up just fine.

i buy a new starter take the old one off actually me and my dad would take turns going up and under there trying to take it off. but in that process we both forget were they were originally. ive been to two diff parts stores and got two diff answers ive also got different answers from other people so im lost.

okay and next for ***** and giggles i take the old starter to the auto place to have that starter tested. it passed the test so for those purposes the original starter is good.

so i still dont know what the problem is also i still dont if i have this thing wired up right? here is a pic of the original



sorry for the length of this.
i just had to explain it.

any suggestions or help and or questions would help me out thanks!

 

clean the short ground cable from the battery attached on the frame....cures most of the cranking problems like you experienced...means getting under the car again and easily overlooked and blamed on the starter

 

thanks! i will check out that some time this evening

 

do you know how the wires go. ive been told the two main ones go on the same big bolt.

the smaller one goes on the little right post closest to the engine

but im really just lost

its a 78 btw

 

the auto part store, starter test is no load, .....a useless test.
specifiy wire colors, and be very careful, or you will smoke your wiper motor.
There is a small black wire that appears it should go with the main positive cable,
because it has a large lug connector. IT GOES to GND. .....NOT +12V
Purple wire goes to "S" Start.

 

were is GND?? at i have the small purple wire hooked up right i believe the red wire goes on the main bolt above both the smaller posts were does the black go?

 

The black wire connects to a starter mount bolt or a bell housing bolt, it is the ground wire for the wiper and heater fan motor.

 

hopefully your motor has a (big battery size) gnd. cable going from the frame,
to your engine block. connection point should be around the starter or passanger side motor mount.....that makes your motor Gnd.

 

I'm just getting a red x for the pic.

I just took the starter off my 78 yesterday and can take some pics of the wires later if you think it will help. I will send them to you.

or if you solved the wiring issue let me know that.

 

That would be great if its not to much trouble!

 

PM sent yesterday afternoon.

If it doesnt help then you need to post some pics of what you have for wires you are stumped on.

 

STARTED WE ARE IN BUSINESS!!!

thanks to every one this forum is BOSS

 

For my curiosity, what problem did you fix?

 

Starter

 

Did you replace the starter solenoid also? That is [was] most likely the problem. It could still have been the starter (due to damaged/worn brushes/commutator), but with intermittant symptoms, the solenoid is a better "bet".

 

Actually just the starter its done fine ever since lol

 

Glad to hear it.

 

C3's have starter issues because of a flaw in the design. When the starter brushes start to get worn, they are prone to heat. What the heat does is to affect the brushes where they may not contact the contacts on the starter shaft. When this happens, the car will not start. But if you bang on the starter, they usually will make contact again allowing the car to start. A better way is to pour water on the starter which will cause it to cool just enough to allow the brushes to make contact. I think that the problem lies in the springs which hold the brushes. The problem is amplified on cars where headers are used. Many people just replace the starter which is a temporary fix. Most will take the starter and have them tested at the auto parts store which usually finds no defects in the starter.

 

Would this not then apply to all G.M. starters?