Extra wire connected to my starter
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Springfield VA
Extra wire connected to my starter
First some history on my starting woes of my 1973 coupe (350/auto).
Occasionally when starting, smoke rises from under the dash. I think this is from an old bubba wiring job (there are big yellow wire nuts under there). My wife's aunt wanted something to work on, and started replacing the starter. I am now putting it back together.
There seems to be an extra ~14 gauge black wire attached with the positive cable from the battery and the horn relay. I could not locate this in my manuals and wiring diagrams. It seems to turn red further up, but goes into a taped bundle. Has anyone run into this? I assume it is a positive battery tap, maybe the stereo?
Also, has anyone experienced the smoking from under the dash? A while back it failed to start. After trying all the usual checks, I started digging under the dash. After some tugging on the wires it started again. Any suggestions? I choke on the prices of wiring harnesses, but wonder if it will be too much trouble trying to repair the poor workmanship done over the years.
Thanks.
Jon
Occasionally when starting, smoke rises from under the dash. I think this is from an old bubba wiring job (there are big yellow wire nuts under there). My wife's aunt wanted something to work on, and started replacing the starter. I am now putting it back together.
There seems to be an extra ~14 gauge black wire attached with the positive cable from the battery and the horn relay. I could not locate this in my manuals and wiring diagrams. It seems to turn red further up, but goes into a taped bundle. Has anyone run into this? I assume it is a positive battery tap, maybe the stereo?
Also, has anyone experienced the smoking from under the dash? A while back it failed to start. After trying all the usual checks, I started digging under the dash. After some tugging on the wires it started again. Any suggestions? I choke on the prices of wiring harnesses, but wonder if it will be too much trouble trying to repair the poor workmanship done over the years.
Thanks.
Jon
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 6,493
Likes: 6
From: Bloomington MN
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Extra wire connected to my starter (logans73)
You can repair the harness, but after 30 years, maybe it just time for a new harness. Copper work hardens over time (gets harder each time it moves), contacts corrode, insulation rubs away. I did the repair thing, but two years later I decided it was best to just replace the whole harness. Smoke from the dash is not good! Fiberglass, vinyl, and plastic do not handle fire very well. :smash:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,273
Likes: 14
From: Austin TX
Re: Extra wire connected to my starter (logans73)
I had almost hte same situation with my 71 and I nursed it along for more than 10 years.
Recently I decided to rewire the entire car. Two observations:
1. Buy the best harness available. I bought a decent harness from a decent guy but it had several errors which took a lot of time to discover and fix.
2. Expect that the "de-Bubba" process will mean replacing some components. For example, my old wiring harness had been modified to accomodate a non-Vette wiper motor, alternator and radio. New, correct Vette parts will berequired to work with the new harness.
If you plan to keep the car - by all means do this!
Recently I decided to rewire the entire car. Two observations:
1. Buy the best harness available. I bought a decent harness from a decent guy but it had several errors which took a lot of time to discover and fix.
2. Expect that the "de-Bubba" process will mean replacing some components. For example, my old wiring harness had been modified to accomodate a non-Vette wiper motor, alternator and radio. New, correct Vette parts will berequired to work with the new harness.
If you plan to keep the car - by all means do this!
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 11
From: Schaumburg IL
Re: Extra wire connected to my starter (A C)
There seems to be an extra ~14 gauge black wire attached with the positive cable from the battery and the horn relay. I could not locate this in my manuals and wiring diagrams. It seems to turn red further up, but goes into a taped bundle. Has anyone run into this? I assume it is a positive battery tap, maybe the stereo
most likely as it is not a syock wire. Can you see where it heads from the starter? Does your car have an ignition box?
most likely as it is not a syock wire. Can you see where it heads from the starter? Does your car have an ignition box?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Extra wire connected to my starter (logans73)
My wife's aunt wanted something to work on, and started replacing the starter.
