I've got an '86 starter (M/T, 158 tooth, big nose) taking up space in my garage. Free to a good home, you pay for the ride.

 

Is the ignition cable going to the starter supposed to be grounded? I have a short circuit between my positive and negative battery terminals and its driving me nuts. I found that the smaller wire that connects to the starter is grounded as is the smaller terminal on the starter itself. Looking at the cable so far there is no chafing anywhere that I can see. Has anyone ever replaced the positive battery cable? Anyone ever have the same issue?

 

Do you have an FSM?

I don't have an '85 FSM but there's two different + cables, one for HDC and another for just a base car. Does your car have HDC? That would be an AUX fan in front of the condenser/radiator module.

I would start at the battery and just confirm the cables are in good condition, there may be one lead for sure from the positive terminal to the jump box behind and below battery ('85 may NOT have this). Confirm that connection. It's odd that you have a no crank along with nothing else. You should have the + cable on the large terminal and a purple wire at the S terminal, I don't know if an '85 had a fusible link or multiple maybe (if no jump block) connected on the large + post on the starter or not. I'm thinking it might but '85 is a single year car so if someone had an FSM they could check the starter wiring diagram. You mentioned stressing the wiring when you had the old starter hanging and you could have pulled the fusible link/s apart or maybe just left it off when you reconnected things. Are there any just hanging wires? Fusible links are generally amber colored.

Maybe "Joe C" will come by and he just may have an '85 FSM, I believe he has a '90 but may still have an '85.

If the '85 had that fusible link/s and you messed it up it would account for all of your issues that seem odd. Later years I believe only the ATC cars had a fusible link to the starter. How many wires do you have at the starter now?

"85 is more similar I believe to '84 and I would expect no jumper block and multiple fusible links, as many as three maybe.

 

I don't have an FSM only Haynes manual. This car I believe is a base.

The battery cable goes behind the engine and then I cannot follow it. At the starter There are 3 wires connected to the large terminal. They each have a black plastic cover that cannot be opened.

 

The large 2 ga wire and two others OR 3 others not counting the 2 ga battery cable? You still have no power to anything. Correct?

This is maybe the easiest way for you to go about your issues. Construct a jumper wire (12GA maybe) with 2 alligator clips and connect one to the + post of battery then with the smaller wires disconnected from the starter post attach the other end of the wire to each of the smaller wires one at a time and check various items for power. You've likely when you "hung" the old starter broken the fusible links. If all of the wires are disconnected from the starter I believe that since your not familiar it might be easier to do each wire separately. It's likely NOT the way I'd do it but I don't have the car or the correct FSM. The fusible-link aspect of each small wire is the last 5 - 7 inches of the wire at the starter end. I'd think you could see it.

With the 2GA wire disconnected from the starter is 12V present at the eye?

 

Here's what I believe an '85 FSM might show. These are from an '84. Do you somewhat understand what I'm suggesting?

 

WV - got your email -- i'll try to help out the best I can. looking at the 85 FSM, there's a single fusible link, and if that's been compromised, it looks like your dead in the water. from the circuit diagram, power via the FL, to what appears to be, all power distribution, and in-turn provides voltage to the ignition switch, and power thru the gear selector switch to the starter interrupt relay. from there, to the starter solenoid. the first thing I would do is make sure all battery-starter cables and connections are clean and tight. i'll read up on all posts for this thread, and try to get a better understanding of the issues. I'd post some attachments from the FSM, but the scan function of my printer went belly-up. anyway, good luck guys!

one thing I've got to ask -- with the ignition key "on," is there power to the heater/AC blower?

 

Thanks for stopping by. You don't have similar diagrams in the '85 FSM to the ones I've attached in my last post? The '84 FSM wire count seems to match what the OP says he's found.

 

In post #11 of this thread "1985 Corvette" has the power distribution from the '85 FSM posted that I would have expected. He has an '89 & '85 posted in the same image, the '85 shows fusible links at solenoid. Maybe Jamall will catch this thread also for some help. It appears he's looking for some 'Denso starter wiring also. '85 is the lower image.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1589135118

 

Thank you very much for your help, I got it fixed and started. It turned out that the battery connector at the starter was bent and though I could not tell it was touching the body of the starter causing the short circuit.

After bending and extending it a few inches to make sure there would be no issues the short was fixed. After 3/16" worth of shimming my 30 year old car starts like a new car.

Thanks again your help was invaluable.