So, installed my headers and xpipe. Simple job right?
Well I pulled my starter for more room. First mistake I didn't label it.

So, today I got everything bolted up. Started her up, first, off the header. saw SERVICE CHARGING SYSTEM. Said, ehh, maybe I'll restart and it'll go away. Shut the car off and bolted up the rest of the pipes.

Started it again, sounded good but got the same message. Decided to drive it to my base to use the auto shop and lift to do some fine tuning with the brackets. As I'm driving I see the battery volts dropping, SERVICE VEHICLE SOON, SERVICE ABS, luckily as I pull into the parking lot, that's when it dies.

Bad wiring suspected, called my corvette mechanic in Cali.

So, I searched starter wiring and couldn't find much.

Originally I had the hook cable at the top, and the other cable at the bottom. A small ground wire, I attached to another ground and bolted to the head(chasis ground).

Talked to my mechanic, said two leads go to the top, and that ground that originally had to the head, actually goes to the bottom stud.

So I changed the wiring, now...getting messages, no fob detected, low fuel(gauge won't move), theft deterrent system light flashing. Every time I hit the start button everything goes dead, then lights may come back in 30secs or so.

Basically, my first wiring gave power to the starter, but not alternator.

My second wiring, screwed me.

Any ideas? A pic of starter wiring /description of all chasis grounds would help out a lot. I'm hoping I can program the fob, and fix this-thus, avoiding the dealer.

 

verify your battery voltage. sounds like you may have killed it when you had the wiring crossed.
those 2 ground wires are virtually right there together..and the 2 starter wires are together. you would have to make an effort to cross them up.

 

Had my battery jumped, same thing. I would think that with it being jumped, I'd get some kind of turnover.

 

damn...just removed my starter during my header install a couple of days ago. if I remember correctly the 2 starter wires are wrapped in the same harness. there should only be 4 wires you are concerned with. figure out the 2 starter wires and you should be golden.

 

Thanks tenn. Wish someone had a pic.

 

 

Thanks Vet! So is that 2 leads to the top, and 2 to the bottom?

 

I took that picture years ago and my memory is not what it used to be. I think it's two on top. I want to say one on the bottom but I'm not sure.

 

there is 2 on the one post on the starter and 2 ground wires that bolts to the block...the rest are obvious as they have male and female connections.

 

Ok, pulled battery-checked bad, luckily free replacement. Yanked starter, tested it at autozone, checked good. So, I have a good starter, and a good battery.

Yesterday, even with the way it was wired, the starter still worked, til it drained the battery.

Cluster has a buzzing behind it, reads service tire monitor, service fuel system, low fuel(gas gauge reads zero)

Also, oil pressure reads XXX, coolant temp reads XXX, tire pressure read XXX. Now I'm getting worried.

 

since all was well until you did the header install i'm guessing its gotta be your connections to the battery. the symptoms you just mentioned are power related. and i don't get this.. what do you mean by this. how would the starter drain the battery unless it was sticking during cranking?

 

The car started, but because the alternator wasn't wired, running my car was draining the battery without charging it. Drove it about 4 miles before it died and never came back.

I'm getting power to the starter now. Read wires, found the constant battery lead, and the alternator lead and stuck them together, the plug, is the ignition. It's acting like I don't have the clutch pushed in.

Says "accessory mode on"

When I try to start, everything goes blank. Then power comes back in about 15 seconds.

Theft detterent system blocking ignition?