The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay WIRING CONFUSSION, NEED HELP

I have completed the conversion from a 235 to a 283. Yesterday I installed a push button starter switch and this is how I wired it. I ran one wire to the starter large post that the battery goes to and I ran the other wire to the one of the small posts on the starter. I also had to connect a wire from the coil to a spade on the fuse block as there was no wire there at all. All worked well and she fired right up. Well now to what happened today. I attempted to start it and it sounded like the starter was dragging really bad. When I have the ignition switch in the off position the motor turns over great. As soon as I turn the switch to the on position the starter drags and the motor wants to start but not enough juice. I checked the battery and have 12 volts. I tried a different starter and still the same. I didn't do anything from yesterday to make it do this. I looked in the shop manual and can't seem to get a good diagram of where the wires should run. I have one post on the starter that has no wires attached. I would like to know if anyone can tell me or show me a each of these wires should go. Also did I connect the coil correctly? There where 3 wires from the old starter and I lengthed them using same gauge wire. I put one on the large post and one on the small post and the other to ground on the body. What am I doing wrong? What would make it do this? I also tried turning the engine over then while it was turning I would turn the ignition switch on and it would drag right away and as soon as I turn the switch off it turns over like a bat out of he_ _. Can someone please help?

1st Disconnect that wire you have going to the body ground!! That is your "missing" wire for the coil. What you should have is the big post to battery pos. If the 2 smaller post have the letters I or S on them. The I Post is where you need to run a wire to the coil. The other or S post wire goes to switch. If i follow you post right it is just the wire you have going to ground that is causing all your problems. The starter gets it ground source through the starter case no "ground wire needed at the starter. Here is a link to a picture. http://oehmjr46.tripod.com/id29.html

Thanks OEHM Jr.'s 46

I will try this on wed. as the hobby shop is closed and I have duty anyway. Sure hope this fixes that problem. I am not runing any thing through the old switch. I am getting power from the hot side of fuse block when key is on. This then will go to the one side of the push button switch, from there it will go down to the S terminal on starter. I will run a new wire from I terminal on starter to coil. I will disconnect ground and leave it off. Does this sound correct? I am still confused on how I will have power to coil when the starter is not engaged.

58 you still need the wire from the fuse box if you don,t use power from the Key switch to coil. Check the photo again. I changed it for a none spring loaded switch.

The main ignition power wire, in your case the wire from your fuse box, should have a ballast resistor inline on its way to the coil. The wire from the starter to the coil bypasses the resistor for a hotter spark during starting.

Problem solved. Thanks to all that helped. Especially Oehm's Jr. 46. Couln't have do it this easy without you guys.

Kurt