Ok, so I'm STILL trying to get my SA running (see my how much spark is good spark thread) I've traced my starter issues back to one of the relays mounted on the drives side interior fender wall. I'm assuming this is bad because that where the 3rd wire from the starter traces back too that that the one thats not getting voltage.

I removed this relay to see if I can track down a replacement (no easy task as no one seems to know what it is) and with it out, the starter works... let me repeat that: with the relay removed and inside the house, the car turns over. So my question is this:


WTF??

Thanks for your help.

 

I ask myself this very question all the time.
Can we have a pic of the relay you're talking about, I'm having a hard time envisioning this relay.

 

Ask and you shall receive:




That's the relay, BTW overnight the car has gone back to the starter clicking but not spinning..

That would be overnight, while I was asleep, NOT touching anything, the problem changed.... on its own... did these cars EVER work right??


leks

 

You know it's haunted for sure if you remove the battery cables and it still turns over.

 

Is the thing circled in red what you're having trouble with?
I'll have to look at my wiring diagram, I'm not sure exactly what it does though. A while back I was having some electrical trouble and I was looking at it but since then I forgot its function.

 

Alright so after looking at my car and the wiring diagram there are two of those zinc plated housings by the fender.

When looking down at the car from the drivers' side like in my picture the one on the left has a single connector plugging into it.
According to the Haynes manual it is labeled A-08 on page 173, that connects to the alternator.

The one on the right has two plugs connecting into it which goes tot he hot start relay which is labeled A-03.

I was unable to trace the wires because they go into the main wire harness which flows throughout the entire car, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry there is little I can do now. ((

 

I've physically traced some of the wires. One goes to the hot start relay another goes to the starter, this is the connection that tells the starter motor to spin, it's 12v high amperage. If I jump the wire to the battery, the starter spins. If I turn the key, the magnet pushes the spur gear forward but the starter wont spin.

I'm not sure where the rest of the wires go because I cant find the same colors anywhere else (yet)

 

Hmmmm, I always say "the first plan is always the best plan."

I would contact Frodogray on ebay and see if he has a replacement for it. Replace the one you already have and see if that changes anything.
What's the worst that can happen? *not jinxing it*

 

one of the relays on the tower is the choke and check relay, and the other is the hot start relay. neither is necessary for the engine to run.

when you turn the key to start the car, it short circuits pretty much everything in the car and diverts all power to the starter motor. so that is whats not happening.

pull the starter and have it bench tested. clean your connections.

other than that its just the two battery cables. power going to the starter motor. and ground coming off of it, to the strut tower, then to the battery. it may be as simple as needing a jump.

 

Definitely clean your connections snd make sure you have good grounds! (as mentioned above)

 

There's actually 3 wires going to the starter, and one of them traces back to the hot start assist relay. That,s also the wire that was NOT seeing 12v when the key was turned. This is why I assumed the relay was bad, but then the starter started working after I removed it... I'm telling you, ghosts..

I've replaced all the ground wires, the starter and the battery.

I've decided to skip all this nonsense and just wire in a push button start system. I could spend the rest of my life looking for a short in a fully wrapped, 33 year old wiring harness, when all I really want to do is drive the car one time before winter hits. After that it's getting the racing beat treatment anyway.

 

there should be a black/yellow that goes from the starter motor to the ignition switch.

the hot start wire is blue/white if im not mistaken. so in total, 4 wires. mine has 3. no blue/white.

if youre missing the b/y one, could explain things

 

Wait, what? niether of my 7's had four wires to the starter...

 

Ok problem solved. I just by passed every thing with new wires and a push button starter. Now on to solve my carb problems.