Finally got to the point of putting the battery in today, and when I went to hook it up and connected the terminals it sounds like the starter starts spinning (but not engaging) as soon as I attach the 2nd hookup to the battery- with the key completely removed from the car. Hooking up the starter was a royal pain in the ***- it's just really tough to reach up to the connections- the next time I'll make the connections when the engine is hanging just above the bay on the hoist.

As near as I can figure though, I must have hooked up the starter wrong somehow. It seems really weird that wires would be powered such that it would have any live connections to it period when it's totally shut off, but that's what seems to be the case. Does anyone have a good picture/wiring diagram that shows what wires go to where on the starter? I looked through the FSM & the schematics but just couldn't find anything that was really helpful. Thanks!

 

uh do we own the same car? I just changed the starter on my 88 GTU a few weeks ago. There is a ground strap and one electrical connector that goes to the solenoid. You don't even have to move anything out of the way to get to any of this

If you can, take a pic of whatever you are confused about.

 

If the picture isn't too much trouble, it would likely help. And it sounds like I do have something wrong- because I had 3 connections (2 ring-type that bolts went through, and 1 that had a connector). Obviously I screwed something up- but I couldn't find anything (and I hadn't taken any pictures of that myself before disconnecting things) that really said what connected to where. Thanks!

 

make sure the ignition wire is plugged in. (black wire that plugs into the top prong.

 

OK, I've figured out somewhat of what is likely wrong- but still need some help on actually fixing it.

I think I managed to attach the main engine ground to the starter. -_-;; Thick copper wire with a black with yellow stripe insulation on it and a ring connector (the kind you put a bolt through) on the end. So, as stupid of a question as this sounds like- where is the ground supposed to be hooked up exactly?

Next- that leaves two terminals on the top of the starter- which one is the remaining wire (with the black rubber hood over it) supposed to be attached to? The one I have it attached to (inboard) or the one the ground wire is currently attached to?

The first two pictures show the way it's hooked up now.

Also, since I'm already looking like something of a dumbass here- what is the wire in the third picture? I for the life of me cannot figure out what it is supposed to be attached to...

Finally- I think we're almost talking about the same car, arghx... you appear to have a coupe while I have a 'vert- there is an extra brace underneath the starter that makes things a bit more difficult on the 'verts.

 

bump i need to know what post the silenoid wire goes to is the pic in this thread right?

 

ok the wire out of the starter goes to the post furthest away from it and the power wire to the other post and the ground goes on the bolt that holds the starter to the trany thanks for the help