Okay so im somewhat freaking out. Five speed swap on the 90 fc is 99% done. However, when I went to connect the neg battery terminal it sparked and i heard what sounded like the starter turning. quickly disconnected it.


Im thinking i might have mixed up the posts?


if you are under the car looking at the starter there is a left post and a right one.

Which post does the THICK wire with the rubber boot go on?


Ive looked and havent found any results.

also, kevins writeup states

"Run a wire from the IGNITION SWITCH side of the black/red wire, to this switch, then out of this switch, through the firewall, and down to the starter. Connect it to the small terminal on the starter."


What "small terminal" is he referring to? any clarification id really appreciate.

 

I had the thick wire with the rubber boot on the right post, and the wire kevin specified to run straight to the starter on the left post. Can someone clarify which wires go where?

 

Small wire from ignition switch goes to a spade connector on starter . Power wire from battery goes to empty post on starter. The side that doesnt have a wire attached from the starter motor to the starter solenoid .

 

I'm confused. what I need to know is, in that picture i took. the big thick wire with the rubber boot cover, does it go on the left or right post?

That picture was taken under the car, oil filter is visible in the top part of the photo for orientation.

 

Left

 

 

well, I put the booted wire on the left, and the wire kevin specifies to run on the right, connected the neg battery terminal, no sparking, no weird noises. turned the key to on, and tried to start...but all i hear is the starter whirring, thats it. Almost like its not touching the flywheel at all.....Think the starter is bad?

 

You may have a bad starter solenoid . I'm a little confused as of what you did to the starter . Did you change around the wire on the starter that runs to the solenoid? In the picture it appears to be on the correct side is the wire usually bolts on to the side with the metal backing. You should never follow a connect to left or right instruction for the starter since it varies depending on year and manufacturer.

 

This was the last step in my five speed swap. Essentially im not sure what wires go where.

the wire that comes out of the starter was on the same post as the wire that comes off of the harness that was booted at first, thats why the car would freak out when i tried to connect the neg battery terminal.

I moved the booted wire from the right to the left terminal on the starter, and put my wire i ran from the ignition to the right terminal of the starter. Now the starter just spins and spins, sounds like it isnt making contact with the flywheel, it gets up there in pitch, sounds like its flying.

Someone seems to think the polarity might be reversed, and the starter is spinning in the opposite direction, thats why its not contacting the flywheel.

So what im going to try tomorrow is, disconnect all wires to starter. take the wire coming out of the starter and put it on the LEFT instead of the right side it was on. Put the booted THICK wire on the RIGHT, and my ignition switch wire on the LEFT. Does that make sense?

 

is that a N/A starter on a TII trans>?

 

No, N/A starter and N/A trans. Got the starter from RotaryResurrection.

 

And NO..don't screw with the starter wiring (the thick wire that is ON The starter).
the pic you are showing,the POSITIVE cable goes to the LEFT terminal.The Ground is obviously the starter case and the Solenoid wire is the small spade connection.

 

Take the starter off the car.
Using booster cables put the negative to the casing.
Put a jumper to the Spade connector and the POSITIVE terminal..(what I said..LEFT..the one WITHOUT the wire attached to it).Hit it with the POSITIVE cable
It will JUMP..so don't be alarmed!.
If the starter gear comes out of the casing and spins then the starter is good.
If this is the case and it has been connected ON the car and it doesn't work then you got something else going on besides the Starter.
..did you change the Flywheel>?

 

I am finishing up the five speed swap, this was literally the last step. All the AT stuff was removed, so theres a flywheel/clutch/pressureplate on there now. So you can say yes, i did change the flywheel (well, flexplate for a flywheel)

 

sounds like the wiring connector turned when you tighten it and its now touching both terminals, remove the big one and clock it a little counter clock wise..

 

So you are saying that wire that comes out of the starter is on the correct terminal, and that the polarity isnt reversed causing the starter to spin backwards, thus not catching the flywheel?

 

Your starter solenoid is more then likely stuck. The starter spins but won't make contact till the solenoid pushes the pinion forward . You can pull it off move it in and out a couple times and see if that helps or you can order a new one.

 

I thought if the solenoid was bad it would just result in a "click" noise?

 

No only if the starter motor is bad you will hear a click. Good starter motor , bad solenoid = spinning sound since the starter is spinning . Bad motor , good solenoid = clicking sound since solenoid is pushing pinion forward.

 

Interesting. I was not aware. I may just opt for replacing the starter, its cheap enough secondhand. Im going to try turning the motor at the pulley tomorrow to see if that might help, if not, Time to pick up another starter.

 

If you call around you can probably find new solenoid for less the $20 and they are very easy to change out .

 

I assume there is a guide listed on how to change this out, and how to source one?

 

Looks like prices have went up quite a bit since I last ordered one. Autozone and advance auto both want $50+ . Rock auto is about $35. I'm not sure if there is a write up .

 

i think you all missed a slightly critical piece, the solenoid to starter motor wire has no nut on it(right stud).

next part is, you don't run ANY wire to the right terminal, you run the start signal wire to the small flat terminal above the 2 studs(where your black and red wire is).

 

The way the car sits now, The thick wire with the rubber boot is on the left post, the wire kevin specifies to run to get the car to start after a five speed conversion is on the right post, and the wire the comes out of the starter body runs to the right post as well. both posts have nuts on them and are tightened.

So what you are saying is, the wire kevin specifies to run from the ignition side, goes to the spade connector on top? that will actually force the starter to engage with the flywheel? because as it stands now, it just whirrs. There is already a plug on the wire harness for that spade plug to go into... Hence why I am so confused.