Starter Wiring troubleshooting

[goathearder]

Hey Guys,
I am trying to track down a starting issue I am having. First of all, I have a summit high torque starter (works great). Recently, I switched from points to HEI so I ditched the wire from the starter to the coil cause its not needed anymore.

After removing that wire, the starter no longer turns! I am sure that I bumped or messed something else up when I was down there so I just wanna troubleshoot.

My question is should the purple wire that comes from the ignition read 12v when the key is in the start position? I disconnected that wire and tested it out and I am not getting 12v on it when the switch it set to start. Before I get under the dash and try to check the neutral safty switch, I just wanna make sureI am testing it right.

Thanks,
John

 

[4X4HIGH]

Yes, the purple wire should only have 12 volts when the ignition switch is in the crank position. Since you upgraded from a points to HEI distributor you also need to run a new power wire for the distributor that is a minimum of 10 awg.

 

[goathearder]

Yea, coil is all good. Ran the new wire with no issues. Coil has 12v at crank and run. Its just the starter thats not engaging. I gotta see why that purple wire isnt getting 12 v.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Yea, coil is all good. Ran the new wire with no issues. Coil has 12v at crank and run. Its just the starter thats not engaging. I gotta see why that purple wire isnt getting 12 v.

Either a bad or misadjusted neutral safety switch or a bad ignition switch would be my guess assuming there isn't a break in the wire somewhere between the ignition switch and the solenoid.

You said the wire from the starter to the coil isn't needed anymore but i'm curious if you know why it isn't needed? I already know the reason it was originally there just want to see if you know what it's purpose was for. Lots of people have no idea and not all points vehicles had that wire.

 

[goathearder]

Its original purpose was to give the coil full 12v at cranking. Points only need 9.6 to run so the wire from the fuse block to the coil was a resistance wire to get it down to 9.6 while running. 9.6 wasnt enough for cranking though so that original wire gave the coil 12v but only when the starter was engaged.

In crappy news, i guess im gonna have to check out that neutral safety switch, such a pain to get to.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Its original purpose was to give the coil full 12v at cranking. Points only need 9.6 to run so the wire from the fuse block to the coil was a resistance wire to get it down to 9.6 while running. 9.6 wasnt enough for cranking though so that original wire gave the coil 12v but only when the starter was engaged.

In crappy news, i guess im gonna have to check out that neutral safety switch, such a pain to get to.

You must be the first person that i've talked to who knows what the purpose of that wire was for.

GM had 3 ways of getting the 9.6 volts to the coil though, one was a resistor wire from ignition switch to coil, second was a ballast resistor with a standard wire and lastly a resistor coil with standard wire although the latter two still used a small gauge wire.

 

[goathearder]

Hahahaha, i try to do plenty of research before i ever screw with anything.

 

[blazer74]

Purple wire through firewall junction to neutral switch terminal 6, term 5 from neutral switch purple/white wire to ignition switch term 5.
That's 1974 wiring diagram.