Wiring the Starter

**brandonl2000** · 11-25-2010

Hey guys. I finally got another 3800 in. But I seem to be having starter wiring issues.
First off, with it hooked up the way it is now, it is not even trying to turn over.
The Low Coolant and Oil lights are very dim. When I remove the starter and turn the key on the lights are fine (which lead me to believe there is a wiring problem) AND the fuel pump does not come on with it hooked up as is now and the gas gauge shows full.

I have 4 posts on the starter. The two big ones and two little ones. The one little one has a tag on it. The one big one has massive wires going into the starter solenoid and that leaves me with the one big one and the one little one.

I have a massive black thick wire, two red ones, and the one little purple one. I'm sure that the one little purple one goes onto the little terminal at the bottom.

However, I also have two other lurking wires that are black that pop out of the harness a couple inches away from where all the others come from. I'm not sure what's ground, what's hot, and what terminal they all go on.

I have it hooked up where the little purple wire (trip wire?) is on the little post and all the others are on the big post with two lurking wires (assuming ground) idk where they go ive tried them on the starter bolt and the flywheel cover bolts but nothing has fixed it.

I've put a whole motor in and got this ding damn far and now something as simple as starting it wants to be a PIA!!!

Any help I can or diagrams or anything??

Thanks

**overdrive** · 11-27-2010

I'm replacing a 3.8 in an '03 right now and I didn't take the starter wires off. This is what I have.

Yes, the purple wire is on the small stud toward the front of the car and the other 3 go on the top stud. My starter has only 3 terminals.
The 2 wires that you're unsure about and come out of the harness a few inches away have large ring terminals on them. They are ground wires. There should be a stud that holds the trans case and engine block together. Starting at the bottom, just above the starter, that lowest hole should have a bolt in it and the hole above it should have a stud. The stud can be either place, as long as the wires reach it ok. The important thing is you must have the engine block and those 2 wires grounded at the stud by connecting the large negative wire that goes to the battery at the same stud. I think maybe you don't have the large negative cable connected. It was originally on that stud. A poor ground would explain your symptoms.

Dan

**brandonl2000** · 11-28-2010

Thank you! We got it figured out; I didn't have the ground wire that goes to the PCM bolted down.
However I have new problems

**overdrive** · 11-28-2010

I checked my motor this morning and the ground stud is in the lowest hole, not the one above it, but you probably found that out. I hope you get it going ok.

Dan

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