88camaroz28

iTrader: (1)

For the past months I have been trying to get my 5.3 to roll over in my 1988 Camaro without any luck. I have the new retro fitted engine harness from Speartech in the car that is mated to the 2000 Camaro dash with factory 2000 gauges in it. When the key is turned on I get all the lights on the instrument panel to come on and I can hear the throttle body on the engine make noise but once you turn the key to start nothing happens. I do not have a signal coming into the starter on the motor. I have replaced the ignition switch on the column and still the same problem. I have trying chasing wires down throughout the car without any luck. Has anyone seen or experienced anything like this during your swap? I am to the point of pulling my hair out and I know it has to be something simple I am over looking. Any help or pointers as to which way I should go would be great!

Thanks!!

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Is your car previously an auto or manual? And what is it now...auto or manual?

It sounds like the neutral safety switch isnt hooked up. If you were automatic, and now are a 6 speed, for instance, you will need to hook the purple and yellow NSS wires to the clutch pedal switch. In most cars, the wires are already down by the pedals. When you remove the auto shifter, you leave those wires open with no way to allow the car to crank.

If you were manual, and now auto, just the opposite has to happen, you have to wire it to your NSS to the switch for the trans.

That'd be my guess. The cranking circuit doesnt need much else besides that! Have you jumped the starter with a screw driver to make sure you're getting power and everythings working? Make sure the car is supported and not in gear when you do it!!!!

J.

Gecz28

iTrader: (5)

thats sounds right to me. power comes out of ignition switch, to the neutral safety switch(to make sure it isnt in gear)then to the starter.
i used a painless harness when i switched from tpi to carb(both auto) and i vaguely remember having to splice a purple and yellow together

if your car was and still is an auto, test power out of ignition. then test into and out of nss. if you have power out of the nss you should have power to the starter. if you dont, i would say you have a bad wire to the starter. the nss is under the shifter plate on side of shifter

if you have a stick disregard the previous paragraph, because i dont know how sticks are wired !! lol i dont drive sticks

hopefully you have an auto and this is your problem and those are your fixes and you dont have to wait for an answer from someone who knows how sticks are wired !!

good luck and hopefully you get it running so you can get out and enjoy your fruits of your labor!!!

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

Manual trans is VERY easy. Once you remove the auto shifter, and the NSS along with it, the purple/yellow wires are open on the entire circuit. Fortunately, most if not all cars already have the clutch switch wiring down under the dash, near the kick panel. These wires are the same purple/yellow wires that you find under the console for the shifter switch.

You could technically disable/test the circuit by shorting the plug with a piece of wire. But you really ought to hook it up. Good news is, if your car is an 87+, the plug thats down in the kick panel area will plug into the clutch switch from 87 to 2002, which will snap right into manual pedals from either thirdgen or 4th gen. If its older, you might have to do some splicing... My 86 had an odd plug for an older style switch if I remember.

Either way...piece of cake.

If its auto, and you have everything hooked up, one thing to try is remove the neutral safety switch from the shifter, turn the key to crank, and then move the neutral safety switch back and forth. Again, if I recall, you can adjust them so that the motor can start in both P and N.... I think I had to do that once in my 87 when it was stock.

J.

camaroracer016

What wire did you connect to your starter? Should be the heavy purple out of the bulkhead. I wired that right to my stater and it works fine for me. Like others said check your nss. The yellow and purple should connect, or go to a nss.

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (4)

88...did you get it figured out???