First let me say I have spent hours reading through old threads.

I have a 1985 Pontiac Trans Am 305TPI, auto. About 1 year ago I converted to carb, pulled out the a/c and smog junk. I still have the TPI harness in the car. Ran great until about 1 month ago.

Problem #1.

I went to the bank to get some money. I shut the car off, tried to start it again. Nothing. Turn the key, and it doesnt even seem engage the starter. I have my dad push me home. Try to start it again, and it fires right up. It seems to happen randomly. I can jump the solnoid and it will start. I have power to everything else. I tried starting it in nuetral as well, nothing. A few weeks ago it ran fine for about 2 weeks. Started every time. Now its giving me trouble again... It was a lot warmer during those 2 weeks.

Problem #2

More recently, I was jumping the solnoid again, it started to turn over and then stopped, I then noticed I no longer had power to headlights, radio, dash, door locks, dome light ect. If I disconnect the battery and then reconnect it I have power the everything. As soon as I engage the starter everything dies again.

I THINK my car is one of the ones that has the acc. power off of the starter. As far as I can tell I have 1 big cable going to the starter, one alt. off my battery. On my starter i have one small cable on a small post, and then 2 cables running behind the engine then up on the big post with the battery cable.

Maybe the cables are loose/dirty and just not connecting right on the big post on the starter?? I havent check how tight they are. Its currently 6 degrees outside...

Ideas?

 

Check the fusible links at the starter main power pole, and the fuse link connector above the rear of the engine: