I dont know if it is the starter or what. I just put in a new starter because my last one was shot. I got everything hooked up and when i try connecting the battery i cant even get the battery hooked up because it is sparking really bad and the getting extremely hot to where the terminals are turning red. One thing that has sorta confused me is the original starter had three posts for wiring and the new one only has two. First i tried just hooking it up with the original wires then i figured that on the new starter one wire has to be positive to the batter and one is ground so i have tried attaching the secondary wire to the ground and the power to the main post and this isnt helping any.

 

ok right now i have the ignition wire, the battery wire and another wire which i have no idea what it is going to. (getting to dark to trace it back) and only 2 wiring posts unless you couln the big long one that has the connector to the actual starter.

 

There is no ground wire on a starter, unless you add one for some reason. You should have a Positive battery cable and about 2 or 3 other wires that go to the big post, and the other post is marked S and it sould have the purple wire running to it from the switch.

Seth

 

ok i feel stupid but i didnt see a purple wire. would that be the ignition switch?

 

Yikes, sparks & things glowing red are not good! Posting year & engine gives us a better idea of what you're working with. I ALWAYS test a repalcement starter on the garage floor before I put it in. Use a set of jumper cables - black (negative) cable gets attached to starter frame & red (positive) cable gets attached to BAT terminal on starter. I use a 14 gauge jumper wire to go from positive jumper cable to "S" terminal on starter (Hold starter with your other hand cause it will torque when it starts. This tests that the solenoid engages & the starter turns (don't run it for long periods like this).
Negative wire does not go to the starter - starter grounds by being bolted to the engine/trans. If things got cherry red, I don't think that starter is any good. Either test the current starter by the above method, or test a replacement starter before putting it on the car.
Poast back with year & engine size & we can help with the 3 vs 2 wires on starter.
Corky

 

its a 87 gta 5.7 liter. i tested the old one and it was dead, didnt think to test the new one.

 

Sorry it took so long. Got busy here at work. Here is a link to wiring schematics for an 86 should be the same. http://92b4crs.tripod.com/86wiring/86wiringindex.html

If you trace the small wires back to the engine compartment you should see where they run into the main harness. The purple wire should be visible up top, you might have to peel back some of the loom.

Seth

 

Ok, well i found the purple wire, hooked it up and it still seems to be doing the same thing. I figured just for the heck of it i would unhook everything. With the starter totally disconnected it still does the same thing. So i looked at the negative battery cable and it looks like it is in really bad shape so i am going to replace that and see what it does. the battery was dead before this whole ordeal and i had it on the charger for the last 2 days to charge it do you think that could be part of the reason to? Obviously the battery has power since all of the sparks

 

grrrr.... ok got a new negative cable, hooked everything up, didnt spark too bad, but after about 10 seconds the started seeing some smoke come out of the alternator.. i have unhooked the alternator and now everything seems normal except for the fact the battery terminals are heating up....
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it has been parked for about 9-10 months prior to this and everything worked fine that last time it was driven

 

ok found out the battery was the problem thewhole time. I got a new battery and no sparks, and the starter turns over fine. Now for the new problem. None of my gauges are coming on and the engine is not starting. The starter is turning over its just not firing up. Im thinking since that is coupled with the gauges it may be in the ignition. Do you guys think i may have fried something with the bad batter since some smoke did come out of the alternator and there was a burning electrical smell..
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I should prolly add that i have the digital dash

 

Unfortunately, chances are pretty good you fried something. Might be as simple as a fuse - check all fuses with a test light & have a good look at your fusible links. There is also a good chance the alternator has been damaged.
Check diagram below for tracing power to fuse panel & fusible links.
Corky

 

ok, got everything solved the battery fried the fuse for the gauges and the ecm fuse. For some reason the ECM fuse was relocated on my car so it was near the battery which made it fun to find. Everything is up and runnin like a champ right now. NOw im just hoping the alternator isnt fried. Ive driven it a few times and had it runnin for awhile without having it go under 12 volts, but at the same time when i rev the engine it dosent seem to go up either. so i will keep my fingers crossed.