Im pretty sure I found the pigtail. Almost positive. It has a yellow wire going back to the ignition switch, then a purple wire going to the starter then a couple more smaller wires. Where does this thing plug into?! If you can help please do.

 

88 camaro automatic.

 

It plugs into the gear selector switch which is bolted to the automatic shifter in the center console.

 

Thank you sir! um I have looked there but I can not find a plug that looks similar to that. The plug I described is a female piece looking for the male piece.

I really appreciate your help, one of the few that have been helping. I need to get this done by the 12th and get my tags and insurance or ill get a fine of 1000 dollars, fng county! So yeah I'm putting it together as quickly as I can so I may post a couple more things in the days coming. Mostly I think I got it all under control.

Ill search for that piece tomorrow hopefully I can find it.

 

The gear selector switch plug should be long, thin and rectangular. If you search here, you might get lucky and find a photo.
If your gear selector has no switch, somebody must have removed it and you possibly have an aftermarket shifter.

If you starter works, I would not worry about it because it has been bypassed then. Loose connectors in the center console are not safety inspection item.

 

It has a thick yellow and purple wiring going to the pigtail, so does that have to get plugged into the gear selector switch?

Is this switch actually on my frame or is it on the plastic piece because my car is bare metal right now :P

Im sure ill find out tomorrow like I said Ill try and start it. I will try and search here a bit so I can find a picture.

 

The switch is bolted to the shifter assembly itself, not the floor.
The wiring connector should have SIX wires, not just two.
It has thick yellow and thick purple for the starter safety switch (allows you to start only in P or N).
It has orange/black and black/white wires for the P/N signal to the ECM.
It also has a light green and dark blue wire for the backup lamps.

Where exactly did you find that connector? In the center of the dash or more to the left, by the pedal assembly?

 

Not sure where I found it exactly, I ripped everything out about a month ago thinking the wiring harness I ordered was going to be everything. Turns out it was completely wrong so Im redoing the old one.

Here you go, the pigtail with the large purple and yellow wire thats what it looks like except like you said it has all those wires coming out of it.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...g-harness.html

If its bolts to the actual shifter that thing is not there lol. I will look again tomorrow and see what I can find hopefully I do find something. Thanks for the info on the back up lamps though that may be of some help!

 

Well, you will probably need to put at least a paperclip in the connector to jump the yellow and purple wires so that the engine can crank. You won't have reverse lights but those are usually not part of the state safety inspection. Check your local state regulations.

If your shifter is stock, you can get a replacement shifter switch at any car parts store (or junkyard).

Let us know if she starts tomorrow.
Lou

 

Huh paper clip for a park neutral switch interesting . Do you insulate it with bubble gum

 

No need to be rude man. He's helped me out more than anyone else, plus if I were to go this route not that hard to fill it with di electric grease and wrap it with electrical tape.

 

The paperclip suggestion was NOT meant to be permanent, I assume anybody with common sense understands that.
It is only a temporary measure to start the car. An easy way to bypass a faulty (or in this case a missing) gear selector switch for diagnosis etc.

To fix it properly, I would suggest nothing else but buying a new shifter switch anyway. It will provide the P/N starter safety functionality plus it will give you reverse lights.

Now start her up already.

 

not trying to be rude a jumper wire would be easy to make. There also maybe a interrupt relay That might need to be bypassed on the drivers side kick panel. I think they started to show up late 88 and 89 for sure.

 

I agree, a jumper wire would be fine too for testing. Just not as a permanent solution, that would be unsafe. I recommend installing a shifter switch for sure.

The '88 model years should not have VATS but you are right, you never know with Chevy, they might have installed it on a late '88 model.
Since he said, he had a yellow wire at the gear selector switch, I am expecting that there is no Starter Enable Relay because then the wire color would be dark green with a white stripe which would be the biggest tell.

 

Okay, so I got good news and bad news lol. The good news I found my gear selector switch!! It was on the front side of the shifter I was looking all over for it. Second good news I got all my lights to work, but for some reason my parking lamps in the rear get brighter and dimmer as I turn my ****?...

Havent been able to start it yet because I cant find the block off plate, which I will tear my house apart later to find it, but I did turn the key to see if my starter and flex plate were good. They are perfect didn't even need to shim them, the car tries to turn over just on 5 cylinders and surprisingly sounds good trying :P..

So I need to put that block off plate on and connect the few ignition wires then fill er up and drive it!!

Annnnd for the bad news. None of my turn signals work... I went and bought a flasher thinking that was my problem and still no luck... The turn signal flasher is a lone flasher it has two blue wires one going to my gear selector switch and one going to the fuse box.. then has a purple that one goes to my turn signal pigtail right? Is there some sort of thing I need to make this work or power on?

I appreciate the help this is the last thing I need then I can get this thing on the road!

 

Did you check the TURN-B/U fuse? It powers the turn signals and back-up lights (via the blue wire you found). If you don't have power on that wire with the key on, it is most likely a bad fuse.

 

No I did not, But I will check it for sure tomorrow!...

I bought new headlights and turn lamps.. Bought a new flasher and all that, so I know thats good. So maybe you're right. Thats all it is right? The purple wire comes from the turn signal switch pigtail to the Flasher. From the flasher there is a smaller blue wire which goes to the gear selector switch pigtail. Once again from the flasher there is a little bit larger blue wire that goes to the Fuse box as you said. So then all the other wires on the turn flasher pigtail connect to the lights, but then I have a lone brown wire I think, Where would that go?

Here is the best news.. Well I started my car only for a quick second. I didn't hook up the fuel pump right or something? Pretty much forgot about those wires in general lol. But I'm just going to connect a positive wire like from the accessory to run that, it would work right?

But within that second my car rumbled like a beast it was so perfect, I cant even believe how awesome it sounds with this new intake and carb.. So much better than the TBI I have a completely different car, and the best news of all tomorrow I'm getting my insurance and registration!!!

Time to get this thing on the road, Can't wait its a year and a half overdue.

Thanks for your help so far man, I appreciate it greatly!