So I'm trying to get this project slowly going. The car ran fine about a year ago but then the starter did a cool trick where it would keep spinning (and engine running) even when the key was out of the ignition.

Fast forward a few months and I got a new starter and new battery. Installed that and nothing. No crank or anything. Bench Tested it and it works fine. *long story on this... I forgot I had a jumper from the main 12v source on the starter to the small post on the starter*

During all this and teting to figure out the no powder to starter issue, I thought the remote solinoid broke. after 4 different ones.... still same issue. I get 12v *14.2v technically* from the battery *located in the trunk * to the 1st post on the remote solinoid. I get 0.15v at the purple ignition wire that's on the S terminal when key is off, 0v when I try to start it. And I get 0v on the power with from the other side of the remote solinoid to the starter.

I have also replaced the neutral safety switch and ignition switch (not the ignition cylinder).

 

There are only two electrical connections to the starter. The Key in crank position (smaller wire) and the big 12V battery (+) cable. That's it. Your first starter probably had a bad starter solenoid. You can jumper the bigger cable (+12) to the smaller wire and crank the starter over. If that works, now you know the starter is working. Something upstream of the smaller wire is not letting the key crank position voltage to get down there.

 

The starter solenoid has fuse links that have 12 Volt hot at all times power that are fed from the battery. One of those fuse links at the starter solenoid feeds the starter solenoid engage (purple wire) after running through the ignition Start switch circuit and through the park/neutral safety switch. If the ignition switch is in Start and the transmission is in P or N, you'll get 12 Volts on the purple wire and the starter solenoid engages to activate the starter.

That fuse link also feeds a lot of other circuits. Such as the high speed blower relay, the fuel pump relay, some interior accessories, etc., depending on exactly how the car came from the factory. You have a Camaro and I'm referencing a Firebird but there should be similarities.

Edit: Tootie Pang replied while I was typing. His diagram helps you to see the flow. Although his appears to be for VATs and your 1986 won't have that, the flow is still the same except for the VATs starter enable relay shown. That purple wire at the starter solenoid needs to have 12 volts to engage the starter solenoid and the starter. Follow it up to see the flow through the transmission safety switch, ignition switch, and the fuse link that's attached to the starter solenoid. You may have a bad fuse link, break or high resistance somewhere in the circuit.

 

These Schematics are from an 86 Camaro TPI and might be a bit different if your car has a factory Carb. ( the 'basics' are still the same. ) The schematics posted earlier are from 89+-92 cars. ( no starter enable in 86 ) and a bit different than 86.






Starter requires a good ground when bolted to the block....... remove any / all crud or paint before bolting it up.

Red wires are HOT at ALL times,...... Verify Battery voltage on each side of ALL fusible links; RED wire feeds the ignition box on the column.

Yellow wire from ignition box will carry battery voltage when the key is turned to START; Yellow wire feeds NSS switch.

If the shifter is in P or N than battery voltage will flow away from the NSS and to the Solenoid on the PURPLE wire; PURPLE feeds the Starter Solenoid.


If grounded properly and the starter has battery voltage from battery cable; 12 battery voltage on the PURPLE should make Solenoid and Starter spin....... Just like on the bench.



Here is the Firewall connector info for the 1985 Camaro; It should match your 86.






Good luck !

 

Worth a giggle,....


I started writing, got up to stack the wood stove, returned and finished writing, posted my response, then saw JT's Post !!

 

So since I tried to manually move the ignition switch through all the different positions, while in park, and still got 0v to the purple ignition wire, is it a possible issue from the fuse block ? I did check and all the fuses are good.

 

Thanks a ton John. Best of all I do have an 86 iroc tpi. I will have a chance fri and I'll start checking what is / isnt getting power at the connections.

 

Reply Pile! Work your voltage check back. Your gear selector switch might not be allowing the voltage to pass through.

 

No, the fuse block itself is not part of your issue. The fuse block inside the car is going to get some of it's fed from that fuse link circuit we're discussing instead of providing power to it.

You're going to need to "cut" the circuit (not physically) to start finding where the failure is. You could disconnect the C100 connector at the firewall and test the Red wire on the engine bay side for 12 Volts. That would tell you if the fuse link is fine. If so, then the issue is downstream and you'd need to then check at the ignition switch for 12 Volt on the Red wire. Or skip right to the ignition switch and test for 12 volts on the Red wire. If no 12 Volt there, then look upstream running toward that fuse link on the starter solenoid.

 

Should I try putting it in neutral vs park? It was recently replaced at the same time i did the switch.

 

Yes, you could. Maybe your Park/Neutral switch isn't fully in the correct position while in Park and not allowing current to flow.

The problem is, you said in your first post that you replaced that and the ignition switch. Although New parts are no guarantee they work, it would be a little less likely to have two bad parts (original and new) in a row. With that, I'd check for 12 Volts at the firewall connector (engine side) or at the ignition switch on the Red wire. If you have no 12 Volt there, the Park/Neutral switch can't pass any power that's not there.

 

I'm guessing you installed your own starter mag switch in the engine bay? Where did you wire up the old 10 gage purple wire that used to go to the starter?

And did you keep the stock start relay located behind the driver side interior kick panel?

I think I know why things are all screwed up, but need to know what you did first.

 

You mean the VATS starter enable relay? Since the car is a 1986, it would not have VATS or that relay. For a 1986, it's a pretty basic and simple system. The only relay on this type would be the starter solenoid itself.

 

Oh, so it's just hardwire from the column switch box to the starter solenoid?

 

On a non-VATS car, the starter solenoid is the "relay" in the start circuit of this application. One side of the starter solenoid has hot at all times connections with fuse links attached. One of those fuse links runs to the ignition switch and, if the ignition switch is placed to start, continues to the transmission safety switch and, if in P or N, then travels down the purple wire to the starter solenoid which energies the solenoid and closes the contacts to pass power to the starter.

 

Sounds like we're talking about incorrect wiring to a ford type remote solenoid ?

 

If the car has been re-wired, then we need more information. Although the profile of the account shows a non-original engine, I don't know why the starter circuit would be all changed. And to a Ford? Based on? The factory GM starter for the original application would have had a solenoid, which I've been referencing, and is on top of the starter. It could be called "remote solenoid" without it being a Ford. That the OP states the S terminal also doesn't conclude a Ford solenoid on its own because the GM solenoid also has the same S terminal, too.

 

I agree,...more info is needed. When i read battery in the trunk, and remote solenoid, and no power from the remote solenoid to the starter,...i'm wondering if we're talking about a remote solenoid? Although i don't run a "ford type" remote solenoid on my car, many guys do.