I have an 84 rs that had a 350 carbed. I was swapping my 355 tpi setup into it. I got everything all hooked up and i get nothing. All i get are the head lights, and the dash will light up. The windows wont even work, any idea what i might have done wrong or missed in the swap. I am not that good with electrical and have no clue where to start looking. If there is anyone that is local and willing to help i would appreciate it and pay for your time. I am in North East Ohio, any help is appreciated and thanks in advanced.
Thank you
jeremy

 

There are two large red wires that connect to the starter along with the positive battery cable. Sounds like you only got one connected.

(BTW, I don't believe there was an "RS" model in '84.)

 

Also check grounds - should be neg battery cable to engine block, groundstrap from block to firewall (usually at pass rear head), and ground wire from neg battery to fender.

 

I will check the wiring starter. All that is on there is one ground from battery to block so i will see if i can find some ground straps and see if it fixes the issues. Thanks!

 

If your headlight and dash lights work, grounding isn't your issue.

There should be a ground strap between the back of the head and the firewall, and from the ground cable at the battery to the fender. They help the computer and other chassis components work better, but shouldn't affect whether or not the start circuit or windows get power.

 

So its probably the way i have the starter wired? I got a new starter during the rebuild and got rid of the old one. Either the starts poles are different or i labeled something wrong. i labeled the wires left pole and right pole but there are 3 poles..... think i messed that one up?

 

It's the big one in the middle, the same one the battery cable goes to. There should also be 2 red wires on that terminal.

 

Any idea what two red wires. I think i am missing one.

 

They are part of the same harness that has the start signal wire that comes down from the branch that goes behind the engine.

 

THis is what i have

 

Take the one off of the lug on the left in your photo, and put it with the battery cable.

Looks like that wire has had a smaller terminal put on it recently. It should be a bigger one.

You shouldn't have anything on that left lug. In days of yore that was the "resistor" lug, that gave the points ignition a full 12 volts while the starter was engaged to aid the spark strength during starting. Replacement starters/solenoids have it so they can be used in both the applications that use it and those that don't, but your original '84 starter didn't have that lug.

(Oh, it'll probably run better with spark plugs, too... )

 

Thanks for your help i got it working now. It was the wire i had on the left pole added it to the main with all the other reds and everything powers up now. Now my new issue which one of these is for the neutral safety switch?

 

The one with 4 wires and the one in your hand with 2 wires go to the neutral safety switch on the shifter (also functions as the reverse lights switch). The one with the single wire is the park brake light switch. The one off to the side is the shifter indicator light socket.

 

I got a b&m mega shifter that i am putting in this but for now i just want to jump the wires so i can get it to think its in park so i can start it. Do you know which wires i need to jump?

 

Look at the wiring diagram from B&M. The two thicker gauge wires get ground together and that will bypass the neutral safety switch. On the B&M shifters the upper switch is for reverse lights and the lower is NSS.

 

Thanks for your help. It is a used shifter so i didnt have the directions i will look online and see if i can find some.

 

summitracing.com has them available on their site. Just search for "megashifter", click on the first choice, click on "instructions".

 

Ok so new problem. If I have the ignition on when I turn the lights on it must short something out because I loose all power again. No lights, guages or fans. But the buzzer still goes off when I open the door. So I disconnect the battery for about 15 minutes and hook it back up and I get the same thing. Anyone heard of this problem before?