I just fired up my motor for the first time since I swapped out the tbi for a carb and my starter power wire fried on the header and even started fire. Since then the starter wont turn over from the key. I ran power to the purple wire and it worked. Here's what im sure caused it. I forgot to hook up the negative from the battery to the frame and motor, so the starter was completing its circuit elsewhere. Is there a starter relay? I cant find one.

I installed some hooker super comp long tubes and the wires run dangerously close to them. I dont want another fire, what have other people done with these wires? They're ceramic coated, so I dont really want to wrap them.........

 

The starter relay is right on the starter, your "start" wire needs to hook to the terminal marked "S" on the solenoid.
This is one of GM's bad ideas as the heat from the headers fry the solenoid (in the very least it makes the car start hard when hot).
I installed an external FORD relay and it really makes a big difference. To do this you have to run the "START" wire to the external solenoid (again hook to the "S" terminal).... now you need to add a small jumper wire on the original solenoid hooked from the large terminal to the "S" terminal, this will cause the starter to spin whenever power is applied to the large cable which is now controlled by the external solenoid.
Hope this helps and didn't confuse.

 

That doesnt help me, but its a good idea nonetheless. The solenoid is working because I cut a small part to bare wire on the purple solenoid wire and touched it to the battery and thats how ive been starting the car since. The ignition at the key works but the start does not. I think I found the purple wire entering the dash and put a circuit tester on it and it read continuity, not sure if thats reliable or not. Ive done some reading and heard something about a starter enable relay?
Ive also heard the vats could be screwed but your fuel pump will not work if it is? But my fuel pump does work. The security light is on when I turn the key to start. While the car is running, I dont remember. Its got open headers and I dont like to run it too often. German neighbors hate noise. I cant seem to find a wiring diagram of the start system. Anyone have any ideas?

 

If anyone has been paying attention to this thread besides me, I resolved the problem. There never really was a problem, I just had to leave the positive hooked up on the battery for a few minutes. ?????