The car is a 92 firebird 305 v8. It has had a terrible intermittent starting issue for weeks now. Sometimes I turn the key and NOTHING no click no noise, all lights come on and stay on, and fuel pump engages.

I have this down to the starter wiring I think. It recently started this problem back again VERY often past few days. I wiggled the starter wires and it fired right up. 10 Minutes later nothing, got under there gave it a good wiggle and there we go again. I noticed there is a thick black wire with a metal washer type thing on the end and it is NOT connected to anything. I connected it to where I thought it went and got sparks, but then the car started right up. It is starting with this black wire/washer on the end NOT connected to anything. I feel like something is wired odd in there. Any ideas I really need help here. Is there a snap in connection for the wiring? I cant see in there only can reach, but when i squeeze it together I have gotten it to start 2 times now.

I am very curious about this free wire, doesnt seem right. And when I touched it to the metal it sparked, but the first time i did that it did NOT spark. It sparked after I played with the wires. When i played with the wires did that give it a good connection and thats why the sparks occured?

 

All wires leading to the starter should connect onto the larger terminal on the starter EXCEPT for the purple wire, it connects to the smaller terminal on starter. Sounds like you have a short in a wire somewhere.

 

thanks. any idea why it starts with this black wire not connected? seems like it would be a ground and would never start w/o proper ground. Is there a harness in there or something i just cant see in there at all. when i push the fusible link together tight it seems to work great.

 

Black wire doesn't always mean a ground.

EVERY wire that connects to starter is a positive, NONE are grounds - the starter is grounded on the block.

There is only TWO wires that technically go TO the starter, the positive battery cable, and the purple wire - all the others are leaving FROM the starter, including the fusible links. The positive battery cable provides the current, and the purple wire comes from ignition to activate the solenoid.

Sounds like that fusible link you are squeezing is going bad - probably provides power to the fuse box or ignition circuit, and thus when it shorts the purple wire is not getting energized to activate the solenoid.

 

Thats exactly what I am thinking. I am bringing it to my shop they are gonna look at the wires for me for free. I will post back if that ends up being the problem, seems like the issue I have with the intermittent no start is extremely common, good place to look for any others having this problem.