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Second purple starter wire?

Old Jan 9, 2018 | 11:27 AM
  #1  
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From: Sebastopol, CA
Car: 84 Trans Am
Second purple starter wire?

Greetings 3rd Gen people. I have used this site in the past for it's wealth of knowledge and expertise.
l am installing a rebuilt 5.0 H.O. engine into my 84 Trans Am with 4 BBL computet carb and manual 5 speed.
There is a purple wire in a loom all by it's self. The end has an eyelet and looks just like the connector as the purple wire that connects to the starter relay at the motor. The relay wire is still in the metal guide tube as well as the dubble red wire with the larger eyelet for the starter. So I think all the starter connections are acounted for....
I'll try to include a picture of this wire in question as I am at a loss to find where it is suppose to connect. Thanx in advance

Last edited by doc_honda; Jan 9, 2018 at 11:31 AM.
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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 11:51 AM
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From: Brainerd, MN
Car: '84 Trans Am
Engine: 357 SBC
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.73, Torsen Diff
Re: Second purple starter wire?

If you're talking about the purple wire that comes out near the fuse panel, that was used for the neutral safety\clutch switch on manual transmission models. There is also one for automatics that comes into the middle console.
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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 12:07 PM
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Re: Second purple starter wire?

Looks like I posted too may times. Sorry about that.
The wire in question can be traced back to a rubber covered bullet connector. There are an orange and a black wire further back in that loom.
I am having some trouble posting a picture from my phone....
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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 12:12 PM
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Car: 84 Trans Am
Re: Second purple starter wire?

The loom comes off the harness at the firewall on top of the bell housing. There are two black plastic connectors mounted into the firewall with red wires that attach to the orange wire.
Still unable to post a picture. ...
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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 12:14 PM
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Re: Second purple starter wire?

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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 12:18 PM
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From: Brainerd, MN
Car: '84 Trans Am
Engine: 357 SBC
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.73, Torsen Diff
Re: Second purple starter wire?

The purple wire in the engine compartment that drops there is for the starter solenoid switch, pretty sure.
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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 12:20 PM
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Re: Second purple starter wire?

I am holding the loom. The connector in question is visible next to the red wire in my hand. To the right side are the purple wire with it's rubberized connector and the orange and black wires.
The connector looks just like the one at the starter relay

​​​​​​
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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 01:08 PM
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From: Brainerd, MN
Car: '84 Trans Am
Engine: 357 SBC
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.73, Torsen Diff
Re: Second purple starter wire?

No idea then. I only had one in my '84 loom.
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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 08:48 PM
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Car: 84 Trans Am
Re: Second purple starter wire?

Thanx Jorlain. The car has been in the family since it was new. I just pulled the engine and transmission out for renewing.
I don't recall removing any other eyelet connectors other than the ones at the starter motor and those appear to be accounted for..... most confusing
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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 08:50 PM
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Re: Second purple starter wire?

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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 09:39 PM
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Car: 84 Trans Am
Re: Second purple starter wire?

I could reverse engineer it. Isolate the wire and find out what doesn't work...
A friend mentioned early points models needed power to the distributer on a pink wire to spark when cranking. Things changed and it may be early HEI coil ignition. Maybe it is a pink wire....
I think I zip tied this black bracket onto the starter loom at the starter wires "Tunnel guide" for some reason.

​​​
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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 09:40 PM
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Re: Second purple starter wire?

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Old Jan 9, 2018 | 09:45 PM
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Re: Second purple starter wire?

The bracket is near the mountig bolt on the bell housing. You can see the starter relay wire already in place near the bottom of the picture.
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Old Jan 15, 2018 | 02:41 PM
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From: Brainerd, MN
Car: '84 Trans Am
Engine: 357 SBC
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.73, Torsen Diff
Re: Second purple starter wire?

I just stumbled across thread and saw that on non-emission vehicles (ie, Canadian), there was a purple wire that connected to a vacuum switch for TCC lockup (and possibly the cowl hood, too).

Here's the thread: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...up-tourqe.html
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Old Jan 15, 2018 | 05:11 PM
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From: Perth Western Australia
Car: 1987 Z28 Camaro
Engine: 305 LG4 4bbl
Transmission: TH700R4
Re: Second purple starter wire?

i know this is an 84, but heres a page for 86 wiring, might find something on there

http://92b4crs.tripod.com/86wiring/86wiringindex.html
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Old Jan 31, 2018 | 10:32 PM
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From: Sebastopol, CA
Car: 84 Trans Am
Re: Second purple starter wire?

Thank you all for the input. The engine starts and runs well. Isolating the wire and everything works except the radio. I thought the starter motor was over complex with connections when I removed it.
Next I'll check to see if it's hot key off or on. A quick look at the wiring schematic didn't show the radio.

Looks like GM likes orange (?) hot at most times. I could be wrong about the color. More testing soon but i think it goes on the starter as a power accessory in.

Report back later
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Old Jan 31, 2018 | 11:15 PM
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From: Brainerd, MN
Car: '84 Trans Am
Engine: 357 SBC
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt 3.73, Torsen Diff
Re: Second purple starter wire?

There's a lot that uses orange as key-on power if I remember right.
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