I have a 69 camaro and the engine will not crank. I have replaced the solinoid, ignition switch and the relay and still nothing. The starter is good because I can crank it with a remote switch.
Symptoms: There is power to the lead on the "S" side of the solinoid, but nothing coming out of the "R" side, which the purple lead is attached. When I turn the ignition switch to the on position, the braided white that comes out of the firewall starts to smoke. I have no power at any of the leads from which the safty switch harness connects.

My thought is that I have a direct short somewhere, but I am running out of places to check. Is there someway that I can run a new purple lead from the starter solinoid and connect it to the ignition switch so as to by pass the problem. If so which purple lead should I replace on the ignition switch. The one on the black plug or the one on the white plug.

Thanks for you help!!!!!!!!!!

I would verify my connections at the ignition switch and also use a meter to verify that the switch itself is working properly ... certainly you need to determine continuity when the switch is in both the on and the crank positions ... Is power coming in to the ignition switch ? Then you should get 12 volts coming off switch when key turned ... and 12 v should be present at solenoid when switch is in crank position ... in regard to smoke and white wire, do you see smoke in on position, when in crank position, or both ? I would bet that ign switch is not correctly wired ...

I thought the purple one was the starter bypass that sent 12 volts directly to the coil while starting, but am not sure. Sounds like you got it wired in wrong. Did it ever work right or did you just change it?

You're seeing smoke because you have the solenoid wired backwards. The 12 ga. purple wire goes to the "S" terminal on the solenoid, and supplies full battery voltage from the ignition switch to the solenoid windings to pull in the starter. The "R" terminal takes the little 20 ga. yellow wire, which feeds 12 volts to the (+) coil terminal only during starting. The other wire to the coil (+) terminal (the cloth-covered white/orange/purple one that's smoking) is the resistance wire that feeds (reduced) current from the ignition switch to the coil with the ignition switch in the "Run" position.

The way you have it wired now, it's feeding full battery voltage to the coil instead of to the starter and backfeeding it to the ignition switch through the resistance wire.

Take a look at the wiring diagram and you'll see what I mean. Purple goes to "S", yellow to "R", starter will work, wires won't smoke.

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JohnZ
'69 Z28 Fathom Green

[This message has been edited by JohnZ (edited 07-29-2001).]

Thanks Guys! I switch the wires on the solinoid and she cranked right over. Now the starter seems to stick once in awhile and continues cranking. Any Ideas?

I spent 18 hours tracing wires and such this weekend. Funny how it is usually something simple, not to mention stupid. Thanks again.

If the starter "sticks" sometimes and keeps running, it's either the ignition switch contacts going bad, or the large disc contactor inside the solenoid is sticking due to arcing. If the ignition switch is going bad, you'll see voltage on the purple wire (that feeds the solenoid) from the switch in the "Run" position when the starter "sticks" - you should only see power on this wire in the "Start" position. I'd replace the solenoid first - the originals had a copper contactor disc, but most replacements have steel instead, which is more prone to arcing and "sticking".

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JohnZ
'69 Z28 Fathom Green