New Motor Wont Start

[69camarokid]

OK....

Ive just finally finished putting everything together on my LT1-t56 swap for my 69 camaro. I had some wiring issues and a fuel leak to begin with, but those seem to be solved at this point.

My new problem pertains to my starter. Im getting power to it, but when i attempt to turn on the engine my starter makes a loud almost shreaking like sound. Im pretty sure thats not how its supposed to sound. could it be a bad starter, or is it possible to line up the teeth incorrectly?

im kinda at a loss, thanks guys

[hotrdblder]

sounds like you need to shim the starter, general rule of thumb is you should be able to put a paperclip between the flywheel gear and starter gear, it needs to be able to just fit in there, if it won't its too tight causing shreeking noise, if the paper clip is loose its too far out, which can cause noise too, grab a light and a paperclip and check it, i think .030 thou is recomended

[69camarokid]

ok, so this gets a little weirder.

I removed the starter, but still kept all the electrical connections in place, and when o had a frein attempt to start the car, the stater did nothing as i watched it.

I reinstalled it and had him try it again, and the shrieking/grinding sound came back. but not electrical connections were changed inbetween these.

Im also unsure about how to go about this paper clip spacing idea, as when the starter is installed i can get axcess to see or get to the gears.

[DRJDVM's '69]

The solenoid is probably bad. I had a starter a couple of years ago, do something similar....took it off and had it tested at Kragen. According to them it was fine. Then I took it to the guy that did some of the wiring on my car. He tested it but them put alittle resistance on the gear with the handle of a hammer and it wouldnt spin at all.

So it bench tested fine but when you put a load on it, it wouldnt work.

Try another starter.

[David Pozzi]

You need to connect a jumper from starter to ground to test it off the car.

A bad bendix will make a screetching sound, it's a one way roller clutch just behind the starter teeth.
David

[69camarokid]

ok, so i took off the starter shield so i could see what was going on when the car was attempting to start.

I had a buddy turn the car on while i was underneath and i could see the starter spin the flywheel. So i think the starter at this point is working, though probably not perfect;y. but the flywheel is being spun.

So i have fuel as well. so i decided to check spark. I took one of my sparkplugs out, attatched to the wire still nad grounded it to the frame while my buddy tried to start the car. there should have been sarks if its working... right???? i think. but im not sure, so i think i just may not have spark.

what do i do for that?

[hotrdblder]

you still need to shim the starter, also you probaly cannot use the factory coil wire as it is a resistance wire and does not like powering hei style ignitions, you need to run a full 12 volts to the coil or the ignition. being fuel injected you need to check the coil for 12 volts, then test coil first. was motor running when you got it or sitting in aa salvage yard?

[bingham72]

ditto on the full 12 volts. the factor harness has a resistor in the line. You can put a volt meter on the coil and see if you are getting the full 12 while cranking. I think summit makes a jumper wire from the starter to the coil that you can get.
I had a similar issue when starting mine. I ended up springing for an MSD ignition which bypasses all of that.
Also, when you pulled the plugs, are they wet?
be careful not to flood it.

[HILROD]

To run the stock computer with an LT1, you'd need all the factory parts the car it came from had, steering column, anti theft, etc. Unless they have been tuned out, the computer thinks it's being stolen, and won't start. I think it's still called VATS, those years also.

[69camarokid]

so, ive got most everything working. except as i said i have no spark.
Upon further inspection i have found that my coil is recieving no power!

In fact, im leaning towards believing that my entire wiring harness has no power. I cant even remember hooing a power wire up anywhere to the harness.

How does the wiring harness get power? I looked at a diagram of the harness and nowhere on it did it list a power wire. My only thought is that it may get it from connecting to the starter, where the battery is directly attatched to????

help me, my baby must live!!!!!!

[barno68]

Two things- first is a repeat of what HILROD said, if you did not have the VATS deleted from the computer there is no chance of the car getting spark.

Second, did you modify the wiring harness yourself, or get an aftermarket conversion harness? An aftermarket harness should have one or two power wires along with a ground wire. No telling how many you may have if you did it yourself. I have several with mine, but I wanted the seperate leads. You should at least have a large red wire from the alternator and a large purple (I think) from the starter. You will also have a smaller ignition power wire. Somewhere in all that mess should be a 50amp fuse before it ties into your factory harness.

[69camarokid]

well i had my computer tuned by brian from PCMsforless.com.
I asked him to remove all the stuff i wouldnt need, nad mentioned that engine would be swapped into a 69 camaro. I also asked him to delete all the emissions crap, so i would think he would remove that VATS.

As for the wiring harness, yes it is the stock harness. it is basically unchanged with the exception that i removed the A/C wires and hook ups as i dont really need or want it.

I dont have a large red wire going to the alternator, only a small red wire that has a plug in for the alternator. i need to run a wire from the starter to the alternator, that i know. nad i have the large purple wire on the starter. im not sure about the smaller ignition power wire, im goig out to search for that right now... and to get a shim kit for the starter.

[69camarokid]

someone on another site mentioned that i needed to have my C100 and C105 ports plugged in to run power to vertain areas on my harness. but those to ports pluged into to something on the actual car itself, on the shock tower.

Does anyone know anything about this?

[barno68]

someone on another site mentioned that i needed to have my C100 and C105 ports plugged in to run power to vertain areas on my harness. but those to ports pluged into to something on the actual car itself, on the shock tower.

Does anyone know anything about this?

According to the drawing, C100 is ignition power to sensors and injectors. It can be several colors, most often pink or brown. Not sure about C105, but I do have a photo that might help with where they are on the harness.

[69camarokid]

ok... so heres what ive got...

Starter: got myself a shim kit, tried a few different shims... starter now sounds fine, as opposed to the mating call of a monkey lie it did before, so thanks for that insight you guys.

Using the diagrams for C100, C105, and the C200s, i was able to pic out the correct wires that i needed for power. i got all those together and put them to a power line (connected to the purple starter wire). the motor then started (yeah!) when the ignition was turned on but always died as the key clicked back into the standard on position.

This made me realize that i need to find a power wire to splice these wires into that gives power both when the key is turned to the on (ready) and when is is cranked all the way foreward for the starter. But i cant use an attatchment to the battery because that would leave the powered up permenately.... or can I????

does anyone know where i can find a wire like this in a 69? this i believe will basically finish ( or help immensely ) my swap.

thanks for all the great advice and ideas so far!!!

[barno68]

Take a look at a diagram to determine which require constant power and which need switched power. PM me with your email address if you do not have the LT1 diagrams.

If you are tying this into the old harness for the car, you can use one of the old switched wires, maybe the coil. Should be pretty easy to find one using a meter. Good luck.