It's a monumental day

[Chuck R.]

The engine is ready to start and I have the wiring harness connected the way that I think it should be, but there is no sign of life when I turn the key.
Questions and observations I have are as follows,

1) There is a ground pin on the ignition switch but there is no obvious wire coming out of harness that could go into the plug.

2)The fusible links are good.

3) There is a loose brown wire coming off of the coil that is labled as W/R/B which I'll assume is white , red, black depicted on the wiring diagram as going into the bulkhead connectors

Anyone have a down and dirty wiring diagram I could take advantage of?

Thanks, Chuck

[Dennis C.]

It's a monumental day

This is driving me nuts... When you say, "When I turn the key, nothing happens." Does that mean, when you turn the day to On, you get nothing, or does that mean, when you turn the key to Start, nothing happens?
Time for your monumental day is running out...

[William C.]

Re: It's a monumental day

For those of us without clairvoyance, what year car would we be looking at here?

[Paul H.]

Re: It's a monumental day

For those of us without clairvoyance, what year car would we be looking at here?

Looks like a 68 coupe under the profile.

[Chuck R.]

Re: It's a monumental day

Yes, I'm afraid that my monumental day has gone the way of most days working on my 1968 small block four speed coupe with no power options nor A/C.

Heres the long version I was attempting to spare everyone Dennis.

I have connected the engine bay as well as cockpit wiring harnesses and have attached only the starter, coil and alternator wiring.

I have attached both the horn relay as well as the voltage regulator to the frame along with what I feel are pertinent "other" ground wires.

I then plugged the ignition switch into the harness.

I hit the switch and there's no sign of life.

The fusible links are good and I'm getting 13 volts to the starter selonoid, so it's in the control wiring somewhere, maybe even the switch I guess.

As I asked in my earlier post, should there be a wire running to the blade marked "GRND" on the back of the ignition switch? The position is devoid of a wire and there appears to be no wire coming out of the harness in that area indicating that it might go there.

There are still loose ground wires I did not attach as they were for the headlight assemblies etc. I figured that they were not critical to this process.

Hope this better explains my situation Dennis.

Chuck

[William C.]

Re: It's a monumental day

If you are using the original connectors, and all are connected to the Ignition column switch, then check for 12v to ground at the switch. With a Corvette system, the problem can be either the power or the ground side, and the most overlooked is the ground side. There is an IP ground at the drivers side hinge pillar as well as grounds in the engine compartment that must be hooked up to make the system work. Start with a meter and check the connection at the switch for power in and work back to the battery. The ground for the battery is to the frame (at least it was on my '72 and I think all the c-3 cars were the same) chances are that one of the "un-needed" wires not hooked up will be the source of the problem.

[Chuck R.]

Re: It's a monumental day

Thanks Bill, I started that process last night and ran out of both time and energy.......might as well add talent too for matter.

How bad is this, I woke up at 2:30 this AM wondering if the jumper I put across the neutral safety switch lead might have come free. It is indeed a sickness, I'm convinced of it now!

My next "monumental day" will hopefully be Tuesday evening.

Chuck

[Chuck S.]

Re: It's a monumental day

For the "first" start of an engine, I like the idea of using one of those start-up boxes with the on/off switch, starter button, oil pressure gage, coolant temp gage, and tach right on the box with simple, absolute minimal, wiring. I built a nice one using plans right in The Corvette Restorer.

You have enough to worry about during an engine start without having to troubleshoot your harnesses at the same time...better to get your engine running first, and do the rat killing later.

[Chuck R.]

Re: It's a monumental day

Now it's the damed red squirrels.

After the third 410 gauge fresh air port up through the second floor of the garage not to mention the un-natural pitting and splintering of the floor joists, I have now resorted to modified rat traps and Jiff. I doubled the spring rate and nailed the traps to the floor so they couldn't ...you know.... like wander off?

Chuck 2 red squirrels 0

I figured that the wiring harness would have been both my fastest and most inexpensive route Chuck.

As long as I have my trusty 10lb ABC and the main disconnect I have in-line with the battery, I think I'll be ok.......that is IF I can get the freakin thing to roll over!!!!

Yours in Corvettes, Chuckster

[Bert L.]

Re: It's a monumental day

Damned red squirrels! I use my trusty 12ga with no. 71/2 ammo. I live in the country so the noise isn't an issue. Have to eliminate at least 6-8 of these bushy tailed rats each year.

[Chuck R.]

Re: It's a monumental day

Bert, I feel your pain but a twelve? Isn't that kinda like fishing with sticks of dynomite?

Chuckster

[Chuck R.]

Re: Tomorrows the day

Yep, I found the culprit.

I didn't have the correct set of wires jumped out for the neutral safety switch. The schimatics show purple wires, and mine are black.

When I turned the key and the starter came to life, I almost cracked my celebratory Bud early.

Tomorrow night I light her up and see what happens.

Thanks to one and all for the help.

Prayers are welcomed,

Chuck