starter/power problems

[SwiftE30]

just wired up my harness and had everything hooked up. When i put power to the ground and hot wires on the harness the starter starts up immediately and just basically makes a revving sound but nothing is moving. Did anyone else have this same problem? i think i might have the wires going to the starter messed up. I tried switching to two mains that are on the harness (two big red ones) but same problem. Any suggestions? thanks

[glucklich21]

Check the wire that comes from the alternator to the starter. See if it's coming in contact with the two smaller wires on the starter. The starter should only engage if the ignition is turned on.

Mine were touching. When I hooked up the battery with the ignition off, the red wire would put power to the starter with the black wire it came in contact with. But since the ignition was off, it didn't have enough power to make it turn, so it made a weird noise till I figured out the issue. Also starter no workie during that problem when I tried starting it.

[drumad]

Your pinion may not be engaging the flywheel approprately. The solenoid is kicking the pinion out and the motor is still spinning it while it's stopped against the flywheel.

This is just one possiblity however.

[SwiftE30]

Check the wire that comes from the alternator to the starter. See if it's coming in contact with the two smaller wires on the starter. The starter should only engage if the ignition is turned on.

Mine were touching. When I hooked up the battery with the ignition off, the red wire would put power to the starter with the black wire it came in contact with. But since the ignition was off, it didn't have enough power to make it turn, so it made a weird noise till I figured out the issue. Also starter no workie during that problem when I tried starting it.

i dont have a wire that connects from the alternator to the starter... where is this supposed to come from? i know i have a wire that connects to the alternator that comes from the engine harness but thats is. other than the two wires from the actual harness, and then the two original wires that are from the e30 that are supposed to go to the starter. ive heard you can run either/or... thanks for the help guys.

[SwiftE30]

Where is the wire that us supposed to connect alternator to starter? Or am I just supposed to make one?

[glucklich21]

Your harness should have come with one. If not, your old M20 should have one as well. Either will work.

[SwiftE30]

ok, im gonna go and check it out again today. i feel like i might have two small black wires that connect to the starter are switched. just as a clarification, how many wires should there be hooked up to the alternator? Currently i have 4. two small black, and two big reds.

[SwiftE30]

so here is all what i have. and im really thinking something is missing from the harness, and or from the e30.

i assumed the big black one in this pic is the ground. i pulled back the cover and they are all brown.


these are two small wires that are from the harness. the guy i got the harness from had labeled them "starter top" and "starter bottom"


these are two wires that come from the e30 fuse box. i read that these were the starter cables right?


and then of course there are the two big red wires that are on the driver side of engine harness. These are the e36 sterter cables right?

I'm pretty sure i am missing a ground that goes to the alternator also. right now there is only a small black one that goes on the smaller stud on the alternator.
any help is greatly appreciated. thanks