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baffling starter problem


skyman

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Over a year ago I turned the key and and nothing happend . Called road service. He took a look under the hood reached down and said OK turn the key. Started right up. There are three wires in a budle that go across the front of the starter. Two go to the starter. The third smaller wired I found out is a ground to the compresser. He showed me where the wires were all melted by the heat from the exaust pipe which is very close to the starter. For what ever reason, the heat shield that goes between the starter and the exaust pipe was missing and the tie back that held the wires away from the heat melted.

All he did bassically was to shake the wires when I turned the key. Since then I bought the heat shield,had the wires looked at, had the connections on the starter cleaned and retightend. The same thing continued to happen from time to time. Finally, two weeks ago, my mechanic cut the two wires going to the starter and spliced two new ones in there just in case there was a break inside one of the wires. It worked fine for a while then it happened again. I reached down gave the wires a shake ,still nothing. Then I gave the smaller green wire that apparentley goes to the compresser a tug, turned the key and it started right up. My mechanic says it's just a coincidence. He sugested replacing the starter. The smaller ground wire that goes to the compressor was not replaced only the two that go directly to the starter. Could this ground wire that goes to the compressor have a dual purpose and have something to do with the starting? My mechanic insists this third wire has nothing to do with the starting circuit. Yet when I pulled on it, the engine started. I am baffled.

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I would tend to agree with the mechanic - the starter circuit is totally separate from the compressor circuit. Is it possible that moving the wire to the compressor could have moved other wire(s) in the starter circuit which closed an open circuit?

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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The 3-wire starter connection: Black #4g to Battery Positive terminal, Red #10g to Hot side Ign Sw,(both these wires connected at the same terminal on the solenoid) Purple #10 from Ign Sw(start). The compressor clutch wiring harness has no function in the starter circuit. I think maybe heat has discolored the purple wire to make it look green.

All Black wires connected to the block are Ground terminations.

GM Reman 4.1 engine Dec '08

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Turns out it was the starter. While disconnecting the wires to cut them and splice new ones in, the solinoid basically fell apart. So, the shaking or pulling on the wires caused the posts on the solinoid to shift and make contact.

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