86’ K15 starter wiring

[BJedi76]

There are three wires attached to my starter.

2 to the large bolt & one to the small bolt.

1) main battery red wire to large bolt
2) smaller red wire (I assume to the ignition switch
3) on the small solenoid bolt (I assume close is the circuit with the ignition switch.)

my question is... is there any reason I cannot hook the number 2 smaller red wire directly to the battery? Why is that wire run under the engine directly to the starter? That seems like unnecessary wire routing. It shouldn’t matter at which end of the main battery wire, that I connect that positive wire.

 

[Turbo4whl]

The red wire you speak of is a fuseable link that is used to power up everything electrical except the starter. It is not supposed to run under the engine. It should enter a protective metal tube, then head up and over the engine/trans to the firewall.

 

[BJedi76]

Every old GM v8 starter I have ever replaced had these 3 wires connected to the starter.

The really old ones had four wires on the starter.

 

[BJedi76]

So I should put a fusible link from my starter “Batt” bolt to the little junction box thingy on the firewall?

...then power everything else from that box?

...& the purple wire from the small solenoid bolt to the ignition switch?

 

[Turbo4whl]

Keep in mind the fuseable link was in the metal tube for two reasons. The tube protects it from exhaust heat. Also if the fuseable link burns, it will not, in theory, catch any thing else on fire.

The purple wire runs to the neutral safety switch on the trans, then to the ignition switch. Runs to the clutch switch on a stick shift.

 

[pbrstreetgang]

Is there anywhere to source these wires or the harness to replace the originals? If not, how would someone go about re creating these wires?

I’m talking about the two wires that run down to the solenoid - not the main. Battery POS cable

 

[Jgonick]

You can buy fusible links at auto stores or make your own out of fusible wire. (Fusible wire is a special type of wire)

Determine and use the wire size then add the fusible link (4 gage sizes smaller) You can look at the wiring diagrams for your year to see the original wiring sizes. Wire sizes are either metric or AWG (conversion chart attached)

Link to wiring diagrams

example of reading a 78 wire diagram is attached