4th gen starter wiring
 

Anyone understand how the starter Solenoid is activated. Is the small wire ( in this case purple ) a hot wire or ground? When you turn the key to start CRANK: is current flowing to the Solenoid, or is power always at that wire, and running from the starter up to the starter relay, and the relay closes the curciut?

Peicing a car together and looks like it might be something odd. Fusies are good, VATS is programmed out, power is present at the Security circuit. Still trying to track down the fusable link off the ign. switch. Manual ( factory manual ) says to check the CKT#5, but I can't find any other reference to it?

What year/engine?


GM has used purple as the ign switch hot to the starter forever.

in a nutshell,
the starter relay closes when you turn the key, that relay then sends power to the starter solenoid switch on the purple wire which energizes the solenoid, The solenoid then closes the starters switch, and current can flow into the starter from the main positive cable, The block is obviously the ground here, and then the starter spins.
Since its a computer controlled car with security and what ever else, i'm sure there are more controls/switches/ect in series with the ignition switch.

1995 Firebird LT1. the GM manual says to check the CKT#5 circuit. But I can'r find any info on what the circuit is.

Chassis wiring diagram (1 of 3)-1993-95 vehicles

http://econtent.autozone.com:24991/z...52800b8825.gif

the car runs fine now. The starter was fried. But what still bothers me is that in the shop manual it shows that with the ign switch in the run position power is applied to the driving light circuit and Crank fuse (5 amp fuse in the dash fuse box). Lights worked, but I had no voltage to that fuse. The VATS was programmed out, and the security circuit was functioning properly because the fuel pump was ruunning. (You might have a Chevy diagram posted, the Pont. diagram is slightly different.)

Turning the key to the crank postion showed nothing at the starter on the prpl wire, making me believe is was something in the wiring harness, since there is a fusable link "somewhere" under the dash? There was an old alarm system, hidden kill switch and allot of other wires spliced in that just added to the confusion!

It might have been something internal to the starter that there was no ground? But I thought if I put a test light to the purple wire and turned the key I should see current?

We took the starter to a local shop and they verified it was N/G. bolted the new starter up and the car fired right up! Why I hate electrical problems!