How to Wire Up a Starter on LS Swap???
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Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 55
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How to Wire Up a Starter on LS Swap??? Okay, maybe I've been asking the wrong question up till now. So let's try this. How do YOU wire in the starter in an LS swap (into a 86 K5 Blazer)?
A.) Do you use the existing wiring only?
B.) Do you mix both the existing wiring and the PCM to start the engine?
I'd prefer to use the existing wiring, but wouldn't the PCM need to know that it just started the engine before it would make it run?
A.) Do you use the existing wiring only?
B.) Do you mix both the existing wiring and the PCM to start the engine?
I'd prefer to use the existing wiring, but wouldn't the PCM need to know that it just started the engine before it would make it run?
The PCM will have a hot on start/run signal and a crank signal to know the engine is turning. Neither of these come from the starter. You just need your original wiring for the starter (large hot from the battery to the main terminal and small crank-only hot from the ignition to the starter solenoid)/
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 859
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From: Frozen Tundra, WI
Can you guys help me figure out how to wire this starter?? It is going in my '72 Chevelle. I removed a TPI system that someone else had installed. I labeled all of the wires and tried to remove only the TPI harness but I do not have (what I believe is) the signal wire (small) that goes to the starter. I am installing a stand alone EFI system on a LQ9 if it matters.
This signal wire should still be coming out of the engine bay side of the fuse box correct...or is it a wire directly from the column??
What color is the wire??
The 2nd terminal (my labeling) should be in from the battery and out to the back of the alternator correct??
Should I leave the 3rd terminal (my labeling) alone...no wires added to that??
This signal wire should still be coming out of the engine bay side of the fuse box correct...or is it a wire directly from the column??
What color is the wire??
The 2nd terminal (my labeling) should be in from the battery and out to the back of the alternator correct??
Should I leave the 3rd terminal (my labeling) alone...no wires added to that??
Last edited by Paul57; Jun 27, 2013 at 05:31 AM.
It is the purple wire. It comes directly off the ignition switch on the column. From there it goes through the neutral safety switch and then back into the wiring harness and behind the fuse box. On the other side of the fuse box it comes out of the firewall plug. It should be the only large purple wiring in those two plugs so should be easy to find.
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10 Second Club
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Seattle
Just to expand on this. I am converting a column shift Cutlass to floor shift. Because this vehicle has a mechanical Neutral safety interlock. I had to add a relay in to the Factory wiring in order to retain that function. No big deal you just cut the purple wire and run it through the normally open contacts on the relay. Then ground the relay to whatever neutral safety switch you are using.
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Haven't got a chance to put in my starter yet. I have 2010 starter from ls3 camaro. It has post for the battery wire. Then for the purple starter wire there is no post, there is a connector in place of the usual post with a few inches of wire and a heat shrink butt connector.
I have (2) purple wires, one from the original bulkhead for interior harness/fuse block. Then another from the stand alone fuse block for the engine harness.
Also have (2) red power wires, again one from the original bulkhead and another from the stand alone fuse block.
For the purple wire I figures I would need to splice both purple wires with the one pigtail wire connector to the starter. Or use one of those heat shrink multi wire crimp connectors, where 2 wires can go into one side then step down to one wire.
Red power wire from stand alone fuse box is 8ga, I will have to crimp on a ring terminal for that one.
I have (2) purple wires, one from the original bulkhead for interior harness/fuse block. Then another from the stand alone fuse block for the engine harness.
Also have (2) red power wires, again one from the original bulkhead and another from the stand alone fuse block.
For the purple wire I figures I would need to splice both purple wires with the one pigtail wire connector to the starter. Or use one of those heat shrink multi wire crimp connectors, where 2 wires can go into one side then step down to one wire.
Red power wire from stand alone fuse box is 8ga, I will have to crimp on a ring terminal for that one.
10 Second Club
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 176
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From: Seattle
Haven't got a chance to put in my starter yet. I have 2010 starter from ls3 camaro. It has post for the battery wire. Then for the purple starter wire there is no post, there is a connector in place of the usual post with a few inches of wire and a heat shrink butt connector.
I have (2) purple wires, one from the original bulkhead for interior harness/fuse block. Then another from the stand alone fuse block for the engine harness.
Also have (2) red power wires, again one from the original bulkhead and another from the stand alone fuse block.
For the purple wire I figures I would need to splice both purple wires with the one pigtail wire connector to the starter. Or use one of those heat shrink multi wire crimp connectors, where 2 wires can go into one side then step down to one wire.
Red power wire from stand alone fuse box is 8ga, I will have to crimp on a ring terminal for that one.
I have (2) purple wires, one from the original bulkhead for interior harness/fuse block. Then another from the stand alone fuse block for the engine harness.
Also have (2) red power wires, again one from the original bulkhead and another from the stand alone fuse block.
For the purple wire I figures I would need to splice both purple wires with the one pigtail wire connector to the starter. Or use one of those heat shrink multi wire crimp connectors, where 2 wires can go into one side then step down to one wire.
Red power wire from stand alone fuse box is 8ga, I will have to crimp on a ring terminal for that one.
Assuming the 'stand alone' fuse panel is from the 2010 Camaro and not aftermarket, and that you are putting this engine in an older GM product (Pre 04).
The red needs to go to bat + (back of starter will do)
The purple from the vehicle harness wires to the connector on the starter. You scrap the purple from the fuse panel.
You could also wire the purple from the vehicle harness to the input side of the Starter relay in the fuse panel (The purple wire from the fuse panel is the output side) but that is unnecessary in an older vehicle unless you need to be able to interrupt the starter like I do with my after market shifter.
Its a aftermarket fuse panel, from sponsor BP Automotive. I will have to dig into my notes for his fuse panel installation instructions. I believe he said that starter wire should be wired to starter as well.
There is 2 wires that go to the starter.. Signal wire, and the power wire. The larger post on the starter is the wire that goes straight to the battery, sometimes to the back of the alternator. Either way needs to be a large gauge wire.
Then the signal wire is what tells the starter to start working. This signal wire in a round about way comes from ignition switch. Has to be the hot in run&start, like said usually is purple. If you don't run a NSS then that wire can go to a relay, and straight to the small post on the starter.
Then the signal wire is what tells the starter to start working. This signal wire in a round about way comes from ignition switch. Has to be the hot in run&start, like said usually is purple. If you don't run a NSS then that wire can go to a relay, and straight to the small post on the starter.
10 Second Club
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 176
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From: Seattle
Then the signal wire is what tells the starter to start working. This signal wire in a round about way comes from ignition switch. Has to be the hot in run&start, like said usually is purple. If you don't run a NSS then that wire can go to a relay, and straight to the small post on the starter.
There is 2 wires that go to the starter.. Signal wire, and the power wire. The larger post on the starter is the wire that goes straight to the battery, sometimes to the back of the alternator. Either way needs to be a large gauge wire.
Then the signal wire is what tells the starter to start working. This signal wire in a round about way comes from ignition switch. Has to be the hot in run&start, like said usually is purple. If you don't run a NSS then that wire can go to a relay, and straight to the small post on the starter.
Then the signal wire is what tells the starter to start working. This signal wire in a round about way comes from ignition switch. Has to be the hot in run&start, like said usually is purple. If you don't run a NSS then that wire can go to a relay, and straight to the small post on the starter.
Assuming the 'stand alone' fuse panel is from the 2010 Camaro and not aftermarket, and that you are putting this engine in an older GM product (Pre 04).
The red needs to go to bat + (back of starter will do)
The purple from the vehicle harness wires to the connector on the starter. You scrap the purple from the fuse panel.
You could also wire the purple from the vehicle harness to the input side of the Starter relay in the fuse panel (The purple wire from the fuse panel is the output side) but that is unnecessary in an older vehicle unless you need to be able to interrupt the starter like I do with my after market shifter.
The red needs to go to bat + (back of starter will do)
The purple from the vehicle harness wires to the connector on the starter. You scrap the purple from the fuse panel.
You could also wire the purple from the vehicle harness to the input side of the Starter relay in the fuse panel (The purple wire from the fuse panel is the output side) but that is unnecessary in an older vehicle unless you need to be able to interrupt the starter like I do with my after market shifter.
Teching In
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2
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Thick purple wire It is the purple wire. It comes directly off the ignition switch on the column. From there it goes through the neutral safety switch and then back into the wiring harness and behind the fuse box. On the other side of the fuse box it comes out of the firewall plug. It should be the only large purple wiring in those two plugs so should be easy to find.