How to hook up 455 starter wires

Discussion in 'Street/strip 400/430/455' started by andysam, Apr 3, 2020.

  1. andysam

    andysam Well-Known Member

    Hey all,
    I did a 350 to 455 engine swap like 2 years ago but never finished buttoning it up. Now that I have more time at home I am getting around to it. I do not remember how to hook up the 4 wires that came off the starter solenoid. Can someone please remind me?

    edit: This is a 1971 skylark. The 455 engine is from a 1975 with electric distributor.
     

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    Last edited: Apr 3, 2020
  2. TrunkMonkey

    TrunkMonkey Well-Known Member

    The two red and battery positive cable connect to the large terminal.
    (the other larger terminal has the field wire from solenoid to starter)
    The yellow goes to the "R" terminal.
    The purple goes to the "S" terminal.

    When you say "electric" distributor, do you mean HEI? or something else?

    (if HEI, you need to eliminate the resistance wire so you have full voltage during "run" position)
     
    Donuts & Peelouts likes this.
  3. andysam

    andysam Well-Known Member

    Thanks! Yes, HEI.

    The resistance wire runs from the fuse block to distributor right? not from starter to distributor...
     
  4. TrunkMonkey

    TrunkMonkey Well-Known Member

    Correct.

    The "yellow" wire to the "R" terminal is a relayed voltage for full power to the coil during starting.
    It feeds full voltage during cranking back through the pink wire to the + on the coil.

    If you bypass the resistor wire, you will not need to use the yellow wire, but it will be fine if you connect it.

    I usually just "push the pin" for the resistor wire, and run a 10-12 gauge wire from that point to the coil, and eliminate the resistor, pink and yellow wires. Keeps things orderly and still "logical" to the wiring diagrams. (then I put the removed wiring in a baggie in the glove box, just in case they are ever needed again).
     
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  5. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    the two red wires dont look like fusible links to me. Looks like someone replaced the links with regular 10 gauge wire. Thats a fire waiting for a place to happen.
     
  6. andysam

    andysam Well-Known Member

    The wiring on this car was butchered. There is even lamp shade wire in parts.

    so can I switch back to fuseable links?
     
  7. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Sure can. You have to. You can leave it like that! Somewhere on here I have the Dorman part numbers for them. Readily available at any auto parts store. I'll look for my old post....
     
  8. andysam

    andysam Well-Known Member

  9. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Dorman 85620 and 85621. 14 and 16 gauge fusible links with the correct GM ring terminal on them

    One wire on the harness is 10 gauge and the other is 12 gauge. So two different sizes of links
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2020
    TrunkMonkey likes this.
  10. TrunkMonkey

    TrunkMonkey Well-Known Member

    Good catch.
    I saw that tape and forgot to ask about it.

    Battery power flows from the positive cable to the starter solenoid and then to the two wires (10 and 12 ga) to the fuse block and then to the entire car.

    So, having the links is the first line of defense against a wire fire.
    Second is good grounding and bonding everywhere.
     
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  11. andysam

    andysam Well-Known Member

    10 and 12 gauge? But it is ok to use 14 and 16 gauge fuseable links?
     
  12. TrunkMonkey

    TrunkMonkey Well-Known Member

    Yes. They are a larger number gauge (but smaller diameter wire) to "sacrifice" themselves in the event of a direct short.
     
  13. andysam

    andysam Well-Known Member

    Thanks!
     
    TrunkMonkey likes this.
  14. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

  15. andysam

    andysam Well-Known Member

    Quick question. Do you guys usually install the wires on the starter before installing the starter to the engine? My starter is already on the engine and there is seems to be very little room to get my hands to everything.
     
  16. BuickV8Mike

    BuickV8Mike SD Buick Fan

    Put the wires on first.
     
  17. Mark Demko

    Mark Demko Well-Known Member

    If you have a floor jack, I set mine on the pedestal of the jack, then raise the jack up high enough to connect the wires, that way you don't have to either hold the starter, or have it hanging by the wires (bad thing to do)
     
  18. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    I install the starter then put the wires on. I use a snap on 1/4" flex head ratchet
     
  19. HotRodRivi

    HotRodRivi Tomahawks sighted overseas

    I would be more worried about lamp shade wiring and loose connections than fusable links. You can put inline fuses farther up stream.
     
  20. HotRodRivi

    HotRodRivi Tomahawks sighted overseas

    No matter how you do it you get a good shoulder workout
     

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