Start me up!! (electrical 101)

OK... I finally got my 215 aluminum rebuilt and back in my 63 Skylark Convertible. Man.. it looks good and is so nice and clean!! Now if I could only start it! I need a real simple explanation of how the wiring should be hooked up just to get it started. I started this project a year and a half ago and took pictures and drew diagrams so I would know exactly how everything went back together (first timer) Well... now I can't find any of it. I have the starter working and the engine turns over but I don't know where the other wire goes from the solenoid (mounted on the starter) and what goes to the voltage regulator. I have the chassis manual but it shows a "Delcotron" in the wiring schematic. What the hell is that? I don't think I have one. I should mention that I don't have the generator in yet because it is a mess (broken mount) and I was told I could replace it with a new altenator and get rid of the generator/voltage regulator set up. Is this true? Will it start without it? I searched all over these forums and couldn't find a simple diagram. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

the "other" wire off the solenoid(R term) SHOULD be the resistance wire that puts voltage back to the coil for hotter spark during cranking.delcotron is an alternator,early style.you should be able to start it without the charging system intact.yes,you can replace the generator with a couple different alternators,but the mounting bracket is different from the generator :grin:

 

yes, you most certainly can start the engine with no alternator / generator attached to the car. all you HAVE to have for starting/running purposes is a fully charged battery. (taking the alternator/pulley/belt off of the motor is one of the 'trick' things that circle track and drag strip guys will do to recover hp and lose curb weight ... i can see it on a drag strip car, i disagree with it in a circle track car).

you will even be able to run the car for a while like that ... but you will wind up killing the battery eventually. don't drive the car at night, headlights are hard on a battery only car.

did you happen to weigh the 215 before you put it back in the car?

 

215 weight/starting

No.. I didn't weigh it. Maybe the guys who did the rebuild did. It was probably about 20 lbs lighter then when I took it out, once all the dirt and grease was cleaned off!! I hooked the "R" side of the solenoid directly to the coil. I'm getting spark from the coil, but it looks awful weak. The battery is fully charged, in fact I'm turning over with the charger in the "start" mode. I hope to put some new gas in tomorrow and give it a try. Any suggestions on getting a bigger spark??

Thanks
Jim

 

There should be an post marked "R" on the starter solenoid. From that post goes a yellow (at least on a 70) that bypasses the resistor wire that supplies power to the positive (marked with a +) side of the coil. The negative side of the coil goes to the points/condensor set.

With the full 12 volts from terminal "R" that is only hot when the starter is energised, the spark while cranking (which draws the voltage down) should be a little hotter.

Since you have put a full 12 volts on the coil, things to check include:

Points in decent shape, with gap set correctly
Condensor hooked up
Coil is in good shape

If the spark is weak it could be one of the three items is defective. I would replace all three