Starter problems

Tiny
RICH SHERMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 1986 GMC C1500
  • 140,000 MILES
Is there a relay for the starter on the firewall? Also starter has three post all I have is two wires. Hook the power up and the smaller one to the smaller stud. Starter whines but is not engaging flywheel? Any suggestions would be very appreciated.
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Sunday, January 6th, 2019 AT 9:11 AM

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Tiny
KENW1
  • MECHANIC
  • 213 POSTS
Thanks for visiting 2CarPros. it sounds like you may have been applying voltage to the field wire on the solenoid. this would cause it to just spin.

What you want to do to test the starter is apply voltage at the large post of the solenoid and at the S terminal.

The other small terminal is the R terminal and is not used on this model.

There should not be a relay. Power comes from the ignition switch via a yellow wire, to the clutch switch if manual or neutral switch if automatic and goes to the solenoid as a purple wire to the S terminal.

If you have 12 volts at one side of the clutch switch or neutral switch and non on the purple wire with the clutch pushed or transmission in neutral then the switch is bad.

The below guide explains how to measure voltage:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-voltmeter

I'll also post a picture below explaining the starter terminals.
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Sunday, January 6th, 2019 AT 7:23 PM

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