Need help getting the car to start for the first time.

I think I have everything wired correctly. If I try to start the engine, I hear the starter crank for a brief second, and then nothing.

Here is how I have wired

From the Ignition Switch
IGN - To Coil (15 / Positive)
Start - To Starter (Small little middle bolt)
Bat - Incoming Battery Line
Acc - to Acc stuff

On the Starter
Large Outside Nut - Straight to battery / Alternator B+

On Coil
Negative - To Green Wire on Side of Distributor
TDC to spark plug 1 then going couter-clockwise 2 then 3 then 4.

When I turn the ignition switch to postion 1, this is what I see
- The ING has current
- The Starter does not

When I turn the ignition switch to position 2, this is what I see
- The ING has no power
- The Started has no power

Can someone help me????

Thanks
Todd

Some Additional Info

A voltage test on the battery makes the needle fly to the right. A voltage test on the BATT wire extending from the harness ready 13. Not sure if this helps or not.

Todd

Dumb Question, but do I need to install the entire wiring harness first before I start the car???

I'm thinking the harness is not properly grounded.

Thanks
Todd

You have solved your own issue (I think). How would your starter turn if it's not receiving 12 volts to the starter relay (small wire
on starter) when you move to position 2? If you put yourkey in the "on" or run position and jump a wire from 12v supply (at swt
to the outgoing relay power to the starter and it starts this would indicate switch trouble.

In ref to your "other info". Your batt. is not your issue(you said you are missing voltage on the starter wire) but to ck batt voltage.
A. take your multimeter, eng. off, black to black, red to red (positive/negative) you should read about 12 volts. Engine running,
place your multimeter to batt. as above you should read 13.8 or so.
b.Grouding=for any electrical circuit you need a complete path for electrical flow. Your battery to frame/engine has to be complete
for the electricity to get back to the batt after going thru the starter. Without the whole route complete no flow.
C. No you don't have to have the complete harness installed but you do have to confirm;
1. that there are no loose exposed (powered)contacts shorting out against a ground.
2. that the portion of the harness you are working with is completely
hooked up so as to insure a complete electrical path. batt to swtich,
switch to starter relay, starter to batt. positive, engine ground complete to frame and frame to batt.

Should spin.

OK, so the wiring thing got the best of me over the weekend. So rather than throw in the towel, I spent the weekend researching and getting a game plan together. I am writing this for other's to reference.

I am going to start over tonight.

First, I am going to test that it is for sure the wiring harness. I am going to hot wire tonight and see it turns. If so, it is the Harness. Here is a link to hotwiring http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wired/wired_03_01/wired_03_01.htm

Next, I will mount the harness. I have selected under the dash up by the drivers door. 90% of my wires flow from here, so it seems like the most logical position.

I'm going to then ground Engine Block to Frame and Battery to Engine Block. This is the best method for grounding. For best grounding, automotive electricians recommend several grounds off the block (if the body is fiberglass). Typically the ground setup is Block to Frame, Frame to Body, Battery Ground to block. I read that average ground only delivers 16% charge to the starter. The better the ground, the less likely you get stuck on the side of the road. "You spend months prepping the body for paint, Spend an hour grounding".

Then I am going to run my wire to each area and clip them. This is so that I know that they are not in contact with anything else.

Then going one by one, I am going to connect and test. I am going to start with the ignition. Then Alternator, then Lights, then everything else.

To test, I am using a low voltage battery charger. This way, if there is a short, I can find it, but it will not blow my fuses.

This will be the last time a project goes bad on me!

As you complete a section stop and power that section up checking for proper operation ... it is easy to locate a loose connection or missing ground in a few wires rather than have to try to sort through an entire harness.
......"Smoke is another indicator something is not quite right"

I always ran one system at a time. Hook up the lights, then check for operation. Hook up blinkers, then check both blinkers AND headlights for operation. That way if one is hooked up wrong you will know which one it is right away. Keep a battery charger handy. The issue with doing an entire harness is that so many systems are inter-related that they all effect eachother. This is especially true when your working with fiberglass. Electric devices will do really weird things searching for grounds. Normally hot wires can sometimes be used as artificial grounds by things looking to complete a circuit.
My mantra was always: power supply to switch to device and ground.

I have always started my cars by putting the battery on the chassis near the motor, attaching the pos (+) battery cable to the starter, the negative cable to the starter mounting nut, and then running a 16 gauge wire from the positive side of the battery, to a simple toggle switch, and then to the pos side of the coil. You must be careful to lay the toggle switch on a large towel or other insulating material so it doesn't short. Flip the toggle switch to provide power to the coil and I then use a screwdriver to jump the main connection on the starter to the small tab located right next to it.
Be sure you are in neutral with the e-brake on.You can run the fuel from a small gas can. Obviously this isn't a long term method, but it allows you to easily check for leaks and make adjustments.

NOTE: Oil cooler was subsequently moved from that incorrect location.

I was successful with the hotwire.

I think the issue is in front of me. The 60,000 wire (give or take a few thousand) we laying on the ground. Positive to gound is a bad thing. I have decided to take this slowers. I pulled all the wires and will start over tomorrow.

Cheers
Todd

At this point I will chime in.

Don't be afraid to add a extra grounds. One at the engine,back to the frame

Also a ground at the dash, near the stearing colum. Let it link also into the headlamp grounds on the nose.

The front of the car light harnesses , 2 grounds to the frame, one on each side there.

The rear light harnesses .. dido. 3 grounds at rear frame from the tail lights and licesense plates light that also links back to the dash ground.

If you link them together Like a daisy chain, one can pick up the slack if another fails.

I know it sounds excessive. But you will be far less likely to have grounding problems after a few years of use if you do this. If not ever. Use Silver soulder its the best.

belt and suspenders Just a little extra safty.

Hi Barry,

Thanks for the insight.

I am going to ground at the same location, in several spots. This way if I do have a short, it will be centralize.

Todd

I painted you a doddle. of kinda how I grounded my D the yellow dots are the ground points. it just a starting point for you.