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Starter issues ‘94

Big T said:
J

Where does the exciter wire come from on the ‘94? What relay do you use? Where do you put it?
Click to expand...
I'll try. I'm exhausted. So forgive me if I'm not clear.

You can go with everything Doug posted.

I mounted the relay at the load center on the passenger side firewall.

I had earlier added a 70 amp circuit breaker and heavier wire to feed the load center.

I got a roll of purple high temp 10 ga wire to stay color coded for exciter wire. I could mail you a piece, if you wish.

I left the exciter wire where it was and ran from there, up to the relay and back down again.

I have a pair of crimpers for the spade connectors for the relay.

There may be better crimpers out there.
The crimpers I have save time over the way I used to crimp the uninsured connectors.

 
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Last edited:
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You will also want a tool for removing relay connectors from the mountable relay sockets

A little flat screwdriver for eyeglasses will work. The blade needs to be about the same width as the little tabs that hold the connectors in the relay socket.
 
jrsavoie said:
I'll try. I'm exhausted. So forgive me if I'm not clear.

You can go with everything Doug posted.

I mounted the relay at the load center on the passenger side firewall.

I had earlier added a 70 amp circuit breaker and heavier wire to feed the load center.

I got a roll of purple high temp 10 ga wire to stay color coded for exciter wire. I could mail you a piece, if you wish.

I left the exciter wire where it was and ran from there, up to the relay and back down again.

I have a pair of crimpers for the spade connectors for the relay.

There may be better crimpers out there.
The crimpers I have save time over the way I used to crimp the uninsured connectors.

Click to expand...
I will buy 12’ of wire from you.
 
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jrsavoie said:
I'll try. I'm exhausted. So forgive me if I'm not clear.

You can go with everything Doug posted.

I mounted the relay at the load center on the passenger side firewall.

I had earlier added a 70 amp circuit breaker and heavier wire to feed the load center.

I got a roll of purple high temp 10 ga wire to stay color coded for exciter wire. I could mail you a piece, if you wish.

I left the exciter wire where it was and ran from there, up to the relay and back down again.

I have a pair of crimpers for the spade connectors for the relay.

There may be better crimpers out there.
The crimpers I have save time over the way I used to crimp the uninsured connectors.

Click to expand...
This link goes to my orders of relay and socket.
 
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dbrannon79 said:
Just take the existing exciter wire from the starter and re-route it up to a convenient place on the firewall. this wire becomes the exciter for the relay. run main power from a junction block or from the battery to the relay and then back down to the starter. the last terminal of the relay just needs to be grounded. also don't forget to add a fuse from the main power going into the relay. 30amp would be about right.

snagging up on one of those weather sealed GM relays and fuse holders from the JY that are normally located on the passenger side firewall on 92-94 GM trucks are nice for this.

View attachment 91228
Click to expand...
Just to confirm here:

1) top wire goes to starter?
2) Left wire comes from ignition?
 
Yuppers! you got it. if you plan to fuse or breaker it, run it on the bottom one coming from the battery. the one on the left coming from the ignition should already be fused in the dash.
 
I cannot trace the purple exciter wire from the starter to the upper engine bay. It comes over the top of the starter at about the mid point of the exhaust manifold. Pulling on it with wife observing above reveals nothing and there is no give. Pushing it up reveals nothing.

Does this wire go through one of the harnesses on the firewall? What color is it up there?
 
Big T said:
I cannot trace the purple exciter wire from the starter to the upper engine bay. It comes over the top of the starter at about the mid point of the exhaust manifold. Pulling on it with wife observing above reveals nothing and there is no give. Pushing it up reveals nothing.

Does this wire go through one of the harnesses on the firewall? What color is it up there?
Click to expand...
I made a connection on the frame by the starter and Rana wire up to the relay and a different wire back down.

I used a small insulated junction block attached to the frame.
 
86 is the old exciter wire. It comes from the ignition. When in.the start position.

87 is the new exciter wire going to the starter.

If I said that wrong earlier, please get someone to edit the post
 
OK got the starter relay installed on the ‘94 K2500 Suburban. Found the purple wire in the harness and cut it. Had to tree down from 10 gauge to 14 gauge wire to fit the female connector going into the relay block. Otherwise, everything else went to form. I will move the attachment point lower for the relay so it is vertical.


IMG_6876.jpeg
 
Sounds like you got it going. Now your ignition switch will last much longer. as for the location, there is a block of wires on both the drivers and passengers side of the firewall that goes into the under dash. not sure which carries the purple wire.

did you fuse or breaker the main wire, pin 30, from the battery to the relay?

I want to get this done for both my trucks along with running the same relay setup for power for the accessory and run position. doing all this will take all the load off the switch contacts. ever notice your volt gauge bouncing with the brake or turn signal on? this is caused by too small of a power wire used to carry the load on top of it all passing through the switch contacts.
 
dbrannon79 said:
Sounds like you got it going. as for the location, there is a block of wires on both the drivers and passengers side of the firewall that goes into the under dash. not sure which carries the purple wire.

did you fuse or breaker the main wire, pin 30, from the battery to the relay?
Click to expand...
Did not fuse the pin 30 wire from battery to relay. Ran out of time. Could do it later.

Are these what I would use for fuse holder:

 
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one if the pitfalls on the 95+ trucks are with the blower fan speed switch. the only relay is on the high fan. on the earlier trucks each speed has it's own relay to keep the load from being drawn through the digital controls. If the newer ones had been wired like this, you'd never have to replace the blower switch!
 
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