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Starter issues ‘94

Big T

Big T

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Month ago stopped ‘94 Suburban in front of son’s house and on restart, nothing from the starter. We left for Montana next morning. Order a PowerMaster Starter and have that installed, but same result: nothing. Have it on battery charger and everything else is workIng, just not the starter.

This is OBD I. Fuses are under the dash, but no fuse box or relays that I can see in the engine compartment. Can’t tell which fuse I should be checking.

What tests can I do? Test for voltage at exciter wire to starter?
 
There are no fuses, relays, or switches between the ign. sw. and the starter on a 94 burb.
Check the CRANK fuse for voltage when cranking. It does not feed the starter, but does signal
the LP relay. Could be the firewall connector or even a fried sol. wire near the starter.
 
Adding a relay will save on your ignition switch. the contacts inside can't handle the load over time, even worse with the chineesium ones.
Also if you ever go to install a remote start unit the relays within it will never burn out.
 
J
jrsavoie said:
The instructions on the Powermaster state to upgrade the exciter wire to 10 ga.

On my 1994, I added a starter relay to accomplish that.

And to take the load off the original exciter wire - which now triggers the relay.
Click to expand...
Where does the exciter wire come from on the ‘94? What relay do you use? Where do you put it?
 
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.

1734228992327.png
 
If you want to get fancy, you can add in a override switch next to the relay to create a steel me junction under the hood. allows you to crank the engine without anyone in the captian's chair while your working on things. same concept we have for the lift pump override.
 
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...
What gauge should the battery positive be?
 
at least 10 from the junction block (assuming your 94 has one) and same going down to the starter but also covered in some heat resistant sleeve near the starter. as for a relay and socket. if you get one off the jungle site or other places, try to find one that the socket has the mounting hole to hold it to the firewall. most you see have the relay it's self with the mount.

if you want the override for cranking under the hood, just wire a momentary switch between pin 30 and 86 in the diagram I posted. the switch only needs to handle the relay not the full load of the starter. the LP override switch on the 93 is one of these tiny limit switches with some heat shrink around it and the wires laying loose within the harness.

1734232995098.png

I will look for a relay on the jungle site that has the mount on the socket and post a link.
 
Look what I just found on the jungle site.... it's a fuel pump relay kit but will work the same for the starter and a known brand too..

 
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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...
So on the ‘94 the exciter wire comes from the ignition lock directly to the stater?
 
Yes, no fuse or relay factory. there will be a fuse going to the ignition switch but nothing in between the column switch and the starter.
 
dbrannon79 said:
at least 10 from the junction block (assuming your 94 has one) and same going down to the starter but also covered in some heat resistant sleeve near the starter. as for a relay and socket. if you get one off the jungle site or other places, try to find one that the socket has the mounting hole to hold it to the firewall. most you see have the relay it's self with the mount.

if you want the override for cranking under the hood, just wire a momentary switch between pin 30 and 86 in the diagram I posted. the switch only needs to handle the relay not the full load of the starter. the LP override switch on the 93 is one of these tiny limit switches with some heat shrink around it and the wires laying loose within the harness.

View attachment 91229

I will look for a relay on the jungle site that has the mount on the socket and post a link.
Click to expand...
I wish I would have thought of adding a momentary / push button start switch when Wiring my relay. Very easy to do right then.
 
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