kballen413

Good evening from East Texas. I have a 1978 base L-82. I have just installed new heads, headers, exhaust, intake, distributor along with Powermater XS Torque model #9500. Finished the install on all of the new parts and had to go with a smaller started due to clearance issues. Went with one suggested by Corvette Central but actually purchased from Summit Racing. Clocked the new starter and went to re-connect the battery and fireworks started. Disconnected the battery, then the starter. Re-connected the battery, no issues. Took starter to Summit Racing where they gladly replaced. Reinstalled and the same thing happened. FIREWORKS! Now I have to replace the negative battery cable. Has anyone experienced this issue in the past? Am I overlooking something? I did not have any issues prior to the mechanic work. Oh, I did not have the distributor or the alternator connected.
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HeadsU.P.

If Peterbuilt is reading this he will chime in with a picture of the solenoid posts, lugs, cables and correct wiring installed.
I suspect one wire is in the wrong spot.

Sigforty

How are you connecting it? The powermaster XS only has 2 lugs. The big lug gets the power from the battery and the small one gets the trigger wire from the ignition. The ground wire with the starter wires should be on a bellhousing bolt.

kballen413

I installed it just as you described.

randallsteel

Is the big lug(power wire) touching the engine block? Or touching any other metal that would short it to the engine or to the housing of the starter?

Sigforty

If you are getting sparks with it hooked up that way, I would look to see if something is touching. I know the earlier c3 has a 90 degree power wire from the battery that requires some bending and insulation so it will not touch the starter body.

Peterbuilt

Here's how the original starter was wired up:



Do you have the correct replacement starter?
https://www.summitracing.com/search/...eyword=starter

Peterbuilt

What do you mean by fireworks?
Describe what is going on.
Is the starter extension harness good?

HeadsU.P.

I bet a power cable to the bottom lug would look like 4th of July.
And I bet people have done it accidently.

Street Rat

Here’s how mine hooks up on my ‘81.

JohnRR

On another note, if your battery is still located behind the driver's seat, the positive cable length is exactly 8 ft. The instructions for this starter specify a battery cable upgrade to AWG-0. The stock cable is AWG-2. My local starter/alternator shop didn't stock "O" wire so he made me one using "2-0". Works great!
John