Kinda Stumped with my project.

[Chris88CL]

Car is a 1995 Beretta Z26. 3400 with 3500 top end, 5 speed swapped running OBDII engine harness, and turbocharged on top of it.

Finally got everything back together (or so I thought). Now it's acting like it has a dead battery or a short somewhere. Whenever I try to turn the car over I just get a loud CLICK from the starter solenoid, but it doesnt turn over the engine. It seems like it's draining my power somewhere.

I've tried a known good battery. Tried a replacement starter. Same results.

I have the battery relocated into the trunk and as far as I know there's no issues with my ground or the power cable. Ran it identical to my last vehicle and it worked fine. Ground is grounded to the rear seatbelt bolt, power is run to the front, through the firewall and connected to the starter. The power cable connector IS slightly large on the starter, but I dont think it's touching the starter housing. Would that cause this issue anyway?

Starter wiring looks to be correct. Small ground to the little terminal, everything else to the large terminal. Tranny grounds are good. Everything seems to be hooked up as far as I can see.

Im stumped. Im thinking maybe I missed a connector under the dash, but I cant think of what it could be that would give me these symptoms.

Oh, and I thought it might have been the starter binding with the flywheel so I tried shimming it also, and it didnt work.

My brain is fried. Literally. I've been working on this thing non-stop for a year. I need a fresh outlook.

Any ideas or possibilities would be GREATLY appreciated.

[onefastV6]

Bad Karma....HAHAHA

[3XTurboAgain]

Get a volt meter out, should have power to the starter at all times ( big post) , unplug the 2 pin connector from your Ignition Control Module and see that you are getting 12 volts there with the key on, Make sure you crank sensor is pluged in and check continuity of those wires from the crank sensor plug to the 3 pin ICM plug (make sure they ohm to 0) , if you have ignition and your CS is working try jumping the terminals on the starter maybe like you said its in the dash. ( make sure car is in neutral and E brake on!) Just some ideas, sounds like a badass build, im sure someone else on here can think of more... good luck.

[Superdave]

i'd put it in neutral and run a screwdriver between the 2 starter posts.. if the starter turns the engine over then start tracing out other wires.

there shouldn't be any grounds running to the starter, just the main power cable from the battery to the large post (and some random fuseable links) then a purple wire to the small post that should run to your clutch saftey switch.

[Chris88CL]

Thanks to those of you who actually GAVE me ideas.

I thought it may have just not been in neutral so I went and double checked that, still nothing. Same results. Tried spinning the engine over with a screwdriver in the flywheel and it seemed to spin freely. I'll continue with the rest of the ideas tomorrow evening.

[Chris88CL]

It runs!

Now to finish the exhaust and fine tune everything.

Thanks for the help. Still not 100% sure what the problem was/is, but after trying about 15 different methods and fixes I finally got it goin.

[IsaacHayes]

You get that shorter dogbone yet? Did that help?

[Chris88CL]

You get that shorter dogbone yet? Did that help?

Nope not yet.

I did get a notice to pick up a package today though. Not sure what it is as Im expecting spacers from Ben and some parts for my CX4 Storm along with some other stuff.

I did PP ForcedFirebird tho. Thanks again.