Chevy 350 Starter Wiring Diagram

The Chevy 350 starter is a small motor, powered by a battery that typically does what the name implies, it starts the car. If you notice a hard starting, noisy starting, or low starting condition, there are chances that your starter is bad or its components are damaged. However, you won’t have to take your vehicle to the auto repair shop to get this fixed.

This Chevy 350 starter wiring diagram will not only guide you when wiring the starter but also making repairs when needed.

Chevy 350 Starter Wiring Diagram

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How to Wire a Chevy Starter

A Chevy starter will require a lot of amperage which will need a large 4-gauge wire from the battery to the starter solenoid. The solenoid will act as the switch, opening and closing the high amperage circuit connected to the starter. The ignition key will supply power to actuate a relay which in turn actuates the solenoid.

Disconnect the battery and mount the starter relay. You can use a wrench to disconnect the battery relays and mount the starter relay in the fuse relay box or near the fuse relay box. If it fits in the box, you can insert the wires through the back. If it does not fit, then mount it on the fender close to the battery.

Using a 14-gauge wire, connect the inline fuse to the battery positive terminal and install a yellow circular post connector on the end of the wire. Crimp the connection with the crimping tool, then install the terminal under the bolt on the positive terminal.

Unroll the wire and run it to the relay. Try as much as you can to conceal the wire up to the relay, then install a yellow female spade terminal on the end of the wire. Crimp it and plug it into the battery+ terminal of the relay.

Take another piece of 14-gauge wire and run it from the relay to the starter solenoid. Crimp a yellow spade terminal on the relay end of the wire. Install the wire on the “S” terminal on the relay. Install the right wire terminal on the solenoid and then on the small “I” terminal on the solenoid.

Take another piece of wire and run it from the ground terminal on the relay to a good ground on the body. Go for a yellow spade terminal for the relay and use a yellow terminal on the ground end of the wire.

When done, the “I” terminal will be the last remaining opening terminal on the relay. Install the starter wire from the ignition switch to the “I” terminal. You can identify the starter wire on the “S” terminal which will be hot when the key is in the start position. Using a yellow butt connector, splice the starter wire. The starter wire is usually yellow, however, if you can’t find any yellow wire, look at the back of the switch for the “S” terminal. Using a yellow female space, install the wire into the last terminal on the relay.

With all that done, you’re almost finished. Install the positive battery cable. You should install the post end first to the large terminal on the start and the opposite end with the battery terminal on the battery. Install the negative after that.

Tips for Troubleshooting Starters

Engaging the starter while the engine is running can be problematic but so is cranking the starter continuously for a long period of time.  If you’re having trouble getting the engine to start, the recommended practice is to crank for 30 seconds, then wait 30 seconds to avoid damaging the starter. You can also use these tips to troubleshoot your starters without having to take your car to the repair shop.

Noisy Starter

If your Chevy starter is noisy when it cranks, the problem could be due to improper alignment of the starter or improper engagement between the flywheel ring gear and the starter pinion.

To fix this,

  • Loosen the starter mounting bolts and realign the unit to see it stops the noisy vibration. Ensure all bolts all torque properly before testing
  • Recheck the mounting shin and ensure that the correct number is present and well-positioned. You might have to consult a service manual to help with this
  • Recheck the flywheel ring gear and starter pinion for worn or damaged teeth.

Freely Spinning Starter

If the starter spins freely, it could be due to the misalignment of the starter with the pinion to meshing with the flywheel ring gear. It could also be due to the ring gear or the pinion having broken teeth. Another problem could be due to a faulty starter drive.

Also, the starter could work correctly by engaging and cranking the engine, but then skip and spin freely.

To fix this,

  • Check if the starter is misaligned and the pinion not meshing with the flywheel ring gear and realign.
  • Check if the ring gear or pinion has broken teeth. If so, they would have to be replaced.
  • Remove the starter from the car and energize it with jumper cables to check if the starter drive is properly moving the pinion gear into the cranking position.
  • You should check if the overrun clutch on the starter is malfunctioning. This could be during installation. Replace the damaged or malfunctioning part if so.

Slow Crank Condition

The problem could be due to other parts of the vehicle rather than the starter itself.

Check the battery terminal for corrosion or loose terminals. Also, check the battery charge, then the wires in the starter circuit if they are loose, damaged, or corroded.

You should also check the current draw. To do this, perform a starter current draw test with an ammeter. If the current draw is above normal levels, then look for mechanical resistance in the engine that would make the starter work too hard. This could be caused by improper timing, excess carbon, or badly sludged oil in the cylinder. If the current is below the normal level, watch for voltage drops in the starter circuit, ignition switch, starter relay, neutral safety switch, and fusible link.