Long story short...mom drove the SL1 into a flood a week ago and then tried to start the engine. I dumped the oil, changed the plugs, and replaced the starter (from hitting the cold water the starter shattered apart). Installed the new starter and got the car running with no problems. Next day the car won''t start. I take the starter out and its fried. I take it back and get another one and it works fine. Next day same thing...car won''t start and another starter is fried. Am I doing something wrong with the hook up? The big terminal has the battery and alternator wire. The small one is for the smaller s terminal lead. The third big one looks like it gets left alone (solenoid grounded to it). Now there is also a wire with a broken connector just hanging down right near that area also. No clue where that gets hooked to. Its got a blue wire and is in the same wiring harness as the wire for the S terminal. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Gracious! I have heard about ''hard water'', but I think you get the reward (lol).


But seriously, from what you describe, you are hooking the starter up correctly. You might replace the positive battery cable coming down from the battery. They get corroded easily, and it just might be contributing to the problem.


The only wire that I can think of that is anywhere near there would be the dark blue (DK BLU) wire running from the underhood junction block (UHJB) to the neutral start/back-up light switch found on cars equipped with automatic transmissions.Do your back up lights work?

UPDATE....... I just removed the starter and bench tested it and it was fine. I reinstalled it in the car and the car started w/o a problem. Which is now making me think that for some reason the starter is freezing in its spot and when I turned the key for a long period of time the other times...that fried the solenoid. This time I didn''t do that. As soon as it didn''t start I let off the key. The starter would make a clicking sound, but would not engage. I''m stumped right now???????????????Edited by: turbozeke418

I will repeat myself ... replace the positive battery cable running from the battery to the starter. It is defective

These are the best pics I could get of the connection that hangs down. It won''''t reach over to the transmission and it sits right perfectly where the starter does (starter was removed when I took these this morning). Also...the back up lights work, but for some reason the flashers and blinkers aren''''t working now lol.
[img]uploads/turbozeke418/DSCI0002.JPG[/img]
[img]uploads/turbozeke418/DSCI0007.JPG[/img]Edited by: turbozeke418

Well, I am not going to guess here, other than to say from looking at the picture, you are pointing to a purple wire (PPL) with a ring lug connector on the end. That is the control circuit to the starter (but you already know that) ...

sorry...no I''m pointing to the black connector with the silver prong in the center of it. It looks like it should be connected to something?

By any chance, did your vehicle have A/C on it at one time, and has it been removed ??

It has AC but doesn''t work

I believe I found the reason for this problem, I just don''t know how to fix it. The starter when moved slightly (lostening a mounting bolt) will then engage and start. It will continue to work as long as the engine is slightly warmed up. If it sits then it won''t turn the flywheel. I have no idea how to remedy this. There are only 2 bolts that hold the starter in place. The old starter was a little larger and had a mounting bracket on the opposite side. This one does not. Any ideas?