Topic: Swapped Motor, now NO power

[Wild Bill]

Okay, so I pulled my 403 and dropped in my rebuilt 400.

Everything hooked to the motor is brand new

I hooked the ground from the body under the car to the bell housing
I hooked the ground from the back of the passenger head to the firewall
I hooked the ground from the battery to the engine

I replaced the engine wiring harness cause the 403 is not the same as the 400.
I replaced it just fine, I hooked up the wire to the starter, the pink wire up to the distributor, I hooked up all the sensor wires, to the alternator, etc...

I have voltage at the battery.
When I check the voltage at the starter, the multimeter jumps readings as if there isn't a ground to the starter!

Now the engine was painted....?? Am I not receiving a good connection from where the starter touches the engine??

What can I spray up in there to "eat" away the paint that IS there so I can get a good contact?

Does anyone else think it's the paint on the engine where the starter touches?

BTW, I'm not very technical when it comes to the multimeter...... Basic stuff is all I can do... No idea how to really use it to check for continuity or whatever through the lines.

Thanks

[Anderson0741]

I dont think it is the paint.

[jphillips3333]

Are you sure you hooked up the wiring to the solenoid correctly?

[Wild Bill]

yeah, it's 2 post.
the little wire from the wire harness to the ign side and then the battery terminal wire to the bat side of the solenoid

[Anderson0741]

Is the starter new?

[Wild Bill]

yeah, brand new mini high rev starter

[Wild Bill]

I am not receiving ANY power at all to the car, it's as if the battery is pulled

the battery is showing around 12 volts on the terminals

[Anderson0741]

Try going through everything again

[jphillips3333]

Yeah, I'm not a wiring expert either.  Somebody will tell you to chase it down back to the ignition switch, check your grounds, etc.  I'd check the obvious stuff.

You've a good ground to the driver's side cylinder head? - I know your motor was painted pretty well.

Did you test the starter when it was out of the car?  Don't pull it yet but if you get to that point, put it on a piece of cardboard, hold your foot on it and see if it spools up.  I've had times when it didn't - bad part.  I know others run a screw driver down to the solenoid and jumper across but I don't advise that.

[Anderson0741]

check the battery cables to make sure they are in place, ground the negative may be the problem.

[Wild Bill]

i ran back through the wires twice on two different days

the battery cables are good...
i reran a different ground to the battery by touching the frame, a few other places that were showing a good ground

i can't cross the solenoid because it's not getting power......... i turn the key over, and nothing... no lights, no anything at all!

I re checked all the wires, even in the distributor, NOTHING.......

[Wild Bill]

I never tested the starter because I took it straight from the new box to the engine.....

I have new engine wire harness, and all those connections look good

I have 3 grounds going to the engine

[Anderson0741]

are the interior lights, headlights, etc. working?

[Anderson0741]

Sometimes the new starters can have a bad part to.

[Wild Bill]

nothing is working, no lights, no horn, no radio, the gauges, nothing.......

ALL fuses are still good