Hey guys,

I just got a new distribution block put in to replace the original one that was corroding and falling apart. I am having an issue with the battery draining. I have it nailed down to the starter / ignition system but I'm a bit stumped at this point.

What I am seeing is the starter housing is powered even without the key in. Like I hook up a voltage light and touching anywhere in the housing lights it up. Also the coil is getting constant power whether the key is on or not.

http://imgur.com/a/jl9G1

Looking at the starter and the wires coming from the solenoid I have:
Main wire to the battery
2 wires on either side going to the distribution block
1 wire going to alternator (this is the only one that I know is going where it is supposed to.
1 wire going from the distribution block to a silver square thing
1 wire going from the silver square thing to the coil
There is no relay wire although according to the wiring diagram it should be going to the ballast resistor (yellow in the picture)
1 wire (spark plug) going from the coil to distributor cap

2 questions. First is the starter housing supposed to have constant power when the key is off? Could that be a sign of a bad starter / solenoid? Replace?

Secondly what is that silver box (in picture). I think it's the ballast resistor but I'm not sure. I think I am missing the wire from the resistor to the solenoid but before I hook anything up I want to make sure it is what I think it is.

http://imgur.com/a/65XcG

EDIT:
I just saw something off. The way it is setup right now, there is a direct wire going to the battery. In the wiring diagram there is only a connection to the alternator. I have both right now. That seems wrong to me. Can someone verify that I should only have one connection to the alternator and not one to the battery? I drew in what I am seeing.

http://imgur.com/a/Us82f

Thanks in advance,

-Dan

 

Welcome, Dan, to the Club.
Yes, circle around the box is the ballast resisitor.
Yes, there will be power connection at the starter.
Two wires - one is a battery cable from positive post, and from the BATT stud on Alternator - alt has to charge up the battery plus provide power to the rest of the Camaro, and the power supply wire for the rest of the Camaro.
Yes, you will need the yellow wire from coil side of ballast resistor to solenoid R terminal as this circuit provides ign power in START position since the '67 OE ign switch does not supply ign power in START position.


The drawn in red wire from solenoid post to alt terminal 2 is a parallel path, just a length of wire is the difference.
In actuality, this drawn red wire is the 'sense' wire for the alt to bring the alt back up to full power when loads are applied and generally the sense wire gets connected to the end of the power 'strip' for load applications.
Also, unless alt voltage regulator is NOT set-up for 1-wire, there is an 'Excite' wire to alt Terminal 1 from ign switch as this power turns on alt, so to speak, when engine is running. You may need to add later.


If the Camaro has aftermarket electronics, there will be a slight draw of power for electronics memory - radio presets, clock, and audio settings.
If EFI is installed, power drawn for the computer module/box as well.
But total power should be under 120 milliamperes.

 

Hi Everett,

Thanks for the reply. So could the absence of that yellow wire cause the drain? It sounds like it is wired right (except for the missing yellow cable) and maybe I am barking up the wrong tree. But I just want to verify, constant power to the coil and starter even when the ignition is off (key out) is okay? With the key off I get a hot reading from both the coil and the entire starter. Is that normal? I would imagine this would keep the points hot as well and could wear down the life of them.

Any other suggestions on where I could look? It seems like this is the only thing throwing power when everything is turned off so that is why I started looking here.

As far as after market things, the car has been stripped of everything. There isn't even a radio in it. The previous owner was getting it ready for racing before life happened and he gutted the interior down to just seats. I bought it from him and before I had the dist block changed it wasn't having this issue.

Thanks,

-Dan

 

The only function the yellow wire serves id IGN power in START position.
When START is selected at ign switch, starter solenoid engages starter drive into flywheel and also provides IGN power in START.


On an original configured/built wiring, only wires connected to solenoid are
1. positive battery cable to large post
2. Purple/white wire to Solenoid S terminal for START command from ign switch START position.
3. Yellow wire from solenoid R terminal to coil + terminal with power only in START.
Camaro in OFF position, only item with power would be positive battery cable.


Ballast resistor - not an original item, aftermarket add-on if OE distributor is swapped out.
Ign power is supplied from ign switch to firewall connector by standard copper wire.
Engine side of firewall connector will have a nichrome wire wrapped with a cloth covering. This OE wire is a resistive wire and when used in IGN position, reduces available ign power to coil and point set for reducing power preventing point set contact erosion as point set opens/closes. The wire dissipates heat, hence the cloth covering for protection of not burning other wires in harness. Ign key OFF, no power flowing here.


Alternator - original equipment is a 10DN alt it can be identified by the two-wire connector plugging into a socket on the end of alt case and has an external regulator drvr side of radiator - the square black box with a four-wire connector.
If an internal regulated alternator is swapped in, the OE four-wire connector will either have an aftermarket plastic cp plugged into it or two wire jumpers; one jumper between the two inside terminals and the second between the two outside terminals.
Also, the two-wire connector at alt will have the blue wire to Terminal #1 and white wire to Terminal #2, or an aftermarket adapter pigtail doing the same and this connector will be plugged into the socket about the circumference of the alt.


The red wire on BATT stud is crimped to the red wire on drvr fenderwell and goes to:
Regulator connector, firewall connector for powering the rest of the electric circuits, and to battery positive post via harness across radiator support, check under latch, and to horn relay buss bar - small black box next to regulator.


As I suggested earlier, from the dwg, you may have a alt swap for a one-wire alt.
Take your test light and place it between a battery cable and battery post.
If power is drawn, light will light, bright for heavy load or dim for light load. Under normal OFF condition, test light should be off.
Disconnect red wire at BATT stud and check test light. If off, bad internal regulator inside alt or bad diode inside alt.
This troubleshooting tool, the test light, limits the amount of power drawn because of light bulb used.
So, with test light in place and its lit, remove fuses one at a time.
Bulb out for the last fuse pulled, this is the faulty circuit.
Hope this helps

 

Thank you, You're welcome. - I forgot to add earlier.

 

Interesting info Everett, thanks for sharing. So DanG did you get the problem fixed?