Bought this car late last year. A few months into ownership I began having intermittent starting issues. No crank, no click, no sounds, just a dead car. I found what appears to be the signal wire loose from the starter. Google image search does not confirm this and I am looking for confirmation this is indeed the signal wire and that some prior person just left it loose.

 

Yeah, it looks like it. Check this article (photos): https://www.pelicanparts.com/techart...eplacement.htm

 

Start is typically red / yellow but that's just a generality. I've not had my starter off so I'm not much help with that specifically. The other generality is that the signal post closest to the engine block is for start and the one in your picture would be for non resistor ignition. That's from Chevies to Yamaha outboards and everything else in between it seems. Check the other side of the starter for a missing nut on a signal post. The detective in me says if that terminal was never installed it never could have been intermittent and both nuts are in place an secure in your photo. It didn't just fall off from there. It just would not have worked at all-ever. Can you put a test light on that ring and have someone turn the key? Nothing is easy. Good luck.

 

I used multimeter and was able to determine it is the signal wire. Hooked back up and starting fine.

This has been a thorn in my side for a while. It would go long intervals and work fine, then suddenly not start. Wife swore up and down rocking the car could cause it to work. She was right, this wire must have been just enough contact to work. I can’t understand how this happened.

 

Maybe the previous owner deliberately had it that way as a 'poor man's theft preventative,' either that or the shop he took it to (stealership) did it, possibly to mess with him.