Ive searched the itnernet and forums and Im looking for further advice.

Ive been finishing up my appearance mods and it is warm enough here in Buffalo to try and start it.The first time I had the muffs on and only got clicking. I have been tinkering since, ie, checking the connections for corrosion, checking the grounds, no voltage loss, full battery, put second battery directly to starter leads, hit the starter with a hammer - all no dice.

Heres a quick vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD3kqu5RNaI This is my first spring start up so I may bew missing something else. Its an 89 Vector (454MAG/Bravo1) Is there a solenoid to check? Replace the starter?

All power shuts down when it clicks. Radio turns off, blower turns off, etc - but all wires/grounds are snug.

Thanks,

i think you have a bad connection either at the battery or the main ground on the engine or the starter.could be corrosion on the wire under the terminal crimp.

I'd say pull the plugs. See if water leaks out. Sounds hydro locked to me.

Spin the motor by hand a few times then try to start it. If no luck put a starter in it.

Pull the plugs, check for water, try turning it over with a socket and breaker bar on the crank bolt. If that goes well, and you're sure it's properly grounded, move on to the solenoid (on top of the starter). Whenever I've had a flat spot on a GM starter, it was always a single click until the hammer came into the equation. Repeated clicking with a single turn of the key has been a bad battery or poor connection in my experience.

Concur.

Single click can definitely be bad connection. Primarily a ground. Had this happen on my formula. Between cleaning grounds on back of engine and also new starter bolts(they aid in grounding the starter) my issue was resolved.

redo all connections. ground wire to block and all wires in batt switch. charge battery and pull the plugs.

Well I feel dumb but thanks to your help I was able to get it started. I don't recall it being set up that way when I put it away but my battery has 2 poisitive and 2 negative leads. It was my undersdtanding that the radio power was on this second positive lead, but the grounds were on the same lead. Reading your responses got me thinking and moved one of the grounds so each wire had their own terminal. I tightened it down and after the first key turn I knew it would start. So I ran and put the muffs on and sure enough we got her up and running.

Thankfully no frozen/hydro locked engine.

Here's a vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tPIN8rl2nM Now I did notice the port side steaming and running warmer than the starboard side. It wasn't crazy hot, meaning I could rest my hand on the riser all day, but the staboard side was actually a bit cold, like, the water coming out was same temp as the hose. The hose lead on the muffs was on that side, but thought that was strange.

Sounds Good!

Padraig