new electrical issue after starter replacment

[jerryoung]

after changing the starter of my 83 e21 it developed, ironically, a starting issue. it cranks healthy but i believe there's no spark. also, this may be just a bad battery but it wont hold a charge. the only way i can get it to crank is if i'm jumping it. is there something i may have done in the process to cause this? the only two things i touched before it developed the starting issue was the fuel distributor and the intake manifold.

[Somjuan]

Did you reattach the positive wire from the alternator or is the wire toast? It's red with a white stripe from the back of the alt to the driver side terminal on the starter. Easy fix if that's the charging issue. Also, are you sure you're lacking spark?