Mini Starter Wiring Question--Mid-Job
01-08-2006, 12:28 AM
#1
Burning Brakes
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Mini Starter Wiring Question--Mid-Job
Hi guys. Well here it is 10 pm and I'm replacing my old OEM starter with a new '97 GM pick-up mini-starter. So of course I run into a snag I'm not sure about......
The solenoid on my original '73 Fred Flintstone starter has a wire on each of the two small terminals. My new George Jetson mini-starter only has one small terminal. This is for the coil wire, and corresponds to the driver side terminal of the old starter, right? Now the rub: on the original starter, there's a small (18g?) black wire on the passenger side terminal. Logic and my manuals seem to indicate this is a ground, but it's not really clear and I can't trace it to its termination point.
So, is it a redundant ground? Do I just leave it disconnected and figure the solenoid will ground through the motor? Or do I have a problem here?
I know I remember reading about this here long ago, but I didn't print it out, figuring it was of low priority (which it was until this morning). I will try again to "search" for it, but I don't seem to have much luck with that usually....
Anyway, thanks for your advice, and I'm heading back out to finish pulling the old starter now.(Jeez, how could anyone want to spend a beautiful Saturday night in a bar when there's a garage with a car wanting attention? I'll never understand some people...)
John
The solenoid on my original '73 Fred Flintstone starter has a wire on each of the two small terminals. My new George Jetson mini-starter only has one small terminal. This is for the coil wire, and corresponds to the driver side terminal of the old starter, right? Now the rub: on the original starter, there's a small (18g?) black wire on the passenger side terminal. Logic and my manuals seem to indicate this is a ground, but it's not really clear and I can't trace it to its termination point.
So, is it a redundant ground? Do I just leave it disconnected and figure the solenoid will ground through the motor? Or do I have a problem here?
I know I remember reading about this here long ago, but I didn't print it out, figuring it was of low priority (which it was until this morning). I will try again to "search" for it, but I don't seem to have much luck with that usually....
Anyway, thanks for your advice, and I'm heading back out to finish pulling the old starter now.(Jeez, how could anyone want to spend a beautiful Saturday night in a bar when there's a garage with a car wanting attention? I'll never understand some people...)
John
Last edited by JPhil; 01-08-2006 at 12:32 AM.
01-08-2006, 12:36 AM
#2
Le Mans Master
One wire activates the starter soleniod the other was to feed to ignition coil with a full 12Volts while the starter was cranking (bypassing the ignition coil resistor wire.) The ignition coil bypass is the one you need to insulate and leave off in the conversion. Look at a wiring diagram for the wire color and starter terminal designations.
01-08-2006, 12:59 AM
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Burning Brakes
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Solid, thanks for the quick reply.
OK, I just checked in my "Corvette 66-82 Shop Manual" and yes I did mis-trace a wire. It says I should have a 20g yellow going to the coil and a 12g purple going to the bulkhead connector. Neither of those colors seem to match what's on my solenoid, at least not with the grease stains, but I can check continuity. So I would leave off the coil wire.
Ah! But I remember now my MSD ignition had me delete the resistor and run straight 12 volt from up near the distributor...Would that be this wire?
Sheesh, guess I better go do some more researching before I ask too many more questions.
John
OK, I just checked in my "Corvette 66-82 Shop Manual" and yes I did mis-trace a wire. It says I should have a 20g yellow going to the coil and a 12g purple going to the bulkhead connector. Neither of those colors seem to match what's on my solenoid, at least not with the grease stains, but I can check continuity. So I would leave off the coil wire.
Ah! But I remember now my MSD ignition had me delete the resistor and run straight 12 volt from up near the distributor...Would that be this wire?
Sheesh, guess I better go do some more researching before I ask too many more questions.
John
01-08-2006, 08:20 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
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For the sake of "closure" on this thread....I deleted the 20g wire (which in my case was red/black) and hooked up the 12g to the solenoid.
Wrapped some shim stock around the bolts to make a snug fit in the metric bolt holes. Put spacers under the bolt heads for the shorter casting thickness. Checked my tooth clearances. All OK, fired right up.
Thanks again, Solid, that helped me a lot.
John
Wrapped some shim stock around the bolts to make a snug fit in the metric bolt holes. Put spacers under the bolt heads for the shorter casting thickness. Checked my tooth clearances. All OK, fired right up.
Thanks again, Solid, that helped me a lot.
John
01-08-2006, 09:39 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
I did this swap earlier this year. Had some grinding issues until I replaced the bolts. GM has a specific bolt for this starter.
Assuming you are using the big block 14" starter, GM part #9000852
The special bolt which is a little thicker and the right length is:
#12338064.
They cost me like $5 each from the local dealer but no more grinding.
Assuming you are using the big block 14" starter, GM part #9000852
The special bolt which is a little thicker and the right length is:
#12338064.
They cost me like $5 each from the local dealer but no more grinding.
01-08-2006, 10:55 PM
#7
Race Director
on my 77 the black wire was in fact a ground, i think it was for the wiper motor and it gets hooked up to a bell housing bolt behind the starter motor
