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Old 10-05-2017, 02:46 PM
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c3_dk
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Default Wire a mini starter

I'm to change to mini starter this weekend.

Regarding the wiring, do I take the 2 small wires from the GM starter, and join them to the mini starter?






Old 10-05-2017, 04:30 PM
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71VetteLover
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The wire going to the "S" terminal (next to the block) of your OEM starter needs to have a 1/4" female blade terminal crimped on and that will go to the 1/4" male blade terminal on your new mini starter. The wire going to the "R" terminal (furthest away from the block) needs to have a 3/8" ring terminal crimped on and attached to the bottom lug of your mini starter (that will provide 12 volts to your coil when you crank your engine). But if you are running an HEI you won't need that "R" wire.

Last edited by 71VetteLover; 10-05-2017 at 04:38 PM.
Old 10-05-2017, 05:29 PM
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Originally Posted by 71VetteLover
The wire going to the "S" terminal (next to the block) of your OEM starter needs to have a 1/4" female blade terminal crimped on and that will go to the 1/4" male blade terminal on your new mini starter. The wire going to the "R" terminal (furthest away from the block) needs to have a 3/8" ring terminal crimped on and attached to the bottom lug of your mini starter (that will provide 12 volts to your coil when you crank your engine). But if you are running an HEI you won't need that "R" wire.
I have HEI, so I don't need the "R", so I will just "blind it of" ?
Old 10-05-2017, 05:49 PM
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Originally Posted by c3_dk
I have HEI, so I don't need the "R", so I will just "blind it of" ?
Correct!
Old 10-05-2017, 05:53 PM
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Originally Posted by 71VetteLover
The wire going to the "R" terminal (furthest away from the block) needs to have a 3/8" ring terminal crimped on and attached to the bottom lug of your mini starter (that will provide 12 volts to your coil when you crank your engine).
Wouldn't this rob the current from the coil(coil resistance wire from ign is feeding the R wire to the starter) after starting and cause the engine to die?
Old 10-05-2017, 07:08 PM
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Originally Posted by '75
Wouldn't this rob the current from the coil(coil resistance wire from ign is feeding the R wire to the starter) after starting and cause the engine to die?
The coil is "fed" by TWO sources.

1)Power from the ignition switch- during ignition AND when the starter is engaged. This wire has resistance to drop the voltage.

2)Power from The "R" wire off the starter-it is ONLY hot when the starter is engaged-and it's power source is the battery-giving some needed voltage to the coil to aid in starting.

Richard
Old 10-05-2017, 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Richard454
The coil is "fed" by TWO sources.

1)Power from the ignition switch- during ignition AND when the starter is engaged. This wire has resistance to drop the voltage.

2)Power from The "R" wire off the starter-it is ONLY hot when the starter is engaged-and it's power source is the battery-giving some needed voltage to the coil to aid in starting.

Richard
Exactly, but he is saying to hook the R wire to the motor terminal of the starter, won't the starter motor be trying to use voltage from the distributor when the starter solenoid is not engaged?
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Old 10-05-2017, 07:35 PM
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Hi c3_dk,
Your original starter had a yellow wire on the "R" terminal and a purple on the "S" terminal.
Attach the purple to the small terminal on your new starter and the battery positive to the top big terminal.

Your 1968 Corvette has a resistance wire going from the fuse box to the coil positive.
You HEI needs full battery energy (12 volts).
You can replace the wire from the fuse box to the coil or temporarily run a new wire from the ING terminal in the fuse box.

71 Vette Lover
The other end of the yellow wire is connected to the coil positive so it can not be connected there or the starter will be on all the time, or a least until the wire melts and burns down his car.
Old 10-05-2017, 08:11 PM
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Originally Posted by 71vettelover
the wire going to the "s" terminal (next to the block) of your oem starter needs to have a 1/4" female blade terminal crimped on and that will go to the 1/4" male blade terminal on your new mini starter. the wire going to the "r" terminal (furthest away from the block) needs to have a 3/8" ring terminal crimped on and attached to the bottom lug of your mini starter (that will provide 12 volts to your coil when you crank your engine). but if you are running an hei you won't need that "r" wire.

DO NOT DO THIS. It will not work.

Last edited by lionelhutz; 10-05-2017 at 08:12 PM.
Old 10-05-2017, 09:45 PM
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Originally Posted by '75
Exactly, but he is saying to hook the R wire to the motor terminal of the starter, won't the starter motor be trying to use voltage from the distributor when the starter solenoid is not engaged?
Got it...Misunderstanding...

Yep- current doesn't just go in the path of least resistance but all paths!!!

But no worries-it wouldn't stay connected too long- just till it burns in half!!!

A correct solution would be use a Bosch relay to power the coil when starting...or just convert to electronic points/HEI and be done with it...

Richard
Old 10-05-2017, 11:18 PM
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Originally Posted by '75
Exactly, but he is saying to hook the R wire to the motor terminal of the starter, won't the starter motor be trying to use voltage from the distributor when the starter solenoid is not engaged?
Yes, it sure will. It is very bad advice. Reminds me of TBTR...
The easiest way is to stick with a stock type 3 pole starter if you are going to retain points otherwise you either have to run without the voltage boost for start or make other wiring changes. Without the "booster" wire everything will work fine until you run into a cold morning or the battery is a little low. Pertronix, a HEI or something similar is the usual choice with a 2 pole mini starter. Then you can just tie back the coil booster wire at the starter end of the harness.

Last edited by CanadaGrant; 10-06-2017 at 12:11 PM.
Old 10-06-2017, 09:07 AM
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Originally Posted by Peterbuilt
Hi c3_dk,
Your original starter had a yellow wire on the "R" terminal and a purple on the "S" terminal.
Attach the purple to the small terminal on your new starter and the battery positive to the top big terminal.


Your 1968 Corvette has a resistance wire going from the fuse box to the coil positive.
You HEI needs full battery energy (12 volts).
You can replace the wire from the fuse box to the coil or temporarily run a new wire from the ING terminal in the fuse box.

71 Vette Lover
The other end of the yellow wire is connected to the coil positive so it can not be connected there or the starter will be on all the time, or a least until the wire melts and burns down his car.
Hi thx all........
I will do this, and "blind of" the yellow.

Again, thx all........

Old 10-06-2017, 09:13 AM
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Originally Posted by Peterbuilt
Hi c3_dk,
Your original starter had a yellow wire on the "R" terminal and a purple on the "S" terminal.
Attach the purple to the small terminal on your new starter and the battery positive to the top big terminal.

Your 1968 Corvette has a resistance wire going from the fuse box to the coil positive.
You HEI needs full battery energy (12 volts).
You can replace the wire from the fuse box to the coil or temporarily run a new wire from the ING terminal in the fuse box.

71 Vette Lover
The other end of the yellow wire is connected to the coil positive so it can not be connected there or the starter will be on all the time, or a least until the wire melts and burns down his car.
BTW I did this when I installed the HEI unit, so the HEI get full power direct from ING terminal.
Old 10-06-2017, 11:50 AM
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Yes if you have replaced you resistor wire to the coil then cut off the yellow wire terminal to the coil and tape the wire back. The purple wire goes on that flat/stab terminal and the reds wires go onto the large terminal lug at the top/upper terminal. Also make sure the lower large terminal lug is tight.

The mini-starters don't have a terminal for the coil positive and with the resistor wire bypassed/replaced you don't need one. You only need the purple wire from the ignition switch to the blade terminal which would be an "S" terminal on a stock solenoid. The large red wire is a hot straight from the battery and the smaller red wire is a switched wire from the alternator switched by the ignition switch but both red wires need to connect to the larger upper terminal lug.

Hope this helps C3.
Old 10-06-2017, 12:08 PM
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Originally Posted by cardo0
Yes if you have replaced you resistor wire to the coil then cut off the yellow wire terminal to the coil and tape the wire back. The purple wire goes on that flat/stab terminal and the reds wires go onto the large terminal lug at the top/upper terminal. Also make sure the lower large terminal lug is tight.

The mini-starters don't have a terminal for the coil positive and with the resistor wire bypassed/replaced you don't need one. You only need the purple wire from the ignition switch to the blade terminal which would be an "S" terminal on a stock solenoid. The large red wire is a hot straight from the battery and the smaller red wire is a switched wire from the alternator switched by the ignition switch but both red wires need to connect to the larger upper terminal lug.

Hope this helps C3.
Hi Cardo0,

I hope you and your dear ones are ok !

Thanks for the update, I still have the resistor wire in the car.

Have a great day
BR,
John
Old 10-08-2017, 07:42 AM
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I don't have a yellow and purple wire. Maybe it is due to time, oil ec ec
But I will take the "S" wire, and connect to the mini starter.
And "blind off" the other small wire.

BUT I have a bonus question, is it normal to use 2 shims, with out any shims the gear drive, my gear drive goes way to far in, please see picture.....







Old 10-08-2017, 08:22 AM
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Ha, it just dawned on me you can't connect the "R" wire to the bottom post of the solenoid because the ignition wire at the + terminal of the coil would send 12 volts thru the "R' wire to the starter while the engine was running. You'd have to connect a diode in the wire to prevent a back flow of current into the starter and Radio Shack would have one rated for enough amperage.

Last edited by 71VetteLover; 10-08-2017 at 08:25 AM.

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Old 10-08-2017, 11:13 AM
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Originally Posted by 71VetteLover
Ha, it just dawned on me you can't connect the "R" wire to the bottom post of the solenoid because the ignition wire at the + terminal of the coil would send 12 volts thru the "R' wire to the starter while the engine was running. You'd have to connect a diode in the wire to prevent a back flow of current into the starter and Radio Shack would have one rated for enough amperage.
Again not a good idea- a Bosch relay would be really the only way to make it work correctly and reliably.

It would easily backfeed through that wire when you went to start the car -what like 50 1Amp diodes???...but that would probably still torch up...

Richard
Old 10-08-2017, 01:22 PM
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Originally Posted by c3_dk
I don't have a yellow and purple wire. Maybe it is due to time, oil ec ec
But I will take the "S" wire, and connect to the mini starter.
And "blind off" the other small wire.

BUT I have a bonus question, is it normal to use 2 shims, with out any shims the gear drive, my gear drive goes way to far in, please see picture.....


Well the instructions should have the specs for setting up the starter. I just googled chevy mini starter instructions and found some from PowerMaster that I liked - you have to download in pdf format. But doesn't say pinion gear depth is an issue - the spacing once retracted is and should be 1/16". Those instructions also explain the wiring better than I could.

BTW I slept though the Mandalay Bay shooting and didn't know it happened until I got to work on Monday morning. Terrible event and the authorities still don't know why. Myself I think it shows how many psychopathics are walking among us. But freedom does have a price and little Hitlers like in North Korea try to spread dictatorship throughout the world even today. That can't happen with an armed citizenship. Thats all I can say.
Old 10-08-2017, 01:30 PM
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Originally Posted by cardo0
Well the instructions should have the specs for setting up the starter. I just googled chevy mini starter instructions and found some from PowerMaster that I liked - you have to download in pdf format. But doesn't say pinion gear depth is an issue - the spacing once retracted is and should be 1/16". Those instructions also explain the wiring better than I could.

BTW I slept though the Mandalay Bay shooting and didn't know it happened until I got to work on Monday morning. Terrible event and the authorities still don't know why. Myself I think it shows how many psychopathics are walking among us. But freedom does have a price and little Hitlers like in North Korea try to spread dictatorship throughout the world even today. That can't happen with an armed citizenship. Thats all I can say.
I'm glad to hear you are ok !!

Thanks for the link, I didn't think about that

A new 22-23lbs flywheel came in the car today. I hope I can install my T5WC transmission next weekend. But I need to shorten off 78mm from the driveshaft, so I will take a few weeks more.


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